ARTICLES

Mission Statement : 

 

Currently, we are a team of 10 ranging from age 15-20 years old. Every Winter season we welcome new members. 

 

Founded in 2016, Sophia Byrd, Natalie Bray, Eva Lewis, and Maxine Wint decided they would organize a sit-in in Millenium Park as an action against police brutality. This sit- in soon after became a march that  unified almost 2,000 people in the city. The protest aimed to bring youth from all areas of Chicago in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. At the end of that month on July 28th, Chicago's South Shore neighborhood was impacted by the shooting and killing of 18 year old Paul O’Neal. 

 

This led to the collective's second protest welcoming a 5th member, Maxine Aguilar. Eva reached out to me via twitter. We connected on our relationships with the South Shore neighborhood and agreed the people who wanted video footage released deserved it. This was my first time writing literature for a cause I felt passionate about. We submitted a petition to Change.Org which received over 300 signatures and resulted in interviews  once I returned to my home city. Days before my senior year of highschool I had alsoexperienced two meetings with the collective. 

 

Entering Fall of 2016 Youth For Black Lives included students from Kenwood Academy, Walter Payton College Prep, Whitney Young Magnet, William Jones College Prep, and Francis W. Parker High Schools. That fall we met with Superintendent Eddie Johnson, the Chief of Patrol, the Alderman of Mt. Greenwood, and the principle of Marist High School to address violent threats and actions harming the Black youth of mt. greenwood. This meeting allowed us to collaborate with Payton Black Student Union member Jessica Daniels while formulating and voicing demands.

 

We believed in a fight that held law enforcement accountable. We continued meeting with Superintendent Eddie Johnson to support this effort.

 

In March of 2017, we were invited to present a speech at the Women's March on Chicago. 

By the Spring we welcomed members Amaris Buford, Kanyinsola Anifowoshe, Selah Amoaku, and Amaya Lorrick.

 

As a collective we read excerpts from Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde and agreed that “the master's tools will not dismantle the master's house.” This was an effort spearheaded my co organizer Eva Lewis and in hindsight, feels imperative for the course our actions would soon take

 

We redirected from a political organization to a non profit centered on education and engagement. This means art, service, discussion, and a boat of yet had experiences. 

 

Our Youth Teach In Series Launched Fall of 2017 and became a 3 part event throughout February 2018. Here we offered free safe space, free meals, free lessons, and free panel discussion attendance. We understand that traditional education often excludes information which is relevant to either the skills that our communities need or the tools we need to change our conditions. At the same time we launched our #SaveOurGirls Campaign. This T-shirt is screen printed at Harold Washington Library in the You Media center with an original design. We bring awareness to efforts like the Black and Missing Foundation that address the state of human trafficking and organ harvesting that predatorily impacts the lives of counted and countless Black women and girls specifically. To remain sustainable we thrift and wash plain t shirts for usage.

 

Summer of 2018 we expanded the concept of our Youth Teach In and presented the Back to School Block Party: Blackstone Summer. The concepts of the Teach In all apply in addition to free school supplies and a bouncy house. This past summer of 2019  we successfully made the event annual by presenting the second addition.

 

Winter of 2018 we welcomed Nicole Alcalde, Yasmine Tarr, Iris Haastrup, Treanna and Laila Latta. Most recently we were joined by Kay Mabwa.

As a grant writer, event planner, and engagement strategist in the name of Youth For Black Lives primarily, I would like to thank Young Chicago Authors, The Experimental Station, Assata’s Daughters, Chicago Community Trust, Mobilize Power Fund, SNCC, BackYard Series Chi, New Afrikan ImageMakers, Noes Naturals, Fourtune House, Kuumba Lynx, Kai Wright, NombreKari, Save Money Save Lives, Social Works Chi, Chicago Poetry Foundation, Amber Anderson, Sarika Doppalapudi, Maia Cho, The I Project, Kara Walker, DJ Bonita Apple Blunt, Private the Brand, SouthSide Weekly, Fempowerment, Izzys Photography Studios, Womens March, On the Table, Synergy Collective, Christian Jalon, Aaliyah Allah, Chef Kennedy, Rebirth Poetry Ensemble, Queer Initiatives, Agape Luv, Unladylike Ch, Stillwell Institute, DJ Ron Ron, DJ Nephus, Anai Akuei, Clif Bar, Blackstone BikeWorks, Girlscouts of Greater Chicago, Major Taylor Cycling Club of Chicago, Karizma Black, Chloe Kelly, London Ghoulston, Preston Branton, Alfred Jackson, Troy Blakey, Isaiah Blakey, Rori Hayes, Ashanti Owusu-Brafi, Preston Branton, Kinn Marie, and  all others who have volunteered, supported, and poured in.