FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sarah Gettel
sarah@oneloveglobal.org
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER AND GIRLS EQUITY NETWORK MICHIGAN – 2018 YOUTH SUMMIT
‘YOUNG, POLITICAL, POWERFUL’
FLINT, Mich. – October 25, 2018 – Join My Brother’s Keeper and Girls Equity Network (MBK/GEN) Michigan for their annual youth summit on Saturday, November 6th at Mott Community College in Flint, MI. The Summit will bring together youth and adult leaders to share strategies and resources to support youth organizing, civic engagement, and political power in order to transform policies and systems and improve outcomes for youth of color.
The Summit focuses on informational and hands-on breakout groups and action planning to equip and empower youth to make a difference in the communities. The event will open with key remarks by Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, Cyrus Garrett of the Obama Foundation and Renell Weathers and Alicia Guevara of Michigan League for Public Policy. “I am proud of the work that our community has done to reignite My Brother’s Keeper,” says Mayor Weaver. “The strong partnerships between Mott Community College, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Flint Genesee Chamber of Commerce, Flint Genesee Literacy Network, MBK Michigan, One Love Global, and the Obama Foundation are a solid foundation upon which to build better outcomes for our boys and young men of color. I am especially excited to see our young people getting engaged in the political process.”
The theme for this Summit is “Young, Political, Powerful,” focused on young people shaping the education sector and policy in schools. Youth will be at the table to transform policies and systems that influence their life outcomes. Morning and afternoon breakout sessions will be guided by leaders of 482 Forward, Black Lives Matter Michigan, Cathedral of Faith, Get Out The Vote, and One Love Global, and the day will feature arts performances by youth.
Youth will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of breakout sessions, including:
Organizing and Activism 101 for an introduction to social action
Voter Engagement Strategies to learn how to encourage voter participation
Running for Office for youth interested in political candidacy or working for a campaign
Messaging Lab to use social media and technology for social change
Adult leaders will engage in collaborative strategic planning to support youth leadership and a strong statewide network.
My Brother’s Keeper-Flint is the host of the 2018 statewide Summit, seeking to build collective young political power in Michigan. This year, My Brother’s Keeper-Flint is excited to share its new Compass report at the event, which provides a blueprint of the data, strategies, and progress related to MBK milestones that impact boys and young men of color in Flint.
MBK/GEN extends warm thanks to Mott Community College, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and additional sponsors for making this event possible. “Mott Community College is proud to be a partner of the My Brother’s Keeper and Girl’s Equity Network initiative,” said MCC President, Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea. “The College is committed to helping young people achieve their full potential, and we have made it an institutional priority to create an environment in which all students are empowered to succeed.”
Summit participants will include youth and adults in MBK/GEN Communities, and those interested in becoming MBK Communities or getting involved.
WHAT: “Young, Political, Powerful” Youth Summit
WHEN: November 3, 2018, 9am - 4pm
WHERE: Regional Technology Building (RTC), Mott Community College
The event is free with registration. Secure tickets online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mbkgen-michigan-summit-2018-tickets-47300026653
About MBK/GEN Michigan
My Brother's Keeper and Girl's Equity Network (MBK/GEN) Michigan is a network of Michigan communities and partners committed to collective action to improve outcomes for youth of color. In September 2014, former President Obama issued a challenge to cities, towns, counties and tribes across the country to become “MBK Communities” to enact sustainable change through policy, programs, and partnerships. The My Brother’s Keeper initiative and 3G Network in Lansing, MI were used as starting points to construct a plan for the Girls Equity Network in Michigan. The MBK coalition expanded to include targeted outreach to girls and young women of color in 2017.
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