Being a teenager is tough for everyone, that’ s why they call it teenage angst. Sometimes being a teenager is extra tough. Being a minority might be one extra source of angsty anxiety, while poverty can be another. Sometimes when I check the news I get sad, and my whole day is ruined. The headline reads“ another black teen killed” followed by the list of reasons why this is wrong and the call for help. I am an“ adult” to the YouthWorkers, yet I feel a sense of sadness and anxiety from reading the news. They live in communities where they are more likely to experience violence in comparison to my neighborhood. So how must they feel!? Some of them live next to abandoned houses, some of them lose their pay checks to the communal family fund and some of them work multiple jobs. They are younger than me, facing as many, if not more obstacles in life than I currently face.
I say all of this because this summer was really hard for me, yet I understand why it was hard. Sometimes the teens weren’ t nice to me and didn’ t make me feel great for being around. But I’ ve been an angsty teen before, so I get it. I wanted the teens to hear my words and be radicalized. That was selfish of me. Being“ woke”,“ radical”,“ activist”,“ educated” are all different adjectives to add to the word privileged. Having the ability to have an identity outside of surviving or fulfilling your basic needs is a privilege. I’ ve struggled to come to terms with having my own personal privilege, for I used to feel like I was such a victim of racial oppression that I couldn’ t also have privilege. But that’ s a lie. Every day I wake up secure in my feeling of having a home, food and loving support to come back to at the end of the day. That’ s a privilege that I’ ve started to not take advantage of anymore.
Community Partner: 901 Arts Peer Mentor: Naadiya Hutchinson Site Supervisor: Sarah Tooley
What is 901 Arts? 901 Arts is a community-based youth arts center dedicated to providing art and music programs to the children and teens of the Better Waverly neighborhood. 901 Arts provides a safe, creative, and empowering space for Better Waverly Youth to express themselves and develop as artists and community leaders. The art center is an integral part of our community’ s ongoing efforts to build a safer, stronger and more vibrant neighborhood.
• Led outdoor time for Summer Camp and integrated mindfulness techniques into daily transition time, chill outs and mediations
• Attended trainings and facilitated the distribution of free food service for both 901 Arts Summer programs
• Created and facilitated life skills workshops for YouthWorkers including workshops on: Black History and Race in America, Nutrition, Gardening Basics, College Planning( Including a College Tour, Scholarships, Financial Aid, and College Track Workshops), Stress Relief and Self Care, and LGBTQI + Creating Inclusionary Communities
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