Keiarra Spencer supports My Black Counts at RYSE’s Black History and Futures Month fashion show event on February 28th.
February is Black History and Futures Month, a time when we recognize, honor, and celebrate our powerful Black communities who have always been at the forefront of leading transformational movements in this country.
For the past weeks, RYSE youth have organized and participated in innovative and joyful programming lifting up Black Power through the arts, leadership development, and movement building.
This month is also a time in which we continue to build community power and invest in our communities. In 2019, RYSE joined the Black Census & Redistricting Hub, working with 31 other organizations to maximize participation in the upcoming Census among hard-to-count Black, Latinx, and immigrant communities. Together, we work to dispel myths and help ease fears surrounding the Census.
When I was a high school youth organizer, I experienced my first campaign win that established a multi-service youth center on my high school campus. This experience affirmed my commitment to organizing, movement building and social justice. Through my experience as a youth organizer, I learned that organizing was about effecting long-term change—change or transformation that I or my peers may never experience or directly benefit from. Nevertheless, the future of our city is in the hands of our youth, and it is imperative that we fight for present and future generations.
Youth leaders have been phone banking, canvassing, and educating community members about the Census and California primaries. In recent years, RYSE has pre-registered 400+ young voters and conducted Census outreach to 3449 community members to date.
RYSE youth have been collaborating with Communities for a Better Environment and Power California.
The 2020 Census is not your traditional policy or organizing campaign. It is connected to so much that impact our daily lives: schools, housing, business, transportation, social services and health care.
Simply put, the Census is about political representation, resources, and money. According to the California Department of Finance, California received about $77 billion in Census-related funding—more than 80% of the total federal funds the state received in 2015. Additionally, Census data helps decide how many votes each state gets for presidential elections and how many elected officials can represent our districts in Congress.
In a time where local services are constantly at risk for budget cuts and federal policies are relentlessly targeting communities of color, it is critical that our communities are fully counted in the 2020 Census.
This is why My Black Counts. My Black Counts is an educational and awareness campaign for the Census. My Black Counts is also the anthem that unites us all. We honor and celebrate the unique individuality and humanity of Blackness. We include the voices of immigrants or those who are native-born; man, woman, non-binary or transgender; child, Millennial or senior; of all faiths and backgrounds.
The Census impacts us all, for generations to come. When we unite with action, we gain access to what we need to thrive. We all must be in the count, our future counts on it.
Jamileh Ebrahimi
Director of Programs and Organizing
Jahiem Jones is a youth organizer and leader at RYSE.
Census 2020 Resources
We’ve put together a list of resources and educational materials for the Census 2020. Please check out our resource page and share with your communities!
Black History, Black Futures
RYSE youth kicked off African, Black, Caribbean History and Futures Month with a “Woke Diaspora” Spirit Week to celebrate Black youth power, pride, resilience, and joy. Each day of the week was themed so Black youth members, and allies, could dress up and engage in fun activities. Members enjoyed professional photo shoots, performed in youth-led open mics, watched and discussed movies that centered Black communities. To close out the week, staff and members organized a Block Party outside of RYSE, coming together for food, music, games, and dancing.
This month culminated with a community fashion show centering young Black designers and models. Fashion designers included community members like Elishes Cavness, creator of the artisan fashion line “Lost Tribe of Zion,” Savasia J. Vida of WORTHYOPP, an independent brand celebrating individuality and originality, and more. Our Performing Arts Coordinator, former youth member, and a leading organizer for the fashion show, Nyabingha Zianni also featured work from The Sistaaz Collection. When Culture Speaks was a beautiful night where youth members walked the runway, performed, danced, and felt powerful in their own bodies.
Also in February was our week-long Spring Youth Leadership Institute, where youth organizers deeply engage with social justice, gender justice, organizing and movement building. This season’s workshops included ones about decolonization, interrogating systems of oppression, understanding gender identity, creating life and vision boards, and solidarity across differences. In addition to workshops, young people participated in self care and collective care activities, healing work, art, and team building.
We’re Hiring!
Highlights
Thank you to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley for inviting D’Ana Clark (Youth Justice Fellow) to speak to their congregation about her journey at RYSE and restorative justice work in Richmond.
We’re grateful for their donation to RYSE Commons through their Good Neighbor program!
Stephanie Garcia (DLCAP Youth Fellow) spoke at school board meeting alongside classmates and teachers to advocate against cutting funding for educators, elective courses, and the arts. As one of our DLCAPs fellows at RYSE, Stephanie works to ensure youth voice is heard and considered when it comes to matters of district money distribution and funding.
Dulce Garcia (Education & Justice Action Research Youth Fellow) spoke at a rally at the Capitol during “Orange Day” to bring awareness to teen dating violence.
Our youth phone bankers collaborated with Communities for a Better Environment to outreach to the community for the California primary elections and the census.
Youth Finance Institute of America taught a workshop at RYSE so youth can learn about budgeting, credit, and financial aid.
Happy one year anniversary to our Visual Arts AMP (Advanced Media Producers) cohort! Learn more about our youth internships.