A Youth Perspective: The Autonomous Youth Council

Autonomous Youth Council members meet during Youth Forward MKE’s June Create Space event.

Youth are the driving force behind our Autonomous Youth Council, and their excitement is already palpable. According to a pre-council survey, one of the main factors motivating them is the ability to make connections and build their own communities. During the June 26 Youth Forward MKE meeting, council members were invited expand on these motivations and explore what they hope to gain from the process.

Several members expressed a desire to advocate for causes they strongly believe in and to create a brighter future for themselves and their peers.

"I like speaking about things that I strongly believe in," Lola shared. "So I knew that this would be a good fit for me."

Other members emphasized the importance of having a voice and being able to influence the decisions that affect their lives.

"What drew me to the Autonomous Youth Council is, in our reality, youth are our future," said Laya. "So making sure that they're able to have a bright future ahead of them is really important to me."

Eva added, "What attracted me to the council was the community of young people. I think it's really important that we work together and let our voices be known because a lot of times, adults don't listen to teenagers."

Yet more members highlighted the benefits of gaining knowledge and making connections through the council.

Nay shared, "I was attracted to this youth council because I thought it was something that could be beneficial for me, such as gaining more knowledge and connections with others."