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News :: Organizing |
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Boston Youth Coalition Marches Downtown Demanding Funding and Summer Jobs from City Hall |
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by United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston
(No verified email address) |
28 May 2007
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"We are asking you now, because next year we might not be here"
May 25, 2007 BOSTON, MA [DOWNTOWN] – Over 200 Boston teens and youth workers marched through downtown on their way to City Hall, where eleven youth delivered moving testimony inside the Council Chambers, during the Council's hearing regarding the City's Summer Job program. |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
Throughout downtown, the voices of young people screaming, "More Programs, Less Lockup!" could be heard loud and clear. As the crowd walked through the streets, chalk outlines of young people were left behind -- illustrating the lives lost. During the hearing that would follow, several City Councilors remarked they had never taken part in a hearing more moving, organized or well attended. The eleven youth, representing a variety of organizations working collaboratively under the banner of the UYYWB (United Youth and Youth Workers of Boston), took on the persona and spoke in behalf of deceased friends and loved ones, challenging the tendency for deceased urban youth--victims of the epidemic of youth violence that plagues the streets of Boston--to be thought as, "just another number," moving many in the stuffed chambers to tears.
The youth of UYYWB's message is simple: Ending youth violence will require a significant investment in youth. We must create a stronger safety net and lessen the cracks young people slip through. UYYWB is calling on the City to allocate an additional $8 Million to adequately fund year round youth jobs, youth programs and increased Streetworkers to reach the most affected youth -- methods proven by research to be more effective than increased police presence. Each youth ended their testimony by stating, "listen to me now, because next year I might not be here." The group's plan is to continue working with City Council until their goals are met.
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Photos by Jonathan McIntosh, see more here:
http://jonathanmcintosh.smugmug.com/gallery/2900603 |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
 Boston Youth Coalition March Demanding Funding and Jobs from City Hall |
This work licensed under a
Creative Commons license. |
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Whos behind this one? |
by @
(No verified email address) |
28 May 2007
Modified: 11:10:54 PM |
Is this a Bush model "Faith Based" initave ?
This "network" lists the Boston Police and several corporation and predator bank funded store front NGO outfits.
Their is absolutely no analisis offered here of WHY boston is getting so violent.
How will throwing money at "job professionalization", grants and 35,000 dollar a year jobs for loyal bushites help anything?
Wouldnt it be better to tell kids the truth so they can start organizing real resistance instead of sending them to grovel ?
http://www.bostontenpoint.org/coalition/donors.html
"Teen Empowerment" is a registered trademark owned by Teen Empowerment, Inc. and licensed exclusively to The Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc. Use of the Teen Empowerment Model and visual and written materials is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from The Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc.
http://www.teenempowerment.org/supporters/
http://www.jewishorganizing.org/Partners.htm
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