To ACCESS and YouthVille
For the past 8 weeks, I’ve been working with 10 young people from Dearborn and Detroit looking at the issue of racism and segregation in metro-Detroit. This kids are fantastic! They were recruit by ACCESS, and Arab/Arab American advocacy group and YouthVille, and youth center in the New Center area of Detroit. We met, we talked, we did activities, we learned about each other and together explored centuries-old societal issues.
I struggled this summer. I went from being proud, to embarassed, to confused, to upset, to hopeful, etc etc. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I got all of the validation I need for doing this work. We assembled a panel of adult allies, including a member of the Michigan State Board of Education and a State Legislator. Our kids testified in front of these panelist, telling the stories of racism in the classroom, lack of access and lack of voice. They told stories of teachers telling them that Black people are inherently dumber and people throwing rocks at them because they are wearing a head scarf.
Thee young people were given a microphone and got a politician to make a PROMISE (shocking!) to sponsor a bill, and are now on the agenda for the next Michigan State Board of Ed meeting. 14 year old’s accomplished things in one night that it would take years for an adult to do.
To my Summer Youth Dialogue kids…I’m so proud of you. 
Brian said,
July 31, 2009 at 9:37 am
Way to go Staci! You showed them their inner queendom.