Blog

Spreading the Impact in Our Community

With the divisive political and racial climate we live in, it is refreshing to see young leaders active in their community and looking to spark change. And, the teens in this year's Fall cycle of the Youth Development Program are having a big impact in the Boston area.

In a recent event with the IBA Preschool, teens spent the afternoon with the youngest in our community doing a host of activities, including block building, coloring, and reading books. We caught up with a few of the amazing teens in the Youth Development Program to hear their thoughts about their experience, and, more importantly, what been a part of a group of change leaders has done for their sense of self expression.

"When my friend told me about how much fun she had in the program, I knew I wanted to join too. I've been in it for about a month and it is always something new that I'm learning. This is my place to be who I am, without judgment. I've never met such a group of understanding people like this before and I've been able to grow so much and feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and ideas," explains Angel, a newcomer to the Youth Development Program.

But, Angel was not alone in feeling the support of the staff in helping her and her fellow youth unlock new levels of self expression.

"I've been in this program for three cycles now and every time I learn something else about myself. When I first started, I was getting into a lot of trouble and hanging around kids that were not doing what they were supposed to be doing. This program has really changed my life. I've been exposed to so much art and culture that it has made me see things differently. And, I've been able to explore things like poetry that I didn't think I'd ever like or even be good at doing. So, it makes me excited to keep learning and growing to be a better person for myself and my community," Jonathan shared with us in between reading books with an eager preschooler.

These are just a few snippets of the impact that the Youth Development Program, here at IBA is having on the youth in our community.

But, in a few weeks, the community will be treated to their poetic work during UNEARTHING, a live poetry event, on December 13th at the MFA. To enjoy a night of youth empowerment and expression in action, get your free tickets here.

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