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| At the first PB Youth Committee meeting, teens discussed what project ideas seemed worth pursuing in the PB process. |
On Monday, October 24th, a group of local
teens, District Committee members, and community activists gathered in the
Kensington Library to discuss potential project proposals in the first meeting
of this year’s PB Youth Committee. The formation of the first PB Youth
Committee in District 39 is not only symbolic of PB's increasing popularity and
success across the district, but is an emblem of the youth voice that has long
been missing from the process. Now, a group of engaged high school and college students
are eager to contribute to their communities through focusing their work in PB
around inclusivity and diversity--hoping to unite district youth from varying
backgrounds.
The meeting began
with a round of introductions, in which PB Youth Committee members shared their
names, neighborhoods, and interests in the PB process. This segued into a
larger discussion about the ideas proposed in the previously held PB Youth
Assembly to determine which could be developed into larger PB projects. Some ideas
were deemed not feasible due to logistical challenges involving the scale of
the ideas and the level of dependency on city agencies needed to implement them.
After eliminating the ideas that were not feasible, teens honed in ones they
believed had the potential to both improve the community and meet the
requirements for project development. Many voiced support for programming that
could lead to the establishment of a community center-like network of courses
in place of a physical community center, which could be more difficult to develop.
Teens discussed what types of programs were most needed by a majority of
district residents. Such programs proposed included an English-language
learning course for immigrant communities, a poetry workshop, music programs at
P.S. 230, a “steps to success course” for high school students, and a coding class.
"It was
exciting to hear all the ideas people from around the community had," says
Chris Stauffer, a PB Youth Committee member and high school student from Park
Slope. "Having the youth be involved in the [PB] process will not only
allow the youth to have a voice, but [will] also allow younger people to have a
direct influence in their community and see their own ideas implemented."
Committee members’
ideas reflected many of the core values of the PB process. A focus on equity,
or ensuring that projects' reach extended into the different communities that comprise
District 39, was prevalent throughout the meeting. Teens questioned how to best
serve immigrant communities--particularly those in Kensington--that may not
have as many delegates already involved in the PB process as other
neighborhoods do. This also entailed an emphasis on diversity, and creating
projects intended to unite district residents from different backgrounds. Even
simply bringing teens from across the district together in this committee was a
step towards achieving this goal. Of course, sharing youth voice was another
staple of the teens' ideas. PB is a unique process in the opportunity it
provides for youth to participate in local democracy, and the PB Youth
Committee takes advantage of that unique opportunity in an effort to effect
change through the power of youth.
"Everyone
deserves a chance to make a positive change in the world and the societies
around them, but [not] everyone [gets] the opportunity to do so," says
Mushfique Elahi, a PB Youth Committee member and high school student from
Kensington. "PB has given me the environment to voice my own opinions and
thoughts [on] what I can do for my community for the better."
Through monthly
committee meetings and online communication via email and Facebook, PB Youth Committee
members are not only developing project proposals that they believe will improve
their communities, but are employing new means of doing so. Ideas for social
media campaigns and mobilizing other high school and college students in
committee members' schools and neighborhoods provide a unique channel for youth
energy that can help expand the reach of the PB process. As the PB cycle
continues, the PB Youth Committee promises a new kind of engagement in local
democracy in the form of teens pushing for their vision of a more inclusive and
connected District 39 community.
