This event was part of our People, Place & Power series, made possible by support from the San Francisco Foundation’s Bay Area Leads Fund.
The recent March for Our Lives nationwide protests against gun violence, led by teenage survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, were some of the largest youth protests since the Vietnam War. But young people have been fueling social change in America for decades, from the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests to the undocumented youth and Black Lives Matter movements.
Twenty-two million American teens will turn 18 by the 2020 election, giving youth tremendous power during a critical moment in our nation’s history. What will the future look like under their leadership? When we create space for young people, support their advocacy and listen to their voices, they speak truth to power and we all stand to win. That’s why, for this event, we’re handing them the microphones.
Join some of the Bay Area’s brightest young leaders as they discuss the issues they care about, the policies they’re working to change and the tools and strategies they’re using to grow their movements.
Panelists
- Gabriel Cabrera, Transgender LGBTQ+ Community Activist; KQED Youth Takeover Speaker; Casa CHE Program Participant; Junior, Arise High School
- Caitlyn Clark, Teen Poetry Slam Grand Champion; Founder, Intersectional Gender Equity and Feminism Club at Benicia High School; Incoming Freshman, Yale University
- Kiere Garrett, HOPE SF Phoenix Champion; MBSK Youth Council Member; Youth Speaker/Organizer; Basketball Player; Junior, City Arts and Tech High School
- Cheyenne Gonzalez,Teen Mental Health Advocate; Youth Organizer, Californians for Justice; Teaching Assistant, Youth Beat; Senior, Oakland High School
- Moderated by Senait Hailemariam, Production Coordinator, BAYCAT (a Digital Media Nonprofit)
