DRUM YouthPower! 14th Annual Youth Organizing Institute

 

DRUM’s YouthPower! Program hosted our 14th annual Summer Youth Organizing Institute to develop 20 new youth leaders. The youth engaged in political education workshops, building solidarity, and hands on organizing work for our racial and immigrant justice campaigns through teams dedicated to outreach/fundraising, media, and action planning. The six-week intensive ended with the Graduation and a youth-organized Open Mic that focused on the the need for Administrative Relief for all immigrants, and a call for racial justice in light of the Eric Garner, Mike Brown, and many other cases. The Open Mic featured poetry, singing, Know Your Rights skits, and the premiere of the youth-produced short documentary on Administrative Relief. We were also fortunate to get a report back and message from Marquis Jenkins of the NAACP LDF, who had just returned from Ferguson. Within 20 minutes of the graduation, the youth led a community action to express immigrant solidarity with Mike Brown and the communities of Ferguson. See more pictures from the Open Mic here.