Second Uplifting Youth Convening builds connections and community

In September, the Carlson Family Foundation held its second annual convening, Uplifting Youth: Amplifying the Power of Voice. The day was designed to bring together our community partners in Constellation, Sex Trafficking Prevention and Vibrant Communities to share knowledge, support one another and reaffirm all of our commitments to uplifting the voices of youth.

As noted by our Board Chair Alexander Muresanu, the Foundation is committed to continuously learning from youth and community, finding new ways to directly incorporate their voices into our work. Our Youth Participatory Grantmaking program, which invites youth to lend their perspective to grantmaking decisions, is now in its second year. We’ve also held focus groups with parents and caregivers to help us enhance efforts in this giving priority.  

The day started with a screening of “Gordon Parks’ American Gothic: Liberating the Voices and Visions of a New Generation.” The short film was produced by Don’t Believe the HYPE, which leverages the power of media-making to help youth of color craft their own narratives and amplify their unique voices in the Twin Cities.

The morning also included a youth performance from ComMUSICation; this nonprofit’s mission is to amplify youth voices and cultivate skills for success through equitable access to music, collaboration and opportunity.

Keynote speaker Jordan Pierre, a journalist, media critic, public speaker and youth activist, set the tone for the day by sharing how powerful trusted adults can be in influencing the lives of youth. “An adult can hold onto the belief for youth until they have the strength to do it themselves,” he said. Pierre was then joined on the stage by Markus Flynn, executive director of Black Men Teach, to discuss ways adults can support youth to reach their full potential.

Attendees were invited to attend two different breakout sessions. Each breakout session topic was selected based on input from our grantee partners and hosted by local experts.

In the afternoon, a youth panel from the Youth Arts Leadership Team (YALT) at 825 Arts spoke about how they feel most supported by adults. The group of 14- to 21-year-olds meets regularly to brainstorm, plan, produce and advise adult leadership at 825 Arts on better serving the neighborhood through events, self-expression and building connections among youth.

Thank you to all our community partners who participated in the event, and for sharing your valuable insights and experiences as we work together to uplift the voices of youth.