In brief and still in frustration:
When will adults bent on involving youth in an endeavor figure out that "youth empowerment" doesn't mean designing something and then taking it to youth through traditional, normative structures and systems and expecting youth to engage with it passionately?
Does this ever work?
More pointedly, does it ever work for youth who are already burnt out on...kicked out of...completely unseen within...unengaged by...or unsafe within those traditional, normative structures and systems?
I haven't seen evidence that it does.
Yes, this is a rhetorical question. Yes, I am actively engaged in combating this through advocacy efforts informed by actual youth. Right now, though, this very minute, I just want to be pissed off about it.
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In spite of the fact this is rhetorical: "IT NEVER FUCKING WORKS ! !" It's the whole "alien abduction model of organizing" aka one with no connection to said community or population designs something and then plops it down into said community (picture a saucer ship landing in a field, here) and then begin to 'wah-wah' that it's not working.
ReplyDeletePissed-off pit stops are healthy things in organizing. Good job.
xoxo
i wish i had something brilliant and amazing to say about your blog. but - here's what I got
ReplyDeletei hear ya, i feel ya, i love ya.
snip, snip and [sub]Urban Redneck - you both rock my socks off.
ReplyDelete