IMPACT Youth Town Hall
We are inviting Harlem Youth to a place at the table, to voice and share their concerns, receive historical grounding, and listen and speak to leaders of the social justice movement.
Leader
Mary Jane Marcasiano
Location
229 West 135th Street New York , NY 10030
About the project
What We Do Now Matters Forever
Inviting our young people to a place at the table
YOUTH MODERATED PANELS – Hands-on experience organizing and instruction in questioning and discussion techniques.
- COVID 19 Effects
- Black Lives Matter
- Safe Civic Engagements
GUEST PANELISTS – Shortlist of potential panelists and collaborators.
- Julia Styles
- TI
- Colin Kaepernick
- Sonia Sanchez
- Mosaic
- Freedom Rider
CHALLENGING HARD REALITIES
- Health Issues
- Poverty
- Violence
- Racism
PROMOTING POSITIVITY THROUGH THE ARTS
- Resiliency
- Healthy Decisions
- Academic Success
BUILDING A FUTURE BASED ON
- Peace
- Love
- Respect
IMPACT IS
- Spoken Word
- Music
- Theater
- Dance
- Songwriting
Approximately 30 IMPACT youth will participate in the Town Hall Project. IMPACT's Arts & Leadership Program serves youth, ages 12 to 19, mainly from Harlem. Most are young people of color. The young people with whom we work face myriad challenges to their healthy development, including; poverty, failing schools, violence in their homes and neighborhoods, high unemployment among youth of color, substance use, housing instability, institutional racism, sexism, and heterosexism.
IMPACT TOWN HALL – What We Do Now Matters Forever
The Steps
IMPACT youth will work with leaders and staff to plan a series of town hall talks and events. They will reach out to guest speakers, create materials, and receive training in questioning and discussion techniques. With the help of staff and consultants, they will learn to set up audiovisual materials and receive tech support for virtual and onsite sessions. Through the process, youth will develop and rehearse work new materials into the IMPACT Repertoire.
Why we‘re doing it
IMPACT youth have experienced a disproportionate impact from the COVID pandemic based on their race, socioeconomic status, and location in Harlem. In addition to coping with the COVID, our young people struggle with the death of young Black Americans and witness the global, national, and local attention on equality and racial justice. The Town Hall Project is a multi-platform series of actions to give agency to Harlem Youth to organize and participate in discussions on crucial issues to them and their community.