Facilitated by youth leaders of the National Youth Network (NYN) as part of the Creative Youth Development movement, participants at this sharing session engage in a visual showcase, an interactive self-assessment tool and guiding principles to co-design spaces with youth leaders. Centering Paulo Friere’s educational philosophy that “there is no student who learns and teacher who educates, but a shared power relationship where both who are taught also teach,” presenters share a self-reflective practice through a NYN-created self-assessment tool. This tool offers educators, practitioners and administrators support in developing a co-design process with youth. Participants also receive key principles in co-designing shared youth and adult leadership spaces in and outside the classroom.
Presenter Bios
Paula Alvarado Ortega (she/ella), CYD National Youth Coordinator at Creative Youth Development National Partnership, is 20 years old and lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She is enrolled at Phoenix College focused on Criminal Justice and Theatre. She also works at Rising Youth Theatre as a transforming artistic collaborator and is a co-founder and staff member at RE:Frame Youth Art Center. Within all her work as an artist and community organizer, she focuses on completely shifting the way young people are included and valued. Alongside her peers, she ignites new norms where young people are recognized as leaders, compensated for their time and work alongside adults equally.
Ashley Hare (she/they), director of leadership development at National Guild for Community Arts Education, works to integrate wellness, joy, community organizing, elder and ancestral knowledge and youth-led artistic practice. She works within shelters for youth who are homeless, in group homes, rehabilitation facilities, juvenile detention centers and schools. They serve the National Guild remotely from Phoenix, Arizona, and supports Re:Frame Youth Arts Center as a co-founder and adult accomplice who shares leadership power with a 50% youth staff and board. She also serves as a board member for Mass Liberation AZ, who works to abolish incarceration for youth and adults.
Micky Johnson (she/her), National Young Artists Summit coordinator at Creative Youth Development National Partnership, is 17 years old and works with Creative Action’s Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble in Austin, Texas. She loves helping people and hopes her work helps make the community a better place for the future generations. She serves the CYD’s 2020 National Youth Summit as the Content Curation Coordinator, expanding her role from an alumni of the 2019 NYAS planning team. In addition to theatre arts, Micky is really big on visual arts and piano. She is happiest when using self-expressive art for social justice.
Access additional 2020 AEP Virtual Gathering resources here.
