‘Youth always lead struggles for change.’
By Devin Anderson
I first got involved in political work 15 years ago. I interned on an electoral campaign. I didn’t have my driver's license yet, so I remember my parents dropping me off and picking me up every day. While I was waiting, I would be entering data from the doors we knocked that evening. That experience taught me a lot. It taught me about what it takes to work on campaigns (very long hours), gave me confidence talking to people, and showed me that young people can make an impact.
Fast forwarding to now, I am thinking about that experience with our Activists in Residence Fellows and youth members. As we onboard our new fellows and continue to build with returning fellows, I am eager for the journey we are going on. This year's fellows are tasked with an exciting challenge to build our next campaign, based on their lived experiences and what they want to see changed in our community. Angela Davis says: "Youth always lead struggles for change.”
Robin Kelley in Freedom Dreams asks, “What are today’s young activists dreaming about? We know what they are fighting against, but what are they fighting for?”
Criminalization in schools, lack of third spaces/access to public spaces, and villainization in the media are things that young people are fighting against at this moment. Hearing their vision of what they want is what is important. Allowing them space to create their solution is just as important.
So we are starting this journey at our fall fundraiser, Youthtopia, on November 13 from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm CT. The event will be at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1531 W Vliet St, Milwaukee, WI. This is an opportunity to meet our inaugural and 2026-2027 cohort fellows who will lead the way. Register here: https://bit.ly/YouthtopiaMKE
This is how we support young people, by supporting their vision of Milwaukee. See you there.
For more information or to get involved with our youth organizing work, visit aartmke.org/youth-organizing.
Devin Anderson serves as Campaign and Membership Director for the African American Roundtable.
