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List,
Yesterday I had an opportunity to go with RT to
support the folks that pulled together the Youth Vote rally at First
Avenue. Over 500 youth and young people stopped by, learned about
candidates, discussion issues, danced, partied, and as appropriate registered to
vote. Youth Vote, among lots of other
things pulls together a candidate directory focused on the issues that are
important to youth --as determined by youth. Youth Vote is part of an overall strategy to build the capacity of
Minneapolis youth to have meaningful participation in the decisions that impact
their lives. Kudos to all the folks that made it happen -- especially
those over at What's Up!
Far too often the voice, the presence, the
participation and the leadership of youth is not part of the civic infastructure
of our community. Too often their voice is marginalized to advisory boards, or
tokinized as one seat on a sub committee to a task force that will be providing
recomendations. Providing meaningful participation starts with being asked
their opinion, but it must develop into active participation in the decisions
that impact their lives.
When I was at the Lyndale Neighborhood one of the activities of which I was
most proud was our Youth Initiative. Our Youth Initiative was not a youth
program. It was were youth initatiated, designed, developed, lead, participated
and evaluated their own community building activities. In 1999 the Lyndale
Neighborhood won the NeighborhoodUSA "Neighboprhood of the Year" based on the
direct participation and leadership of the youth in all aspects of the
neighborhoods reviatalization efforts. One of my favorite projects the
youth led was "Kickin it wit Cops" which opened a dialogue between neighborhood
youth and our community's beat officers. Then Crime Prevention Specialist,
now 10th Ward Council Candidate, Dan Niziolek was one of the key partners that
helped to make that important activity so successful. Through my job I work with communities all over the
country that are changing their communities with and for youth. I am proud
that both RT and Dan have specific, tangible and "do-able" ideas to make this
happen in our community as well.
Sincerely,
Joseph Barisonzi
Ward 10, Lyndale |
