Youth Action Research Group

On May 5th, 2007...YARG Made History

2007-06-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone,
My name is Moises Miranda and I am one of YARG’s core members, or as we like to call our self’s Yarganights. First of all, I would like to let you know that this is my fist post, so feedback and constructive criticism are welcomed. Y.A.R.G. (Youth Action Research Group) has been trying to improve the Summer Youth Employment program of D.C. which is supposed to provide paid job training opportunites to DC Youth age 14-18. We (YARG) have had meetings with several DC City Council Members, including Carol Schwartz, who is part of the Workforce Development Committee. We have been to her office, we flooded her questions and we asked her for a hearing specifically on the Summer Youth Employment Program. We have also been meeting with other Council members so they can get on the issue and continue to apply pressure so things get done. After several meetings, YARG was able to get a special hearing on the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), on Saturday, so young people could attend. We invited youth and several other non-profit organizations and partners to come to the hearing to testify. The following are the testimonies of our members (including me), along with a video of each, so you can’t say that ya didn’t read any cause it was too much to read. Enjoy.

martha

jose

emmanuael

anita

krissy

moises (me:)

carol shwartz applauds YARG

2007-02-02T17:47:00.000-05:00

Celebrate Youth Activism with YARG!

Join the Youth Action Research Group (YARG) for the release of our new action research report & recommendations for quality youth employment training and job opportunities in Washington, DC.

Monday February 12, 2007
7 pm
Busboys & Poets Cafe
2021 14th St. NW

RSVP yarg@yargdc.org

To learn more & to sign on-to YARG's Priority Recommendations for Quality Youth Employment email yarg@yargdc.org or call (202) 462-5767. Hope to see you Feb 12th!

YARG Member Nancy Cruz Speaks Out for Quality Youth Employment in DC

2007-01-24T17:16:00.000-05:00

Nancy Cruz, right, testifies before the Workers' Rights Board
as part of a panel on Youth Employment in DC.

DC Jobs with Justice
Workers' Rights Board hearing: Tuesday, Jan. 23rd, 6:30-8:30pm
John Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW

Testimony from: Nancy Cruz, 5075 Just St. NE Washington, DC 20019

Hello my name is Nancy Cruz. I am seventeen years old and I am a senior at Bell Multicultural High School. My dad is a chef and my mom is a janitor at Georgetown University. We live in NE DC. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my testimony today with the Workers’ Rights Board.

I am a member of the Youth Action Research Group, a youth membership based organizing project in DC. We organize around youth issues that we choose and now we are working to improve youth employment.

We did an action research report on DC’s Summer Youth Employment program because it gives youth the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, build their résumés, and earn money. We recognize it’s a great program to have for our city and while many jobsites offer great experiences for youth, the program as a whole could use some improvement.

To improve this program most importantly, the Department of Employment Services needs to improve how the program actually runs. Right now, many youth do not get paid on time, their jobsites are not planned very well, they don’t have anything to do, and they aren’t learning things to put on their resume.

This summer we want for D.O.E.S. to fix their payment system so youth get paid on time and for the right amount.

We also want D.O.E.S. to have a point person for when youth and employers have problems. Right now, when people have problems or questions, their phone doesn’t get answered. We need to know that someone is on the other end of the phone to help address the issues when they come up.

We also think that youth should be paid the DC minimum wage which is right now seven dollars. $5.15 per hour is NOT enough for youth to earn. We have to pay to have new school supplies, buy new clothes, and for me, I have to give some my money that I receive from my job to my mom.

Congress right now is thinking about raising the federal minimum wage. We want D.O.E.S. to put enough money into the budget for 2008 to pay youth the new DC minimum wage AND to plan ahead for this summer in 2007 to pay the new federal minimum wage and not cut the 11,000 promised jobs for this summer.

Lastly, we want for the 2008 budget to include more money so that we can have YEAR-ROUND jobs for youth who are in school and for youth who are out of school. 1000 jobs for out of school youth would really be a good start and 500 jobs for youth who are in school.

We are passing around a sheet that has our recommendations. We hope everyone here today will support us as we organize to win these improvements to youth employment.

Please also sign up to come to our event in February where we will celebrate the publishing of our youth written research report on this issue.

DC Youth Rally to Stop the War on Youth

2006-09-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

(YARGies Jacinta, Tiffany, Corey. .)

Click to read news coverage of the rally from the Washington Informer

(& Marina)

Colbert Interviews Eleanor Holmes Norton

2006-08-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

Click to watch on UTube:
Taxation without Representation

Internet Disussion of the Crime Bill on DCist

2006-08-21T13:52:00.000-04:00

Our post below was also submitted to dcist.com. <----- Click on the link to join the debate,

love- YARG

DC Youth Speak Out Against the Mayor’s Emergency Crime Bill

2006-08-21T11:48:00.000-04:00

By: Jose Andrade, age 19, Nancy Cruz, age 16, Adriana Reynoso, age 18, Victor Benitez, age 16, Jacinta Wood, age 18, and Tiffany Jones, age 17

This emergency crime bill that the mayor passed was a shock. Why was a crime emergency called after someone was murdered in Georgetown? Not that it was good that someone was killed, but people in other D.C. neighborhoods deal with friends and family being killed every day and it’s not considered a crime emergency.

To us, it seems like only youth were blamed for what D.C. police are calling a sharp increase in crime when it is mostly adults who commit violent crime in D.C. Only one youth has been charged with homicide in D.C. this year. We feel, it’s easy to blame youth and put all these rules on us because we can’t vote. Besides, the things they put into place aren’t going to work. They haven’t yet; it’s almost been 30 days and people are still being killed in D.C.

What has happened is more stereotyping of youth. The curfew of 10 pm wrongly punishes all youth. Young people who are out on the streets late at night and doing wrong are going to be out even if there is a curfew. The youth the curfew affects the most are the majority of us that are not out doing wrong.

Here’s an example. One of us was stopped by the police a week before the curfew went into effect. It wasn’t even 10 yet, she knows because she was coming back from a community meeting we had all been to as part of work at YARG. The cop car pulled over and the cop shined his lights in her eyes. He asked her what she was doing out so late. After she told him, he asked if she knew that there was going to be a new curfew of 10 pm. She said no. He said that it would start the next week and then he let her go.

She was stopped for no reason when she was minding her business and trying to go home. This causes youth not to trust police because they just assume that if you are a youth that you are doing wrong. A 10 pm curfew means that we can’t go to an 8 o’clock movie without adult supervision. We are on lock down in our own city.

The cameras that the crime bill calls for also make no sense. Why is the city going to spend millions of dollars on a strategy that is not supported by research and has not been proven to work in other cities? A lot of people in D.C. neighborhoods have been saying that cameras are going to work and that they want them in their neighborhoods. They probably wouldn’t think that if D.C. Council members told them how well they have worked in other cities.

The other thing that the crime bill does is make it so that cops can look into youth’s records and hold them without bond. Cops can also tell principals about a youth’s suspected involvement in a crime and they can be expelled from school. That is the last thing that is going to help youth stay out of trouble. Isn’t our justice system supposed to be innocent until proven guilty? This crime bill makes it so that all youth in D.C. are considered guilty until they or their lawyers prove them innocent.

If D.C. wants to help keep us safe and out of trouble, what we really need is the city to invest more in us instead of in locking us up. D.C. spends $150,000 dollars per youth they lock up at Oak Hill, D.C.’s juvenile detention center; and only $12,000 per youth trying to get an education in DC public schools. The crime bill spends $2 million on cameras and $8 million to pay cops for overtime.

All this money is going for ‘crime prevention’ strategies that don’t work even in the short term, when it could be better spent on long term strategies that we know help youth, like making sure we get a good education at schools that aren’t falling apart and have no air conditioning in 80 degree weather and job training programs that prepare us to have good paying jobs in D.C. when we are older.

This Wednesday, August 23, 2006 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Freedom Plaza, D.C. youth will have a rally to speak out against the Mayor’s Emergency Crime Bill and talk about what youth think are real solutions to youth violence. Come out to our rally and learn more about what youth think are solutions to crime in D.C. and what we are doing address youth violence. We are not criminals.

Freedom Involves a Revolutionary Education

2006-07-03T17:13:00.000-04:00

The Justice 4 DC Youth Coalition

Proudly Presents ........... F.I.R.E !

F.I.R.E. (Freedom Involves a Revolutionary Education)

Is a six-week political education

& leadership development program

4 DC young people ages 13-21,

Who have been affected by

the juvenile (or adult) justice system

And/or are interested in

organizing for real youth justice.

PLUS workshops in hip-hop/rap, theater, poetry and more!

Thursdays, 5:00 - 8:30 pm

Starting July 20 - August 18

At the Youth Education Alliance,

2310 Martin Luther King Ave SE

(two blocks from Anacostia Metro)

****Kick-Off Event: Know Your Rights with the Police***

Monday, July 17^th 6:30-9:00pm at

The Social Action & Leadership School for Activists (SALSA)

1112 16th St NW, Suite 600 (between L & M Street)

(Red Line: Farragut North)

Participants can receive up to $100 stipend for completing ALL 6 sessions of F.I.R.E!

To sign up right away or to get more information:

Call Arja at 202-386-9809 OR 202-588-3580 X 13

or Email: anfreedomfighter@gmail.com

The Mechanics of a Walk Out

2006-04-27T17:46:00.000-04:00

By Jose Andrade, Age 19

Photos By Ann Caton from the Youth Education Alliance (YEA)

It was a restless day at Bell Multicultural High School on April 06, 2006. It was the last day of school before Spring Break began. This was a much needed vacation after rigorous testing that students had just undergone. School administrators were anxious because they expected poor attendance on behalf of the students that day. Whenever there are week-long breaks from school it's naturally expected to have very low attendance on the day before the break begins.

To the surprise of the administrators, attendance on this day was as high as could be expected on any other day. Something was circulating in the new hallways of Bell Multicultural High School and the administrators wanted to know what it was. Little did they know that the answer would walk-out the front door later that day.

The reason the attendance was unchanged on this day is because a group of dedicated youth had taken it upon themselves to demonstrate how they felt about the current legislative heat wave around immigration reform that had been giving many Americans a burn. The name of this legislation was HR4437. To put it concisely, this bill would allow the federal government to criminalize all 11 million undocumented immigrants that currently live in the US and the people who help them.

YARG youth organizers and Bell student leaders destined this day to be the day students walked out in support of immigrants across the nation. It was the day the DREAM Act would be reintroduced to the House of Representatives. We decided to walk out just before the last period of the school day because we wanted to make sure people knew that this was not about getting out of classes.

The Mechanics behind the walk out were Margarita Juarez, Jose Lemus, Jose Funes, Judith Reyes, Oscar Calix, and me, Jose Andrade with the support of Danielle Kurzweil, Director of YARG. We decided that we should let our voices be heard in an organized and non-violent way and let our message be heard through the masses of participating youth.

"I may not be an immigrant but it is still important to help out my fellow peers. Let's just hope our voices are heard!", Margarita zealously told me when I asked why she decided to participate in the walkout. Margarita is a graduating senior with a 4.0 GPA who expects to go to college.

That was the general attitude of the 100 youth that decided to risk disciplinary action from the school administration and take their voices to the streets. Throughout the school day we had been hearing that the police had been called and that they were not going to let us leave. Some students were threatened that if they walked out they were not going to be able to graduate, would be kicked out of the Honors Society, or were not going to be able to go to the school dance.

We called Danielle from a school phone and she let us know that we had support from all over the community. Ann Caton and Jonathan Stith from the Youth Education Alliance, Marnie Brady from Neighbor's Consejo, LaDon James and Maricela Donahue from the Center for Community Change, Dana Walters from the Justice for DC Youth Coalition, Chitra Subramanian, and YARG's founder Natalie Avery came out to the school to support us and made calls and sent out emails to let people in the community know what we were about to do.

We decided to go ahead with our plan. We marched out in uniformity through the front door guided by a banner that read, "Si Se Puede" (Yes, We Can). Both administrators and teachers alike followed the youth marchers in awe, astonishment, and, for some, in unexpressed approval. We knew a lot of them supported us but couldn't officially announce it.

"I want people and the government to change the way they treat immigrants because at some point almost all Americans had parents who were immigrants...so they need to stop being hypocrites," yelled a student on a bullhorn as the marchers walked out into the sunshine.

The crowd of students assembled in an impenetrable mass of solidified organizing and pride. We yelled, we shouted, we walked and, most importantly, we delivered the message.

Supporting the DREAM Act and demanding that immigrants be supported in working for a better life for themselves and their families was the message, while unity and diversity was the guiding theme.

Our voices were heard. Danielle had sent out a press release, and when we reached the pavement The Washington Post (see our quotes on page two), WPFW, and several independent news sources immediately began jotting down the chants we yelled. The reporters tweezed a few students out the solidified mob for questions.

The crowd then got really motivated and expressive; we decided that we should release some of that motivation by marching around the perimeter of the school. Like a serpent smoothly bellying across open water we held our composure allowing no breaks in the march.

We demonstrated and delivered our message peacefully. We do recognize that we took a big risk and caused the faculty some uneasiness. In the end, the Bell administrators did not follow through on the threats and asked instead that we each write essays and make classroom presentations about why we did the walk out. We acknowledge and support our principal Mrs. Tukeva and the Bell faculty for the social justice work they have done over the years, however, now it is time to hand over the burdensome torch to the next generation.

PASS THE DREAM ACT NOW

2006-04-04T17:01:00.000-04:00

Youth Action Research Group
DC Youth UNITE!!!
For a JUST Immigration Reform

Date: Monday, April 10th
Place: Malcolm X Park, 16th St and Euclid
Time: 12:00 to 3:00 Youth Rally
3:00 (SHARP!) March to the Monument
(make signs & banners, learn chants, and be interviewed for our radio show!)

Call YARG at 202-462-5767 for more information
(see flyer attached!!)

Whats up DC youth, youth workers, allies/adults who support DC young people!
We have been working hard pounding the pavement, doing presentations in our classes, talking to youth in our school lunch rooms - - inviting them to come out to a youth rally this coming Monday, April 10th ** see above for details. We met with youth from all up and down the East coast this weekend and we are coordinating our rally with youth from other cities who are organizing ACROSS THE NATION!!!

We need your help! to help get the word out. Come out to Malcolm X park on Monday, Bring your friends, and help spread the word to other DC youth and adults who believe in social justice and the rights of all human beings to work for a better life for themselves and their families.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be taking it to the streets this Monday in cities ACROSS THE NATION to protest against a hateful, racist bill currently being debated in congress (HR 4437) that if passed into law would criminalize 11 million human beings living in the US who are 'undocumented' and the organizations that help them (that means YARG!).

We are organizing to STOP these bills and to help pass JUST immigration reform, including a bill that will be reintroduced to the House of Representatives this Thursday - the DREAM Act - which would enable 65,000 students per year, who under current law are unable to go to college, to go to college and earn legal status (see attached fact sheet for more details).

As it is now, people have been living 'undocumented' in the US working hard, oftentimes doing backbreaking labor under unsafe conditions for very little pay to provide for their families because of poor economic conditions in their home countries, due in large part to US foreign policy.
STOP HR4437! WE WANT JUST IMMGRATION REFORM!

Students in DC, for whom DC is our home, have been working hard in our classes to graduate from high school. We need this bill to become a law so that DC students who have earned our right to go to college will be supported in acheiving our dreams.
PASS THE DREAM ACT NOW!

Love,
Danielle, Jose A., LaKeisha, Denisse, Judith, Aqiyla, Jose L., Margherita, Tim, Deja, Calix, Carlos, Nate, Stephanie, Sandra, and everyone else we don't have time to list!

Thanks for your support - see you on the streets!

Joining the Fight for Fair Immigration Reform

2006-03-30T16:42:00.000-05:00

By: Jose Andrade, Age 19

This weekend, April 1st and 2nd, YARG staff (me and Danielle) and members (Judith and Jose L.) will travel to Newark, NJ to attend an Immigration rights training and march. This is a youth advocacy training to sharpen our skills as youth leaders and non-violent demonstrators.

At this training youth are going to learn how to use skills effectively to help their organizing and learn organizing tactics to help them win campaigns in their home cities or states.

"Young people from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia are broadening their message for fair reform. Guest speakers at the training include civil rights movement leader Jaribu Hill who will instill the significance of young people’s positive and peaceful roles in social movements of the past." (From the Center for Community Change Press Release)

If you don't have anything to do this weekend, you might want to drop to New Jersey and participate in the activities.

See Below for Full Media Release

Students Join Fight for Fair Immigration Reform

Sharpen Advocacy Skills at Youth Training, Kicks Off with Youth March and Rally

WHERE: Essex County College, 303 University Avenue, Newark (training)
Grace Episcopal Church Office, 950 Broad Street, Newark (rally)

WHEN: April 1^st, 2006 at 9:00 am (training); 12:00 pm at Grace Episcopal Church (rally)
April 2^nd, 2006 at 8:30 am (training continues)

(Newark, NJ) In the past week, thousands of young people across the country have actively joined the fight for immigration reform. Youth are visibly taking action through non-violent demonstrations and school walk-outs from coast to coast in hope of influencing their political leaders to pass immigration legislation that’s fair and humane and include the DREAM Act.

Although The DREAM Act, legislation that would provide an opportunity to achieve a college education and a path to citizenship to undocumented students who were raised in the country, was recently approved unanimously by the Senate Judiciary Committee, the fight is not over. Hundreds of young people whose lives could be changed or whose peers would be affected by the immigration reform measures still under consideration, will congregate this weekend to acquire leadership and organizing skills during an intensive capacity building training and Rally.

Young people from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia are broadening their message for fair reform. Guest speakers at the training include civil rights movement leader Jaribu Hill who will instill the significance of young people’s positive and peaceful roles in social movements of the past.

As part of the training the youth will engage in a rally and march from Essex County College to Grace Episcopal Church where several community leaders, labor unions, clergy members and young people will speak. Candidates for mayor of Newark are also expected to attend.

Newark hosts the second of five youth trainings organized by the Center for Community Change (CCC) and the Fair Immigration Reform Movement. Additional trainings are planned through early May in Phoenix, Salem and Nashville to motivate the energetic young participants into becoming the advocates they aspire for as immigration protests intensify around the nation.

# # #
The Center for Community Change is a nonprofit, nonpartisan low income advocacy group that promotes the development of community organizing as a national force for social and economic justice. FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement) is a coalition of grassroots community organizations nationwide, working on behalf of comprehensive immigration reform and immigrant rights and is convened by Center for Community Change. www.communitychange.org.

Immigration: A glimpse of Injustice in Action

2006-03-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

By Denisse Rodriguez

What's up blogger readers out there:

Here is a pretty interesting video about the Minutemen who are against immigrant rights, and the Casa of Maryland who are in support of immigration rights. I think this video really exposes the discrimination that not only immigrants, but us young latinos are facing as well. So, take a glimpse of injustice in action!

Latin Rappers that I think deserve more Respect

2006-03-27T13:40:00.000-05:00

By: Jose Andrade, Age 19

I want to know, Why aren't Latin rappers looked upon with the same amount of respect as other rappers? For this post, I just want to highlight some of the Latin rappers that I believe deserve more respect.

Immortal Technique has political, poetic, and scientific sway in his rhyme scheme. He has the talent to rap as if he was an angry Harvard theologian or biblical scholar. He is a true revolutionary; a Che or Latin Huey of our time.

The Fourth Branch AKA the Media-
"The voice of racism preaching the gospel is devilish /A fake church called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist/ Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond/ And Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu'ran /They bombed innocent people, tryin' to murder Saddam /When you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran/This is the information that they hold back from Peter Jennings/Cause Condoleeza Rice is just a new age Sally Hemmings"

"Yeah.... Harlem streets stay flooded in white powder/Like those mother f**kers runnin' away from the twin towers/Gun shots rock the earth like a meteor shower/Bowling For Columbine, fair, giving the media power/Innocence devoured like a chicken spot snack box/Government cocaine cooked into ghetto crack rock/Corrupt cops false testimony at your arraignment/Check to check, constant struggle to make the payments/Working your whole life wondering where the day went/The subway stays packed like a multi-cultural slave shipIt's rush hour, 2:30 to 8, non stoppin'"

Big Pun has the lyrical ability of Biggie Smalls with a bit of Tupac mixed in with deep metaphor on the harsh reality of street life. He's a deep thinker and uses symbolism in many of his raps; a really large poet at heart. He has mastered the elements of story writing and incorporated them in his music; to think that he didn't even graduate from high school. He stands out as an example of what a Latin male can do if given the chance.

Rip in Peace.
Mama-
"I can murder half the world laugh while the other side hate me but hurt one hair on my mamma head and I'ma cry like a baby She my heart and soul; what Jimi Hendrix was to rock'n'roll/Made me believe I could achieve the impossible/Now you know one of my weakness's, but Punisher keeps it glizz"

"Brave In The Heart"(feat. Terror Squad)-
"Just some words to know - if you run the streets/come in peace or leave in pieces/Even Jesus was killed by the polices/They crucified him now they inject us with juice to fry 'em"

I think these few selected quotes really capture some of the creativity of Latin rappers. I hope that whoever is reading this piece can better appreciate Latin brothers in the struggle.

Shout Outs to YARG Members and Alumni

2006-03-24T15:14:00.000-05:00

By Aqiyla Edwards, Age 16

YARG WANTS TO HIGHLIGHT OUR MEMBERS AND ALUMNI WHO HAVE CONTINUOUSLY DONE TREMENDOUS AND OUTSTANDING THINGS WITHIN THEIR LIVES.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Damaar, Kevin, Odaine, and Sachonho (with LaKeisha)

Antonio (TJ)

Balla, Carlos, and Sherrie

Why The Schools?!!!!!

2006-03-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

By LaKeisha McKinley

Janey (DC Public School superintendent) is recommending that the District close an estimated 30 schools by August 2008. After many hearings and conferences that took place this year and last, it was stated that the understaffed, unsanitary detention center for youth of DC (Oak Hill) would take five years to be shut down and replaced with small centers used to rehabilitate youth. In contrast, the article Among D.C. Parents, Anxiety Over School Closings
stated that it should only take about 2 years to close down 30 of the District's educational facilities.

It seems that our government and our superintendent are trying to take the easy way out of fixing this problem. The schools that they are focusing on closing are being chosen simply because of low student enrollment. Some experts as stated in the article stated that buildings with low enrollment can be better utilized because they are smaller in population.

An interviewee of the topic (Jonathan from the Youth Education Alliance) stated that he feels that school closings can be

ugly
dangerous to the DC Public School system(because it will make charter and private schools seem better equipped to educate youth)
also it highlights the inequalities between different schools in the District

He also felt that both William Lockridge's and Janey's idea were dangerous because, it could led to

population problems as far as over crowding
overcrowded classrooms(meaning that their won't be enough teachers to teach or space as time passes.)
teachers will get fired(because of not having enough space)
colocation (when they have more than one school in a building)

In his opinion the kids would react with a lot of them being upset and some being happy. Some of the things that he thought could be caused by this were

Developers wanting to buy the property and use it for thier own purposes
The community will speak out against it
It will push charter schools more in the city

Janey is throwing out lot of bold ideas for someone who still hasn't gotten all of the special education students there books yet, but he is still raising the standards as far as what he expects of students.

Our city has a lot of schools that have the potential of being quality education facilities, but because of not having enough money to fund the programs and materials for the youth, and because of the new program Janey has brought to the city saying that if you feel your childs school can't teach them properly to send them somewhere else. Because of this schools in certain areas have had an enrollment decrease when in all actuality a big part of the reason they can't teach properly because of the shortage in materials and teachers. Instead of closing educational facilities they need to keep them open and give them what they need to make the situation better.

There are a lot of things that the schoolboard and government are changing right before our communities eyes, but unless we pay attention and say something as the people who these changes will affect; we'll become victims of of being excluded from the city of which we live in.

bell high school

2006-03-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

NEW MEMBER POST #3

Bell, Bell, Bell, everything about Bell is so annoying, it makes me so mad that they show favoritism towards some students. Just last week this girl moved to the front of the room, even though she is supposed to sit in the back and she didn't get in trouble. But then, when two other boys moved to seats they also were not supposed be in the teacher said really quickly, "Move back to your seat!" I don't like the fact that every class has a seating chart, and if something happens to a student's desk then that person will get blamed, so we brought it to his attention and we just got in trouble . This makes me not want to even care.....

By Michell, Age 17

why I am trying to be in YARG

2006-03-14T14:16:00.000-05:00

NEW MEMBER POST #2

My name is Doz3y and I am very happy to be a part of the YARG family. When I first heard about YARG I thought that it was going to be a good thing for me to get involed with. Yes, this is going to change my life I thought, and I see that it has. We meet every second Wednesday, so you know that's the only day of the week that I truely like. I know that this is going to be an inspiration for my life. I can see that I am going to get a lot from this. If you like to have fun you should come to YARG.

by Doz3y, age 17

Our New Members

2006-03-13T13:10:00.000-05:00

The Youth Action Research Group has been successful in recruiting 11 new members! The new members have been busy working on posts to put on the blog. The new recruited members show us that youth want to organize for social change, and not just get into trouble like some people think.

Here's a preview of what one of our new members had to say about the rally we went to last week:

NEW MEMBER POST #1
"Well Yesterday, March 7,2006 was the Rally and even though I couldn't go I support fully what the rally was about because I believe that the government shouldn't discriminate against
immigrants."
Melissa Rivera, Age 18

Stay tuned, we will be having more new member posts all this week...

YARG Stands Against Immigrant Discrimination

2006-03-09T16:22:00.001-05:00

By Jose Andrade, Age 19

It's sometimes hard to believe that a country
which was founded by immigrants, has lawmakers that continually put forth discriminatory laws that are created to constrict future immigrants freedom. Then again this is America, a country that finds it more important to investigate a presidential sexual affair than the rising actions that would bring forth the great act of inhumanity that took place during the Rwandan genocide.

I'm not surprised that a Bill like HR4437 would make it to the Senate. Back in 1882 when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, Chinese immigrants were not allowed to enter the United States for nearly thirty years. In my opinion, this really captures the attitudes America has toward it's non Anglo-Saxon visitors.

On March 7, 2006 an estimated 20,000 immigrants and citizens of all shades joined together in a rally to show that they will not tolerate harsh/discriminatory immigration laws. The rally was organized primarily by the National Capital Immigration Coalition, with organizational members from the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC area, and with the help of local organizations to publicize the rally like Neighbor's Consejo, Bell Multicultural High School, and YARG.

The rally was monumental; it captured the power of organizing. I was really impressed by the dedication people took to put together this event to support the immigrant community in America.

(Jose Andrade, Local Youth Organizer for YARG helps Bell Student Carolina put on a YARG solidarity armband)

Though, I'm happy that this rally came to be, I'm saddened because I feel like it's going to be necessary to organize other rallys because of America's recent attitudes toward immigrants.

I think that people that want these laws to pass like the Minutemen need to see the contribution that immigrants have given to this country's economy. I don't understand how is it that the Minutemen argue that immigrants are taking their jobs when all they do day long is harass people. Talk about having time in their hands.

Rwanda: GenocideThe Western World Ignored

2006-02-22T13:25:00.000-05:00

By Jose Andrade, Age 19

A few weeks ago, I watched a movie called Hotel Rwanda for my social ethics class. The movie is based on the massive genocide in Rwanda.

The genocide was the result of cultural tension between the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsis.

The genocide happened in April 1994 and in the span of 3 months 800,000 Tutsis were eliminated.

After watching the movie I was really pissed off and upset that the Western super-powers, again, did nothing to stop the violence in foreign lands.

I can't believe that America and all of Europe and the U.N decided not to intervene in the chaos.

It makes me furious to know that I live in a world where there are heartless politicians that ignore the suffering of people and children.

It's even more disturbing that the Western powers only intervene to help the citizens (mostly white) out of the danger. I don’t understand the inhumane ways of the Western World.

I'm writing this piece because I want people to remember the ones lost in Rwanda and next time, in the future (or even now in Sudan), the world will lend an ear to hear the suffering and that way something can be done.

800,000 Eternal, Until the Bell Ring. - For the Victims, I’m sorry the world didn’t hear your cries..

Are They Related ll ?

2006-02-07T16:20:00.000-05:00

YARG Staff member Aqiyla and ... Naomi Campbell?
Syke, just kidding about that one

Usher and... the Troll

Eve and ... Rick James?

DC School Moderinization Campaign

2006-02-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

By Denisse Rodriguez

Hey what's up this is Denisse. I haven't been around in a while, but I'm back.

First of all, I would like to congratulate the Youth Education Alliance, DC students, parents, and teachers for the wonderful job of organizing the rally for the DC School Moderinization Campaign!

For those who haven't heard of it, there was a rally in support of full funding for DCPS last Friday the 3rd. The Youth Education Alliance, also known as YEA, is a youth led organization that focuses on the improvements of the conditions and services of DCPS.

The reason why I'm so happy for them is because they're one of our (YARG's) allies, and it's good to know that we all, in some way, are making changes for the better of our city. It's really important for our city to know our priorities. It should be the funding for better schools in the Nation's Capital, not the funding for silly old baseball in the Nation's Capital.

For the baseball fans in support of the stadium, you have to understand where I'm coming from. I come from a Dominican family that loves baseball, but what makes more sense? The future of baseball in D.C. or the future of our kids in D.C.?

Whos Snitchin

2006-02-03T16:37:00.000-05:00

By LaKeisha McKinley

All over, people are beginning to wear Stop Snitching Shirts. Most would think of it to be nothing but it is really bothering police officers and other city officials.

In this city verbalizing what you see has become a no no. Meaning that people don't trust the system and they feel like it would be a betrayal to the community. What has happened is that police officers of the inner city area have made themselves untrustworthy by being dirty cops and treating the lower class less than human. In todays society it is looked down upon to even speak to a police officer.

Snitchin is defined many ways by different people. It is a word that can be very argumentative. Lots of people use snitching as a way of pay back to someone they dislike, or they use it as a get out of jail free card. A person who does this is the most identifiable snitch. A person who snitches is despised because the people around them feel betrayed by one of their own people.

Lots of people think it's wrong to withhold information from the police, especially if it could help an investigation. Others may argue that, especially a person who was raised that it is wrong to do such a thing.

Mothers of children may say that they want the person who saw their child get killed to say something. Then on the other hand the mother of the child who is accused of the crime may feel totally different about the situation. So either way you look at it the person with the information is at risk, if they tell, socially, physically, and mentally. Snitchin is assesed by each individual situation.

These shirts have opened a door and a reason for police to say something to inner city kids of the hip hop culture. These shirts just state freedom of expression which the constitution is supposed to protect.

In all actuality, these are just words which state an opinion and they are being given to much credit for the crimes being committed in the area. Some police officers are using this fashion statement as a crutch and a reason to harass youth. This problem is highlighted in the bay area but is happening in the inner city of Washington DC.

Who Says DC Doesn't Have Talent

2006-01-27T17:07:00.000-05:00

By LaKeisha McKinley

In the USA there are artists who come from all over the country. But it seems that not that many artist come from Washington DC. For out side eyes looking in it would seem that DC is low on talent. It is actually quite the opposite there are artist such as Chris Stylez, the group BOK, the Squad, and the Faculty. Not to mention the go go bands that we have to represent our culture such as the Drama Squad, Uncalled 4, TCB, MOB, and Rare Essence. So for all of the talent scouts DC is the place to be!

On Ideals, Politics and then. . . Contradictions

2006-01-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

de·moc·ra·cy : n. pl. de·moc·ra·cies

1) Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.

2) A political or social unit that has such a government.
The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.

3)Majority rule.

4)The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.

The United States was founded on noble ideals and beliefs, those ideals of course coming from the Declaration of Independence (Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, among other ideals).

Ironically, the country did not equally share the rights associated with those ideals among its citizens. People of color were seen as inadequate to house those ideals, which were found prevalent among white people. So we can see that the new country promised so many good things for its citizens but failed.

These rights were deprived from blacks. Obviously it is evidence enough that THEY WERE ENSLAVED. Blacks could not live LIFE and have LIBERTY and be in PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS. These actions are hypocritical.

Black children were sold into slavery before they reached puberty. These actions again show the contradictions and hypocrisy of a nation that was founded on the ideals of freedom and equality.

The point I'm trying to make is simple. I want people to notice how a certain people who advocated for wonderful rights and were passionate about philosophic ideals were so bold in not sharing those same ideals with other humans.

This is deeper than just people enslaving other people, it's about the ethics and values of a people who were unwilling to promote peace and equality with people other than themselves. The question that remains is do the values and morals of slave masters still exist and if they do to what extent have they evolved?

Don't get me wrong, I don’t want you think that I'm just pointing fingers, but I mean to point out that white America has not been living up to its ideals.

I tend to like democracy but I’m afraid that the descendants of the people who brought democracy to this hemisphere aren't acting accordingly to the ideals of their ancestors. That idea scares me!

We don’t need to look too far into history to see all the contradictions. Segregation, Jim Crow, American Imperialism are all hypocrisies to the American ideals. More recently, the need for the Civil Rights Movement to give people of color the fundamentals of democracy will always be a bloody stain in American democracy. Let's not forget that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was only passed by Congress four decades ago. Voting is the backbone for any democracy.

We can see that there's a behavior likeness with American politicians. American Imperialism of the early 20^th century giving birth to the Spanish-American War escalated by Theodore Roosevelt and his practice of using an African saying "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" which later would be known by historians as "big-stick diplomacy."

When my history teacher told me that “history certainly doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme” I now realize what he meant.

Comments made by Democratic leader Harry Reid calling the Republican-led Congress "the most corrupt in history" don’t make me feel any better about America living up to those ideals.

The importance of such a statement can’t be undermined, because it’s coming from within the symbol of democracy that Pierre L’ Enfant architecturally created and intended to be the Capitol building. This building is the symbol of American democracy. To have a Senator say such a statement really rallies the question, is America still, or has it even ever been, a democracy?

By Jose Andrade, 19
Special thanks to my history teacher Mr. Hunt for helping me edit this post

A WORDLESS LETTER

2006-01-23T19:28:00.000-05:00

I WROTE YOU A WORDLESS LETTER
TO TELL YOU HOW I FEEL,
IT HAS NO BEGINNING,
IT HAS NO MIDDLE,
IT HAS NO ENDING,
A WORDLESS LETTER WITH SO MUCH MEANING,
SO MUCH MEANING IT'LL KEEP YOU READING,
I WROTE YOU A WORDLESS LETTER,
TO TELL YOU THAT I CARE,
I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THAT
THAT THERE ARE NO WORDS THERE

BY: The most known unknown aka- Aqiyla, age 16

ARE THEY RELATED???

2006-01-20T12:58:00.000-05:00

Cedric the Entertainer and the lady on the left?...

Nick Ashford and Scar?...

Bluto and Suge Knight?...

For Those Curious

2006-01-17T16:40:00.000-05:00

By Jose Andrade, age 19

Come and see if you can figure this mystery out... this is wicked.

Don't Let 2006 Pass You By!!

2006-01-13T13:50:00.000-05:00

By: LaKeisha McKinley, age 18

The Youth Action Research Group Is doing big things for the year of 2006. We’re starting the year off by having a new member outreach drive! The purpose of this is to reach out to youth in our community to expand our membership. Members will receive internship and community service hours (that we know you need!). Then we’ll have weekly workshops and trainings that will be the steps that prepare them to carry out the work of a community organizer.

Later on at the end of the school year we’ll be having an end of the year party and a group outing to Six Flags!!!! (see our picture above from last year. . .)

After we’re done celebrating, a select amount of members will have the chance to be on Yarg’s payroll while receiving internship hours doing an action research project over the summer!

So as you see we’ll have an extremely busy year ahead of us. So do yourself a favor and make sure you’re part of it!

So stop reading and contact us to join, at (202) 462 – 5767 (office) (202)462 – 5768 (fax).

YARG's Holiday Updates

2006-01-11T15:47:00.000-05:00

By: Denisse Rodriguez, age 18

What's up to everyone out there supporting YARG! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. Well let me update ya'll on what we've been doing.

For the holidays, the Justice 4 DC Youth Coalition sponsored a holiday party for the young people in the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services. The Justice 4 Dc Youth Coalition is an organization that is partnered with other youth organizations, such as ours, within the city to focus on the juvenile justice system.

We had a real good time. We had some performances from the youth in the facility and from the coalition as well. It felt good to do something to at least try to cheer them up for the holidays and to show that we really care. We wanted to let them know that there are organizations that are fighting for the struggle of improving the juvenile justice system and are supporting them.

Here's an article that sums up the whole event:

*Coalition Sponsors Holiday Event for Detained Youth*
*Encourages Community Members to Support Youth, Reform Efforts*

(Washington, DC) – Today, the Justice 4 DC Youth! Coalition (JDCY) sponsored a holiday party for detained youth in the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services’ (DYRS) Mt. Olivet facility, located at 1000 Mt. Olivet Road. Twenty members and supporters of the Justice 4 DC Youth Coalition joined twenty young men in the detention center for an evening of desserts, performances, and craft-making.

The Justice 4 DC Youth! Coalition Youth organized the party with DYRS Volunteer Coordinator, Nkenge Watkins, to support detained youth who will not be with their families this holiday season. The Coalition, which is organizing for a swift closure of the Oak Hill Youth Detention Center, works to reduce the city’s reliance on incarceration, and shift resources and funding to education instead. More than community service, members shared that they consider their visit part of their long-term commitment to bringing about juvenile justice reform.

“The party was our way of showing detained youth that we care about their future,” said Jabari Majeed, the Coalition’s youth organizing coordinator.

Martin Jenkins, 16, a youth organizer for the Coalition added, “As an organizer, it is our responsibility to involve as many youth in our work as possible, including young people that are locked up.”

At the beginning of the party, JDCY Steering Committee member Johonna McCants introduced coalition members and allies and talked about the coalition’s work in the District. Next, Jabari Majiid stepped up emcee the segment of mostly teen performers from the Coalition. Blackout Arts Collective member Christon “Christylez” Bacon, 19, rapped about issues ranging from poverty to his love for kool-aid, while fellow artist Dana McCants, 17, sang acapella versions of Silent Night and Joy to the World.Martin Jenkins, 16, and Tawanda Davis, 17, from Facilitating Leadership in Youth, also performed a hip hop dance routine.

In addition to JDCY member performances, one of the youth at the facility performed two original rap songs, receiving a thunderous applause from party participants.

DYRS Director Vincent Schiraldi briefly addressed the crowd and thanked JDCY for co-hosting the event. Nkenge Watkins, DYRS Volunteer Coordinator, also thanked JDCY and the youth who participated.

Detained youth attending the party seemed to enjoy the festivities. “I liked the performances, especially the rap performances,” noted one of the youth. Another youth remarked that he had a good time at the party and couldn’t decide what he liked best.

Youth members of the Coalition who work at the Youth Action Research Group (YARG), said that they are excited about continuing the relationships they forged at the party. Aqiyla Edwards, 16, said, “We gave them the number to YARG so that when they are released from the facility they can become part of the movement for social justice and help other males who are in the situation that they are in."

To learn more about how to join the Justice 4 DC Youth! Coalition(JDCY), contact the JDCY office at 202-588-9300.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities with detained and incarcerated youth, contact Nkenge Watkins, DYRS Volunteer Coordinator at 202-576-8155.

Indie Hip-Hop

2005-12-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

By: Jose Andrade, Age 19

“You can find me in the club, bottle full of Bud… I'm into having sex, I ain't into making love …so come give me a hug if you into getting rubbed… When I pull out up front, you see the Benz on dubs…when I roll 20 deep, its 20 knives in the club” . . . and the song continues, rapped by 50 cent from his hit “In Da Club” on his best selling record ‘Get Rich or Die Trying'.

Sure enough, many who read these lyrics will conclude that they are violent and demeaning to women. To have a better understanding of Rap music, which originates from Hip-Hop, one must try to have a comprehensive understanding of it as a whole and all its transformations. Rap used to be created for the love of the music.

Now the music industry has capitalized on it and created a formula that helps records sell. Unfortunately, the formula calls for a “gangsta” image, jewelry and dehumanizing women.

And it’s not the record executives or producers who are looked down upon, instead its rap music in general, and Black and Latino people in general.

Hip-Hop is really the progression of an underground culture that was created about 25 years ago. A culture that evolved from a neglected and civil rights deprived generation. This was the generation whose fathers had been part of the civil rights movement and revolutionary movement of the sixties and seventies.

These inner city New York kids invented some of the elements of Hip-Hop which are beat-boxing, break-dancing, graffiti art, rap or MCing, and DJing. Hip-Hop was community oriented; you could go to the club and see break dancers and rappers working the crowd. That was Hip-Hop. The love for the music and creativity was what Hip-Hop was supposed to be.

Corporate American began to monopolize when the Sugar Hill Gang ’s “Rapper's Delight” sold 2 million records. America had just found a new pot and ethnic group to exploit.

In Hip-Hop, there’s a separation in the rap element; Commercial Rap vs. Underground Rap.

“I wanted to spit on the radio since I was eleven/ But I can't afford the pay for Hot 97's”. This is from the song Positive Balance which was written by Immortal Technique an underground rapper and community activist in Harlem, New York.

This is a common occurrence in Hip-Hop; if you don’t have the money and corporate monopolizing on your behalf then you don’t get radio play. America is listening to a pseudo-rap that is about generating hate and advocating for violence.

“I would like to send a message to all the underground emcee’s out there, working hard, the time has come to realize you're being networked in a market so stop being a f**king commodity,” Immortal Techniques warns underground rappers.

What transforms underground rappers is necessity. They see that commercial rappers are making millions selling fictitious songs over candy beats to the public when they are only making a couple pennies a month. This temptation is what is giving Hip-Hop as whole a bad name.

So the next time someone tells you that rap or Hip-Hop is bad, remember to tell that person that a lot of what's on the radio is a fabricated cartoon of the real thing. We must encourage each other to find and support underground music and artists, or those who have made the big time, but are still keeping it real.

Thanks

2005-12-13T19:08:00.000-05:00

This is a thank you to the man who pushed LaKeisha down the metro escalator on Friday. We know probably you didn't mean to or anything, but next time don't be in such a rush. She bled through her bandaids, man.

Signed:

Aqiyla Edwards and Danielle Kurzweil

Body by Victoria?

2005-12-13T16:32:00.000-05:00

How do you feel about this picture? What do you think is being portrayed in this image about models and young teens who strive to have model body types?

Some may say that photographers take pictures and post images of models in magazines that appear to have health problems, and it also seems that they project themselves to have bulimia or to be anorexic. Teens may take these images and try to mirror a body image that is unhealthy and unrealistic, that subconsciously plays on their self-esteem.

Others may find this post offensive saying that it's biased to say that all models do is puke in toilets to keep up a small physique.

The question is, Do images in magazines have an effect on how young teens feel about their self-image? What do all think?

By: The Most Known 'Unknown'
Aqiyla

Things Aren't What They Seem

2005-12-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

By LaKeisha McKinley

Hurricane Katrina has left a long list of problems to fix. There have been a lot of changes in the community for residents who live there; some for the good some for the bad.

I personally know some of the people who live there, such as my grandmother, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. and they have told me that a lot of the conditions that have been set by FEMA and other organizations are causing problems. My grandmother who lives there told me that in the projects where it didn’t flood, people who live there aren’t allowed to go back. There are also a lot of people who come back to check on their houses who get arrested for breaking curfew.

I was watching a show where a lady speaking on behalf of her community statedthat it is literally to the point where the people of New Orleans are asking the government and FEMA to just leave and let them fix the situation themselves.

This is a very disturbing situation to think that just like that someone can tell you that you are not permitted to enter your home without being obligated to give you an explanation. The thought of not knowing where you’re family members are is enough to worry about without having to think about police harassment.

Why is it that we can afford to build stadiums and start wars but we can’t manage to properly repair damage in a poor city? Please Comment.

$25,000 Bonus in Janey's Stocking, Piece of Coal for DCPS

2005-12-07T18:56:00.000-05:00

Hey, this is Denisse coming to all you readers out there once again. So, I was reading the newspaper and I came across this article in the Washington Post. After I finished reading, I realized that not a whole lot has changed since I graduated from Bell Multicultural High School last year.

We always had to experience a lack of textbooks as well. I mean, it just used to frustrate us because not only did we have to share textbooks, our library was worthless too. We literally had old textbooks from like the 80's, and when it was time to type up our research for reports, our computers never worked. There was this one computer in the library that would actually eat our disc. Then, we’d try to use one of our teacher’s computers, and it would eat our disk for real.

At YARG, we wrote a research report two summers ago, about the root causes of youth violence. From the stories that we heard from other young people, and our own experiences, we wrote about the lack of resources in DC schools as one of the root causes of youth violence. Some people might not understand how it relates. But if you think about it, young people see what’s going on in their community and in their schools and it makes them feel like the city could give two squirts of piss about them.

When the new baseball stadium had its first game, YEA, the Youth Education Alliance, took a stand and protested about the government having money to build the stadium, but not putting enough money towards public education in the city. YEA is another youth-led organizing group that focuses on the better development of the schools (i.e. lunch, bathrooms, books) in D.C.

It’s definitely not right that the superintendent is getting a bonus of $25,000, and is getting paid $250,000 a year, but, DCPS is lacking textbooks.That money is just going down the toilet. I felt like I needed to respond to this article because I can really relate to the little girl’s situation. Thanks for reading!!

Denisse's Poem

2005-12-02T16:46:00.000-05:00

What's up everybody! This is Denisse and I just wanted to post up one of my poems. Respond if you like.

Ode to Racism
How can one be portrayed to be beautiful, yet have such a hideous soul?
Like evil demons, you had us shipped on a boat. . .
Our children went overboard, and so did we.
Your authority intimidates me; you know exactly what I’m talking about. . .
You would look at me with eyes of fire that could control my every move.
I remember that day you took my mother away from me. . .
It was our very last day.
That day, my eyes remained swollen from the tears that could no longer be held back.
You were powerful enough to have my people:
Choke
Swing
Snap, and
Deteriorate into ashes of
Important history.
But whenever your ‘white power’ discouraged us,
We would sing our way back to the road. . .
The road to freedom where you would no longer exist. . .
Well, at least that’s what we hoped for.
You were too ubiquitous to get rid of.
Up north, your presence seemed to be sneaky. . .
Down south, you always walked proudly.
Have you destined us to rot with nothing to live for?
Nope, I don’t think so.
We’ve come a long way. . .
From getting stung by fire hoses,
To being able to sit wherever we pleased
For centuries, your hatred has been quite overwhelming!
Thanks a lot, if it weren’t for your ignorance, M.L.K. Day would not exist.
Neither would his beautiful dream.
Was it all a dream?

The Girl - A Short Story

2005-12-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

The girl saw love but it had no face. The girl smelled love but it had no taste. For years and years she searched with fear, but ended up with sobs and tears. So she decided to give up, to hell with all the love and luck.

Then one day in walked love with a face clear as day. She almost passed out as he walked her way. But when he approached she didn't give him the time of day. Then one day she looked love in the eye, and said love tell me why, it took so long for you to come and where are you from?

He said I'm from your heart and I've been here all along, you overlooked me for infatuation and his friend charm. Then you dumped him for patience who is my cousin, he also associates with good luvin. Anyway I got your number and I wanted to know, Could we slumber for the rest of our lives?

She said I don't normally talk to strangers, but your friend called game says you're no danger. Well Mr. Love, I am attracted, but sorry my heart is fractured. He said, Girl, my brother's name is healing, my middle name is passion and I got answers to all the questions you're askin. So open up and let me into your world.

She said ok with no delay. Then the girl and love were on their way.

By: LaKeisha McKinley a.k.a. BEAUTIFUL

2005-11-30T16:35:00.000-05:00

Work of Youth Organizers Ignored in Washington Post Article on Death at Oak Hill
Whats up, this is LaKeisha (age 18) and Aqiyla (age 16). Last school year we worked as part of the Justice for DC Youth Coalition on an organizing campaign to close Oak Hill, DC's juvenile detention facility.

With much hard work, we won the fight for our cause and the Mayor and DC City Council agreed to close Oak Hill, a disgusting, poorly managed prison for youth, in 4 years and open smaller rehabilitation centers for youth that meet national standards, which basically means that they would actually help the youth who are there.

We had to organize to make this happen because even though DC Council spent a lot of money to put together the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Safety and Junenile Justice and put out this report that said pretty much exactly what needed to be fixed, they didn't do anything about it. If you don't feel like reading the whole report, you can just check out the conclusion.

Recently there was a fight at Oak Hill, the day before Thanksgiving and Karl Grimes (age 18) hit his head on a windowsill. He was taken to Prince Georges Hospital Center where at first he seemed okay but then he began to slur his speech and became unconscious again, and he was consequently put on life support. On Sunday at about six o’clock, Karl's family decided to take him off life support.

Karl Grimes was at Oak Hill for violating parole because of a school fight.

Do adults not care for young people’s safety, as if seeing them already as criminals, so why should we care about what happens to them? They say that youth are irresponsible, but this recent event in Oak Hill's history shows the lack of judgment on adults' behalf. Events like these clearly show that this facility is not fit to stay open and there clearly is not the proper supervision that is needed make sure the youth there are safe.

Also, the Mayor and DC Council received all the credit in the Washington Post article about this for 'agreeing to close Oak Hill', that should belong to the youth who worked hard and brought attention to the terrible conditions of the juvenile facility.

Also so you all know the Justice for DC Youth Coalition is still organizing around this trying to make sure the City sticks to what they agreed too. This is an excerpt from a letter that we and other members of the Justice for DC Youth Coalition sent recently.

November 3, 2005

The Honorable Adrian Fenty
Chair of the Human Services Committee
DC Council
Washington, DC

Dear Mr. Chairman,

We are writing as members and allies of the Justice 4 DC Youth Coalition -- a group of concerned citizens that includes youth, youth service providers, parents, advocates, members of the faith community, educators and other community members working together for a fairer and more effective youth justice system in the District.

The Justice 4 DC Youth Coalition has been calling for the closure of the Oak Hill facility for the past 5 years. Oak Hill is an inhumane institution and has been the subject of a lawsuit for the past two decades over poor conditions, inadequate services and lack of effective programming for youth. Oak Hill represents a failed approach to juvenile crime. It has failed our youth and it has failed the public. And it is past time for it to be closed.

DC's youth cannot afford a 'business as usual' approach to this plan. Oak Hill has been the subject of litigation for 20 years and it must be closed as soon as possible. How many children have been cycled through that institution in the twenty years it has been the subject of litigation? How many more youth will have to suffer until Oak Hill is closed? It is difficult to undo in just 10 short months, the ineffectual leadership, abysmal conditions and neglect over the past twenty years. But we cannot go backwards. We cannot stop the reform effort. We must give the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services our full support to put the plans into place that we have been calling on the Mayor to implement for nearly 5 years. We fully support the new leadership at DYRS and their implementation plan for the closure of the Oak Hill facility and believe that the reform effort should move forward as quickly as possible.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Youth Action Research Group

2005-11-30T15:59:00.000-05:00

DC Youth Take Back the Media

Hey ya'll, this is Denisse (age 18) and Jose (age 19). How many times have you heard DC young people speak their minds in the news? And, how many times have you seen them in handcuffs on TV? We don't know about how other people feel about youth being portrayed only as criminals and rarely given the chance to speak out, but it's pissing us off. The fact that whenever we are on TV most of the time it’s on COPS and it's negative and biased drives us crazy.

The media also have been slipping on stating the facts about youth in their reporting. Another youth organization called the Youth Media Council, a project of We Interrupt this Message in New York, did this report on the media, and they made a really good point. They stated that even though the juvenile crime rate is decreasing overall, the news coverage of young people continues to increase. That's real messed up.

I don't know if ya'll ever have heard of Bob Woodward, but he was one of the journalists for the Washington Post in the 70’s who helped the informant Deep Throat bring to the US public the truth about all of President Richard Nixon’s lies and illegal spying. Woodward's writing and reporting led to Richard Nixon’s unprecedented resignation after uncovering the truth.

That is what the media should be doing; investigating and digging for the truth. But now Woodward has changed his way of reporting. Instead of pushing for the facts and the truth about politicians and what they are up to, he is chilling with them by their fires in their living rooms. The question we have is why has he changed?

Is there a connection between what has happened to Woodward and the media as a whole in this downward trend in reporting biased news that doesn't push for facts and instead is pushing what the politicians want us to hear?

Now, answer this, why didn't he tell the truth about his role in the whole thing about the Bush Administration leaking the name of a CIA agent to get revenge on her husband because he criticized the White House? Are you kidding me? These are the types of people that are putting out our news.

What trips us out too is that Woodward has openly faulted himself for not pushing to uncover the truth about weapons of mass destruction intelligence in the days leading up to the Iraq war, even though he was told by several people that there was a good chance the Bush Administration wasn't telling the truth. That is so foul. And surprisingly the public buys this ignorance.

This is another prime example as to why we are doing this blog now!! We’re not writing this just to complain, but because we want to have our say in community dialogue and the media. We're tired of sitting there taking what they hand to us. We want to change the dynamics of how media is being reported and how its pitched to the public.

That’s why we need all of you out there in the the community to support us and have a mutual and reciprocal relationship with our blog and support the idea of an alternative youth run news source. Please feel free to respond.