WENDY WHEELER, President

Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development

 
When I think about our work, I am reminded of something a young Tohono O’odham woman told one of our partners. She said, “Everyone always tells me what not to be or do, but I want to know who I am.” All too often, this emphasis on what not to do or not to be clouds our best intentions. Although adults mean to treat young people as valued members of the community, we often end up focusing on what they do wrong. Although we mean to put our energy toward a more just and equitable world, we often spend our time addressing small problems one at a time.

As social change agents, we need to move beyond the idea of acting only in direct opposition to negativity and injustice and instead seek to discover and embrace who we are and how, collectively, we can build on that strength to make the world better. We need to create new paradigms of partnership where diverse people can bring disparate ideas together in an atmosphere of respect and appreciation. We need to give these partnerships the time, space and resources to develop mutual dreams and work towards achieving them.

All of this brings me back to young people. Young people are particularly good at bringing together diverse views and people to create inspiring, actionable visions. It is part of the joy and insight they bring to the table. Young people are crucial in creating community change not only because of their positive spirit and can-do attitude but because they understand the reality of their communities in ways that others don’t. They aren’t afraid to share their opinions, no matter how unorthodox. Looking through their eyes, we can see our communities more fully, address issues more comprehensively, and create more powerful and lasting results.

In this issue of Innovate, you’ll read stories of young people creating change. You’ll also read about proven tools and effective strategies to engage young people as leaders in any community. At its best, social justice is about connecting people and ideas, invoking a positive vision, and engaging in collective action to make that vision a reality. I hope this newsletter inspires you to take a new step along this path.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment and support of our work.

© 2007 Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development