Empowering Youth through Mental Health, Organizing and Equity Sessions
Kristin Kappelman discusses the Autonomous Youth Council during Youth Forward MKE’s June Create Space event.
The Autonomous Youth Council is nearly here! This unique youth-focused initiative will kick off on July 8 with the start of the Summer Academy, and facilitators are already gearing up to lead engaging sessions that promise to empower and educate Milwaukee’s youth.
Lou Burnett and Matt Nink from SKY Schools are set to kick off "Mental Health Mondays," responding directly to youth demands for more mental health supports. Their sessions will focus on stress and anxiety reduction techniques, empowering youth to manage their emotions through breathwork and resilience-building exercises.
“Stress and anxiety do crazy things. They stop us in our tracks,” explained Lou. “I got some breathing techniques and all types of tools youth can throw in their toolbox to help alleviate and manage that.”
Markasa Tucker-Harris of the African American Roundtable will delve into the intricacies of organizing, emphasizing the essentials for effective campaigns and the importance of strategic tactics like canvassing and lobbying. Reflecting on the significance of youth involvement, Markasa highlighted the need for consistent youth input in decision-making throughout Milwaukee.
“It is important for our young people to be at every table when we’re talking about rebuilding and building this city,” she shared.
David Castillo of Equitable Systems Consultants and We Will All Rise will explore historically responsive education practices, aiming to address longstanding inequities in classroom settings. David emphasized the need for educational approaches that ensure quality learning experiences for Black and Brown students, with the goal of improving academic outcomes through culturally relevant teaching methods.
Finally, Angela Harris the Black Educators Caucus will lead discussions on equity, guiding youth through conversations on what it means and how to create more equitable spaces. Angela will also explore Milwaukee's educational history, linking past inequities to current challenges and empowering participants to develop their own equity plans they can implement in their schools.
In addition to these courses, youth will have the chance to participate in explorative and experiential opportunities, such as bus and museum tours around Milwaukee. These activities directly address their desire for more hands-on learning experiences outside of traditional classroom settings.
Future Phases
The Summer Academy will draw to a close on August 2, yet this won’t mark the end of the learning journey. The second phase of the council will begin this fall, building on the summer’s learning with an overview of the local policy landscape, budgeting, funding and data-driven decision-making. In 2025, these youth will be placed on decision-making bodies throughout the community, with the opportunity to exercise the wide range of skills they’ve developed.
