The City School in Dorchester is a youth leadership organization for teens ages 14-19 that aims to develop members into passionate activists for social justice. Their programs include: a Summer Leadership Program for a diverse group of high schoolers; Pathways of Change, in which youth learn basic community organizing skills and choose campaigns to engage in; and the Social Justice Education Institute, where youth learn to take ownership of their education and focus on social justice in their communities.
Since its inception in ’94, YOB has been a leader for youth organizing groups in Boston. YOB believes that when youth feel that their voice is being heard and respected, they commit to improving the community around them. They seek to ameliorate relationships between youth and adults, support youth activism, and ensure that youth have a voice in the decision-making of their community.
The Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC)
BSAC is a youth-led committee of Boston Public School Students who strive to ensure that students perspective is included in the decisions made for the school district. Each BPS high school has at least 2 representatives in the council. They play an important role in informing fellow students of their rights under district rules, working with principals on student climate issues, and advising the School Committee and the Superintendent on school policies.
Based in Roxbury, the Hyde Square Task Force is a youth empowerment organization. They hope to meet the needs of youth through college/job readiness programs, while simultaneously engaging young people in civic activities. HSTF addresses issues such as education, safety, affordable housing, economic development, and access to health care.
Founded in ’68, Sociedad Latina is a youth development program located near Roxbury Crossing and Brigham Circle. Through their civic engagement programs, they show young people the importance of being civically engaged, and give them to tools and space they need to identify, research, and take action on issues affecting their lives.
With one site in Dorchester and one in Roxbury, Teen Empowerment is a nonprofit organization that encourages youth to think deeply about the social issues in their communities and teaches them how to bring about change. They hire 12 youth organizers, ages 14-21, to address these issues and design strategies to take action. Additionally, the hold an annual Youth Peace Conference to discuss social issues affecting youth through conversations and art.
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Boston Youth Organizing Project
Originally known as the Roxbury Church Collaborative, Boston Youth Organizing Project is a youth-led organization who seek to achieve social justice and empower the voice of youth. They emphasize the responsibility of youth to take action and seek justice for themselves and their neighbors. Their campaigns have included demands for more guidance counselors, less violence on the T, lowering the voting age, extending the hours of the T pass, and many more.
The Urbano Project is an artist-run space located near Stonybrook in Jamaica Plain. This organization aims to empower Boston Public School teens and professional artists to create social change through participatory works of contemporary art and performance. They hope that through art, youth will find their own voices to address sources of injustice in their communities.
The Youth Jobs Coalition is a youth-led organization who are dedicated to creating more employment opportunities for high schoolers. They believe that young people should have a voice in both public and private employment policies as it affects their lives. The coalition consists of over 20 youth organizations.
Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project
This youth-led organization seeks to educate their members on environmental issues and advocate for environmental justice not only in Roxbury but in the entire city of Boston. Each year they organize a “Toxic Tour” of Dudley Square to point out issues such as air quality and asthma, land use & toxics, brown fields, etc. and inform hundreds of students on the environmental justice issues occurring in the community.
Sources
1. We Are the Ones in the Classroom – Ask Us! [Online Video]. Boston Student Advisory Council. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T1EENg8bXk
2. Hyde Square Task Force [Online Video]. Hyde Square Task Force. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWsZLlDVAZI
3. Teen Empowerment [Online Video]. Teen Empowerment Boston. Retrieved from http://vimeo.com/63131527
4. Square Roots of Boston – Urbano Project Summer 2013 [Online Video]. Urbano Project. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmqKYBIz-PI