Recently I've been talking with Richard Lewis, a community activist in California who is leading a group called Grupo Amistad. Richard has been piling together a pile of youth-oriented organizations from across the US in the last several months, working to develop several initiatives towards creating a national youth union. In my discussions with Richard, he's elaborated on a vision of a group similar to the American Association of Retired People (AARP). This group would lobby Congress on behalf of all American youth, and according to Richard's vision, would be modelled after the work of Caesar Chavez and Dr. King.
Aside from it's best intentions, I guess that I'm leary of any organization that purports to represent the interests of ALL youth, despite its best intentions. To be frank, I don't think that the interests of ALL youth can be represented by any ONE group, let alone a group formed and led by adults. Call me a purest, or radical, but I just don't see this as an authentic model for advocating for young peoples' interests. Another point of concern that I have stems from the "steam" behind Richard's proposal, which is the idea of having every American youth contribute one dollar towards the cause. I mean, sure, a battle chest of $50,000,000 would make any lobbying effort substantive, and likely effective; however, this just isn't a reasonable scheme for funding a national youth organization of any kind. I also look at this model in suspect because of its inherent scope: any organization that is this ambitious will inherently be corporatized quickly, and if it was actually successful, the leadership would be quickly suseptable to influence from corporate donors, who are usually out to prey on young people themselves.
I guess I would regard any attempt at forming a national youth union as a suspicious cause with questionable outcomes. That much said, I'm signing up. Richard has asked CommonAction to begin developing the Internet platform for the National Youth Union (NYU), and we're going to take that on. With the right website tools, the NYU could be a democratized experience, and lead to popular referendums by young people addressing the issues that affect children, youth, their families, and their communities - we'll see.
Let me know what you think.
Since this is the first of what I hope will be many comments and since today is the date of the birth of our great nation I must say that you have raised the site
ReplyDeleteto begin what's wanted and needed
to empower what exists.
If but 64 signed what today we hold
as a National Holiday then we need
at least that number to source the
declaration and it started with but
one: Count me in!
This is Richard....and thank you for your stand.
"In takes but one to make a difference, be the one!
Adam your sites are of most help
to me and speak to our common ground for a solution.
My action steps are to make known
to the data base the question and
your blog. The next two months will be one of research and the
ongoing "one conversation at a time
to move forward the vision".
While AARP is a good example of what's possible my outcome is more
local, & from the inside/out.
Let's leave the national lobby up
to what's in place now...follow the
money. What they miss is "grass
roots activism". Our stand
that while a AARP for youth voice
and empowerment would be but one
more perhaps doing good but not the
solution. As you know I hold that
what's missing is collaboritive
University sourced local public
domain initiative.
The fact that AARP now exists in a
time when Senior/Youth strategies
and funding is in place can only
move forward the vision.
While a collective process might
create as you see a war chest, as
the 37,000,000 members of AARP the
idea of but $1 or more membership
in the Grupo Amistad Vision would
always stay within the local voice
and collective alliance that creates the process. For example in Olympia itself, one individual
can source the team of youth.
The idea of a Union exists all over
the world...the UCSC campus has a
Student Union. Cesar created the
UFW but what many don't know is that he also created the Union of
the community.
www.lupenet.org
So this comment is to thank you, &
so I'm a stand that a structure is
wanted and needed.
The movement exists as your sites so clearly speak to. A web site
for a empowering struture, one that seeds local public domain initiatives, youth run and controled would create a "hub"
of possibilities.
The "mission" of such a structure
is up to those who share the "count me in" intent to create
a solution.
The question of the day?
If not a National Youth Union, what structure can move forward the movement now in place that Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of when he said "In the future all youth will cometogether to make this a better world"
The AFL/CIO and it's partner's in
Canada and the planet are allies &
can jump start the needed process.
The "Student Leader" the publication of the Australian
university students calls itself
the National Union of Students.
www.unistudent.com.au
Here in the USA the ASGA and its
publication "Student Leader" open
up future outreach to its 374 membership members in 49 states &
DC to explore your question.
I hold myself a organizer and my
role to but start the conversation.
Yes at 69 years young I can choose
how I spend my time but if you had
the vision I've shared with you
then your full time plus would be
in moving it forward.
Many people are out there who have
passion and visions. Look forward
to making known to our data base
this but one "Action step" to visit your blog, check out the sites of YoungWorld.org and Freechild.org and add their comment to yours.
In closing I can only speak to the
fact that ASGA with it's membership and readership has a
research poll in which they asked
the question "What percentage of the student body do you usually have for a Student Government election? As on today there are
no response and I hold that a
National Youth Union would change
that (check out prior participation on their polls)
visit their site...
www.asgaonline.com
Your's like their question is needed. In my progressibe county
with the local Junior College the
institution where the local youth
movement leadership exists either
in past attendance or current.
Added the large number of Union
Members, staff, and resources but
a small number vote or participate
in it's yearly elections.
It's my stand that this example of
civic responsibility or in California where in the last election for key state and local
positions but 28% of the voters
participated in a big "F".
Giving voice and empowerment to
youth not only through Service Learning but in what Wendy Lesko
and your stand speaks to is wanted
and needed.
If we start with people like both
of you then only something good will come out of this blog you have started.
Please build on that conversation
found within the book:
The 26% Youth Solution by Wendy
The National Clearinghouse for
Youth Activism 1-800 Kid Power
www.youthactivism.com
In regard to building on both Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar
E. Chavez there are two existing
centers that now move forward their Legacy.
www.kingcenter.org
www.UFW.org
and follow the links to the Cesar
E. Chavez Foundation
A series of Action steps are wanted and needed, most of all the
process and leadership of residents themselves, nieghborhood
alliance's empowered through the
model of University participation
now policy to which can be builded
on.
The impossible is possible!
Action!/Reaction
The truth is that I'm not clear what is HTML tags or up to this
week had no printer but with youth
now inrolled like Jacob, Matt, &
others will speak in the future
as I have....We need King/Chavez
Legacy Teams. They should start
as ad hoc teams on any University
in Sept/Oct 2006. The outcome a
series of end of the month community conversations in Jan, Feb. and March 2007 to which link
up the lives, dreams, aims, stands, and values of both men in
any community that see's value in
this idea.
Is the word Legacy is very adult
then just create a "team" but one
outcome should be a initiative to
give voice and empowerment to the
area's children and youth.
One thing takes place when you reach the age I have...senior moments and you talk a lot.
You honor me to take the time to
read this comment...Thanks
Please respont to this post and
make it known to your social network.
Special thanks to Diana Lee who
as a team of two...has kept the
vision alive.
If you like me are concerned with
the reality in America within the
specific neighborhoods where gang
bangers and want to be have a strong hold...join this idea of a
Gang For Good!
check out our choice for process
and TA work in Oakland, Califonia
www.ncdinet.org
As of 7/4/06 there were no comments yet.
My stand is to see at least 64 a
declaration to "count me in".
Since this is the first of what I hope will be many comments and since today is the date of the birth of our great nation I must say that you have raised the site
ReplyDeleteto begin what's wanted and needed
to empower what exists.
If but 64 signed what today we hold
as a National Holiday then we need
at least that number to source the
declaration and it started with but
one: Count me in!
This is Richard....and thank you for your stand.
"In takes but one to make a difference, be the one!
Adam your sites are of most help
to me and speak to our common ground for a solution.
My action steps are to make known
to the data base the question and
your blog. The next two months will be one of research and the
ongoing "one conversation at a time
to move forward the vision".
While AARP is a good example of what's possible my outcome is more
local, & from the inside/out.
Let's leave the national lobby up
to what's in place now...follow the
money. What they miss is "grass
roots activism". Our stand
that while a AARP for youth voice
and empowerment would be but one
more perhaps doing good but not the
solution. As you know I hold that
what's missing is collaboritive
University sourced local public
domain initiative.
The fact that AARP now exists in a
time when Senior/Youth strategies
and funding is in place can only
move forward the vision.
While a collective process might
create as you see a war chest, as
the 37,000,000 members of AARP the
idea of but $1 or more membership
in the Grupo Amistad Vision would
always stay within the local voice
and collective alliance that creates the process. For example in Olympia itself, one individual
can source the team of youth.
The idea of a Union exists all over
the world...the UCSC campus has a
Student Union. Cesar created the
UFW but what many don't know is that he also created the Union of
the community.
www.lupenet.org
So this comment is to thank you, &
so I'm a stand that a structure is
wanted and needed.
The movement exists as your sites so clearly speak to. A web site
for a empowering struture, one that seeds local public domain initiatives, youth run and controled would create a "hub"
of possibilities.
The "mission" of such a structure
is up to those who share the "count me in" intent to create
a solution.
The question of the day?
If not a National Youth Union, what structure can move forward the movement now in place that Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of when he said "In the future all youth will cometogether to make this a better world"
The AFL/CIO and it's partner's in
Canada and the planet are allies &
can jump start the needed process.
The "Student Leader" the publication of the Australian
university students calls itself
the National Union of Students.
www.unistudent.com.au
Here in the USA the ASGA and its
publication "Student Leader" open
up future outreach to its 374 membership members in 49 states &
DC to explore your question.
I hold myself a organizer and my
role to but start the conversation.
Yes at 69 years young I can choose
how I spend my time but if you had
the vision I've shared with you
then your full time plus would be
in moving it forward.
Many people are out there who have
passion and visions. Look forward
to making known to our data base
this but one "Action step" to visit your blog, check out the sites of YoungWorld.org and Freechild.org and add their comment to yours.
In closing I can only speak to the
fact that ASGA with it's membership and readership has a
research poll in which they asked
the question "What percentage of the student body do you usually have for a Student Government election? As on today there are
no response and I hold that a
National Youth Union would change
that (check out prior participation on their polls)
visit their site...
www.asgaonline.com
Your's like their question is needed. In my progressibe county
with the local Junior College the
institution where the local youth
movement leadership exists either
in past attendance or current.
Added the large number of Union
Members, staff, and resources but
a small number vote or participate
in it's yearly elections.
It's my stand that this example of
civic responsibility or in California where in the last election for key state and local
positions but 28% of the voters
participated in a big "F".
Giving voice and empowerment to
youth not only through Service Learning but in what Wendy Lesko
and your stand speaks to is wanted
and needed.
If we start with people like both
of you then only something good will come out of this blog you have started.
Please build on that conversation
found within the book:
The 26% Youth Solution by Wendy
The National Clearinghouse for
Youth Activism 1-800 Kid Power
www.youthactivism.com
In regard to building on both Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar
E. Chavez there are two existing
centers that now move forward their Legacy.
www.kingcenter.org
www.UFW.org
and follow the links to the Cesar
E. Chavez Foundation
A series of Action steps are wanted and needed, most of all the
process and leadership of residents themselves, nieghborhood
alliance's empowered through the
model of University participation
now policy to which can be builded
on.
The impossible is possible!
Action!/Reaction
The truth is that I'm not clear what is HTML tags or up to this
week had no printer but with youth
now inrolled like Jacob, Matt, &
others will speak in the future
as I have....We need King/Chavez
Legacy Teams. They should start
as ad hoc teams on any University
in Sept/Oct 2006. The outcome a
series of end of the month community conversations in Jan, Feb. and March 2007 to which link
up the lives, dreams, aims, stands, and values of both men in
any community that see's value in
this idea.
Is the word Legacy is very adult
then just create a "team" but one
outcome should be a initiative to
give voice and empowerment to the
area's children and youth.
One thing takes place when you reach the age I have...senior moments and you talk a lot.
You honor me to take the time to
read this comment...Thanks
Please respont to this post and
make it known to your social network.
Special thanks to Diana Lee who
as a team of two...has kept the
vision alive.
If you like me are concerned with
the reality in America within the
specific neighborhoods where gang
bangers and want to be have a strong hold...join this idea of a
Gang For Good!
check out our choice for process
and TA work in Oakland, Califonia
www.ncdinet.org
As of 7/4/06 there were no comments yet.
My stand is to see at least 64 a
declaration to "count me in".
Hi Adam, I admire what you're up to. I am in contact with Richard and am inspired by what he's up to as well.
ReplyDeleteThe youth hold the future in their hands, and are for me the most exciting segment of the population to work with.
I submit that the greatest untapped resource for the youth and for everyone--and our greatest access to power--is not government force or what it can do for us; but rather what I call vision force.
Vision force being the innate power of human beings to find something worth standing for, to take a stand, to see a vision born from that stand, and to heroically be true to that vision until it exists as reality.
To me such a person is, like you, a visionary. This person has the power to call their teammates and even their adversaries to greatness, i.e., to rise about their fears and doubts to stand for what's worth standing for.
It occurs to me that we can impact the world around us through our own entrepreneurial ventures and visionary projects, in effect practically ignoring government as a force for change, and instead being that force ourselves.
I just returned from Kenya where I worked with youth there, spreading the revolutionary idea that they themselves have the power to change the world around them. As an idea, perhaps it's an old one and not that revolutionary, but when a young person sees it on the level of vision it is indeed revolutionary.
Michael Skye, Vision Force Academy