The Youth Voice Awards is an annual celebration of youth-led projects selected for funding by our Brooklyn Youth Fellows, which focuses on elevating the powerful voices of young people through a 9-month long leadership and youth-led grantmaking program.

While celebrating the theme of justice and healing, the Brooklyn Youth Fellows presented the 2018 recipients of The Youth Voice Awards in a ceremony held at the Foundation on Friday, June 8th. Complete with engaging and exciting performances, and expressions of love and resistance, the Brooklyn Youth Fellows introduced the eight dynamic and diverse youth-led projects they selected to receive funding.

The award recipients were chosen by the Brooklyn Youth Fellows from a competitive applicant pool, to receive grants up to $2,000.

All projects are evaluated based on a special criteria that prioritizes projects led by directly affected youth, youth of color, LGBTQ young people, or immigrant youth. Youth Voice Awards projects are chosen based upon their dedication to one or more of the Brooklyn Youth Fellows’ justice pillars: LGBTQ Justice, Economic and Housing Justice, Public Health and Reproductive Justice, Food and Environmental Justice, Immigrant Justice, Education Justice, and Racial and Gender Justice. Additionally, projects should position youth as leaders and decision makers in their own lives, help young people deepen historical and cultural understanding of their experiences and community issues, demonstrate a neighborhood-based and community-driven approach, and advocate for safe(r) spaces for young people to build, create and make change!

Please help us congratulate this year’s Youth Voice Award recipients:

• Damien Torres-Dean for “Wash and Be Seen” with the Center for Community Alternatives: created particularly for young people who are coming home from being incarcerated, this project will support the purchase of a washing machine to aid young people in having a safe and free place to do their laundry -- with the intention to support their employment and educational goals.

• Emily Ramirez for “I’m Taking My Body Back” with Planned Parenthood of NYC: a series of workshops for young women and queer youth to talk about their bodies and healthy sexuality in a stigma and shame free environment.

• Jazmin Perez and Jessenia Guapisaca for “Close to Nature” with Atlas DIY: bringing together immigrant and undocumented young people to create a safe space for gardening and community in Sunset Park.

• Shari-Jade Daley and Shamielle Davis for “Write it!” with Atlas DIY: immigrant youth will participate in an interactive 2-week intensive program to share their stories and experiences while using storytelling as a form of resistance.

• Kelcy Hercules for The Blossom Be You Project with Youth Organizing to Save our Streets (Y.O. S.O.S): a summer program, for young high school women, focused on inspiring the next generation of leaders in our communities.

• Dayana, Jacqueline & Lizbeth for “Expanding Empowerment” with the Center for Anti-Violence Education: bilingual self-defense workshops led by young women, aimed at building community power and connection to make people feel safer in the streets and spread awareness about anti-violence.

• Brian Bourdierd for “Community Advancement Through Mutual understanding” with The Restorative Center: restorative justice circles that will focus on teens and young adults who want to resolve conflict with trust and understanding, by bringing the power of healing into our communities.

• Patrice D. Golbourne for “IMPACT” with the Catalyst Network Foundation: a space within the community that pairs younger students with college-age mentors to support them in their school work and beyond.

The Foundation created the Brooklyn Youth Fellowship in order to support the leadership and agency of youth in creating change within their communities. Earlier this year, the Fellows hosted their 2nd annual youth leadership conference and traveled to Washington, DC to advocate for immigrant rights.

Congratulations to our 2017-18 Brooklyn Youth Fellows for all their hard work and amazing accomplishments:

• Tianesha Drayton

• Rachie Lipkind

• Alexander Davis

• Sharon Davis

• Daniel-Joseph Cyan

• Peace Titilawo

• Sierra Williams

• Jean Regnier

• Anyah Walker

• Zainab Abdullah

• Ronke Mohammed

• Nafi Billah

• Keron Bennett

• Miracle Jackson

• Nana Samake

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