2022 YLO Glo-Up

The Youth Leadership Organization had its Spring GLO-UP on March 11-14th. In this spring series. Some of our work was dedicated to the Roots of Change Garden. Where the youth planted a lot of medicinal herbs and plants. Organized some water hoses. Because the winter storm hit our medicinal plots. We did a tour of the plants that had survived. Which are bay leaf, mugwort, rosemary, and chile piquin. The herbs the youth planted were lemongrass, Hoja Santa, rosemary, lemon balm, chamomile, oregano, thyme, and sage. It is important for us to get Intune with the herbs we planted. So, for the summer the Youth will focus on one plant, and we will produce a recipe/zine to continue working on the land.

We had an art building for the Border expo and Womxn's march. Many of our posters were highlighted in the march and border expo. One of the main messages our youth wanted to portray in their art. Where safe and abortion for all. Also standing up for all Womxn, not just cis women. Justice for all the people who have died at the hands of the Border Patrol and these man-made borders! We marched at the Womxn's Day March as the SWU/YLO crew! After that, we went to visit the Blue Star Contemporary Art Gallery. We viewed a lot of art. Exhibitions. The artists we saw were the following: Megan Harrison, Jimmy James Canales, Reetika Rajgariah, Juan Carlos Escobedo, Mickalene Thomas, Audrya Flores, C. Rose Smith, Luis Valderas. We also spent some time in the Black Art Library. It was cool. In the exhibit, they had a water easel where youth painted with water. The whole exhibit includes catalogs, children’s books, artist memoirs, artist biographies, and art history texts that focus on Black artists and history. Exhibition curated by Asmaa Walton. Special thanks to Laeree Lepowitz, she hosted us and gave us a whole tour of the Blue Star Contemporary.

In our Spring Glo-Up, we had a total of 10 Youth come out. We continue to prepare for the summer. We will have a Summer Internship. It will open on April 30th. If you would like more information, send us an e-mail at yvonne@swunion.org.