2022 YOUTH LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION RECAP
OVERVIEW
The Youth Leadership Organization Summer Internship focuses on building skills and uplifting young voices in the movement. This is through exposure to community gardening, art building, and awareness of community struggles.
GOALS
Achievement of individual and collective goals
Youth Leadership Development
Local Awareness
Confidence Building
WEEKLY REPORTS
Week 1, June 13th- 15th
The first week of programming started with a Zoom meeting filled with introductions, sharing of pronouns, and playing Gartic Phone (an online version of the telephone game) to get to know each other. The second day of programming was used to tour the building, meet staff, and get to know each other more while emphasizing the importance of respecting pronouns. To finish off the week, the youth visited San Antonio’s Botanical Garden and discussed ideas for the upcoming garden project.
Week 2, June 20th & 21st
In the second week of programming, the YLO worked on planning out collective and personal goals for the summer. Highlights of the personal goals conversation included academic, social, emotional, and spiritual goals i.e. working on not distancing oneself when negative emotions arise, individual studies on desired career paths, and letting go of the fear of talking to new people. The YLO discussed their ideas for the Back To SWU event, some ideas were school supplies, hygiene packets, resource packets (housing, LGBTQ+, study areas, and medical resources), bus passes, haircuts, youth clothes exchange, etc.
June 21st continued with the journaling and goals workshop and then proceeded to learn about maintaining the medicinal garden and its qualities.
Week 3, June 27th- 29th
On June 27th the YLO focused on learning about natural dyes to tie-dye fabric using chemical reactions from an alkaline solution with turmeric, alum, and coffee grounds. Programming was canceled on the 28th due to weather conditions. On the last day of this week, the youth distributed fans and Climate Collectiva zines to the community; a total of 50 fans were distributed. Following the distribution, the youth attended the Migrants Matter Rally to stand in solidarity with the 53 lost lives that were found in the tractor-trailer of people attempting to migrate.
Week 5, July 11th- 13th
From July 11th to the 13th the YLO worked on action banners for causes they believed in. The first day it was dedicated to coming up with the concept and sketching it out. The following days were focused on sketching and painting the actual banners. The YLO decided to do four; one on the Texas grid and regulation of women’s bodies, another one on the overturn of Roe v. Wade in comparison to gun control, one on migrant rights, one on the Spruce Coal Plant, and an extra one of the new YLO logo.
Week 6, July 18th- 19th
On week 6 of programming, the youth went on an off-trail hiking route at Southside Lions Park to highlight the importance of exercise and the outdoors. The rest of the week was used to finish the banners from the previous week.
Week 7, July 25th- 27th
As the YLO-led Back-to-SWU event was coming up we worked on the Demos that would be presented at the said event. Divided into four groups the YLO worked on a DIY AC demo, a DIY natural deodorant demo, a healthy smoothie demo, and a thrifting and fast fashion demo.
They worked on researching and acquiring materials for their demonstrations, an informative zine further explaining their demonstration, and the products that were going to be given to the audience.
Week 8, Aug 1st- 2nd & Aug 4th- 6th
From August 1st to the second the YLO went camping at Garner State Park for two days and one night. These two days were filled with swimming in the Frio River, dancing at the Garner Dance, appreciating the wildlife, and seeing the stars.
After that relaxing trip the YLO went back to working hard on the Back-to-SWU event, finalizing any last-minute preparations with zines, and presentations, practicing their demos, preparing the school supplies, and setting up the space for the event.
On August 6th the Back-to-SWU event took place and 150 packs of school supplies were given to elementary, middle school, and high school students. The event also included food and music.
FINAL REMARKS
The Youth Leadership organization had its annual summer internship, with 20 youth interns. The main concentrations for this year’s summer internship were appreciation of the arts within social justice, mindfulness of nature and the outdoors, and the importance of giving back to the community.
YLO Youth interns worked on many pieces that will be used for future actions and they will be able to see the legacy of their artwork. The youth worked on 5 banners; one on the Texas grid and regulation of women’s bodies, another one on the overturn of Roe v. Wade in comparison to gun control, one on migrant rights, one on the Spruce Coal Plant, and the final one of the new YLO logo.
While taking care of the medicinal garden the YLO also was able to appreciate nature on different occasions. The youth visited San Antonio’s Botanical Garden and discussed ideas for the upcoming garden project. They walked around before the discussion and were able to see the gardens filled with native flora. The youth went on an off-trail hiking route at Southside Lions Park to highlight the importance of exercise and the outdoors.
Lastly, at the end of the program, we had our annual camping trip to Garner State Park for two days and one night. These two days were filled with swimming in the Frio River, dancing at the Garner Dance, appreciating the wildlife, and seeing the stars.
In attending the Migrants Matter Vigil, participating in the fan distribution, and planning out the Back-to-SWU event, the YLO learned the importance of giving back to the community through organizing. The school supplies distribution served the biggest role in teaching community involvement, the youth worked on demonstrations.
Divided into four groups the YLO worked on the following demonstrations:
How to build a DIY AC as a response to high electricity rates
DIY non-harming natural deodorant
Thrifting and fast fashion relationships
Healthy smoothies
They worked very hard on zines, presentations, practicing their demos, preparing the school supplies, and setting up the space for the event. This resulted in 150 packs of school supplies distributed to elementary, middle school, and high school students.
