#PassTheMicYouth

Nyawira speaks to three students, Hamed, Roshika, and Safi, about their experiences as refugees, writers, and students. And we hear poetry they have written!

Zofi Sanders describes her work as a leader for global non-profit The Urban Garden Initiative, and talks community, creativity and youth voices.    Apply to be a TUGI ambassador here!

We are joined by Sofia and Kiana, two student reporters with the Youth Reporting Institute at WUNC. 

Timi Fawole, a high school student, chats about her research and personal experience on the topic of medical racism in the United States. 

The 2020 election was years in the making and it was a dominating presence in the media and in our minds. In this week's episode we're talking about the role of young people as both voters and important stakeholders in the political process. We spoke with Cassie and Neha who interned with the Eagleton Institute of Politics RU Voting initiative.   For more stories on youth activism, check out PassTheMicYouth.com

The landscape of activism saw tremendous change in 2020. Multiple dimensions of human life needed greater attention and care, and the individual's role as an activist in society became more defined. In light of this, we wanted to take the time to reflect on this past year, learn from our experiences, and try to articulate our vision for the future of activism and social transformation. To help us do this, we asked four of our friends who have previously been on the podcast to share their thoughts. Take a listen to what Ameer Abdul, Macy Lee, Cyrus Rad, and Ushab Dahal had to say about 2020!   For more stories of youth activism and additional resources, check out passthemicyouth.ces.ncsu.edu

The earth's climate is changing because of continued actions from humans. Young people have been continually calling for policy action, striking, and making their voices heard. Host Nyawira spoke with prominent Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate about her experience striking, representing her country and somtimes Africa as a continent, and the impact that she sees climate change already making.   For more stories of youth activism and additional resources, check out PassTheMicYouth.com

In light of recent events, it's more important than ever to reflect upon how our own identity affects our experiences and the ways we move through our communities. Sharing our stories, and more importantly listening, helps us to expand our own perspective and better practice empathy. Hosts Nyawira, Matin, and Luke discuss their own early experiences in recognizing how race plays a role in their community dynamics and how to have effective group discussions about race in America.   For more stories of youth activism and additional resources, check out PassTheMicYouth.com

High school senior Sanskriti Deva is harnessing technology to create the Smart Can: a trash can that automatically sorts compost, trash, and recyclables. We dive into her journey as a young entrepreneur, how her invention brought her to the White House, and how business can be used for activism!     For more stories of youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com 

The way the we engage with government continues to evolve. Luke spoke with New York's youngest elected official Hannah Zimmerman about how she encourages other young people to be civically engaged. They also discussed the how digital technologies are changing organizing and how activists can harness those technologies to make positive change!   For more stories of youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com

Sam Texeira, the 2019 Boston Teacher of the Year, is an educator dedicated to activism. At a time of growing economic insecurity and loss of life in the wake of the COVID pandemic, as well as ongoing social unrest driven by generations of systemic racism, Sam remains dedicated to his mission of inspiring and educating students. This episode is the story of how the relationship between Mr. Texeira and Rebecca, one of his former students, amplified the voices of Boston youth amidst a pandemic.  For more stories of youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com

Podcasts and other media allow anyone's voice to be heard across the world. Host Matin speaks with Lucy Ivey of Teens Speak Up about her podcast journey and the power of podcasts for activism!   For more stories of incredible young activists, Check out PassTheMicYouth.com

These times that we're in right now are tough. It can be hard to feel motivated when the world around us is completely shutting down. In this Mic Drop Nyawira spoke with mental health activist Macy Lee about how to to maintain mental health and about Macy's global mental health advocacy.   Want to here more stories of young activists? Check out our blog and social media!   Stay safe out there everyone!

Jean Ferman is a first generation college. He is among the first in his family to attend college. He noticed that first generation college students are struggling with challenges not faced by other students. That prompted him to create an on campus organization called FIRST in hopes of creating community among first-gen students.   Want to hear more amazing stories of youth activism? Head over to PassTheMicYouth.com

There is a lot to be gained by students who combine their technical skills with their passion for serving others. In this mic drop, we speak to Ushab Dahal about his work with Engineers Without Borders, his commitment to creating inclusive spaces, and how he combines the two as an active leader.    Check out Passthemicyouth.com to hear more stories about youth making efforts to change their world.

It can be hard to be open with other people about what's going on in our lives. Ryan Jacobs Flores took this to another level when he documented his transition from female to male on Youtube to be shared with the world. This wasn't an easy thing, but it's been worth the struggle. He's built a community and his channel has been able to support people in the trans community and people who are not. This episode tells the story of how and how he built this community.   Want to hear more stories of perspective-shifting youth activists? Check out PassTheMicYouth.com   Also, be sure to subscribe to Ryan's channel!

It can be hard to have critical and respectful conversations about hot-button issues right now. When people have wildly different views that are strongly held, finding common ground can be difficult. But that common ground is more needed than ever before. Cyrus Rad, a student working with the Institute for Emerging Issues talks with Luke about how to have constructive conversations about divisive topics.   Check out PassTheMicYouth.com for more insightful stories about youth activism!

  Mental health has long been a difficult topic of discussion. In recent years, it seems that young people are becoming more open to talking about there mental health. Young activist Emily Weinberg shares her story of planning a rally promoting mental health education and her journey of fighting associated stigma.     To hear more stories about youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com Check out Emily's website Sophrosyne Mental Health  

Should School Resource Officers be in schools? Hosts Nyawira, Luke, and Sam speak to students of the Youth Justice Project who are looking to answer this question. They have been working with their school system and local community to examine the role these officers play. They discuss the process of planning a town hall and how to navigate complex systems like schools.   To hear more stories of youth activism, check out PassTheMicYouth.com

Aliana was one of the young leaders of the protests in Puerto Rico last summer. Corruption in the government and a leaked private group chat led the citizens of Puerto Rico to demand the resignation of their president. More than 500,000 people protested for over two weeks. We talk with Aliana about her experience and the power of protests!   To hear more stories about youth activism, check out passthemicyouth.com