This is a guest post from Ella Baker Center interns, Darice Wong and Pearis Tavares. For Giving Tuesday, we started the #WhatsYourY campaign centered on Ella Baker Center’s amazing interns and why they are passionate about the work we are doing in the community.
It’s strange to see this tumultuous year finally drawing to a close, and we at the Ella Baker Center have been grateful for the continued support of the Daily Kos and the people in our community.
Together, we have continued to advocate for justice, even as each day brings new challenges for our country. COVID-19, looming social and political unrest, and the turmoil of the recent election have exposed some of the major flaws in our system. We feel so appreciative of those in our community, especially the youth, who have stepped up to be powerful forces in pushing the movement against policing and prisons forward.
As we embark on the holiday season—a time to be thankful and reflective—we are pausing to celebrate some of the young people in our community who have been working for change. This month, the Ella Baker Center is sharing the wonderful work our interns are doing to help change state policy and amplify the voices of directly impacted people. As interns ourselves, we are constantly inspired by the diverse skills, perspectives, and stories our peers bring to the table. Posing the question #WhatsYourY, our Giving Tuesday campaign gets at the core of why us interns are so passionate about organizing with the Ella Baker Center.
Why support our young people? Ella Josephine Baker herself was an active and outspoken advocate for youth empowerment. Following in her footsteps for nearly 25 years, the Ella Baker Center has fought tirelessly to create a community of care for young people that includes shifting resources away from youth incarceration. One critical way the Ella Baker Center accomplished this goal is by creating opportunities for young people to grow and develop their leadership skills through their internship program—helping youth align their passions with their purpose.
As interns ourselves, we both agree that being at the Ella Baker Center has been one of the most enriching experiences we have had. The Ella Baker Center engages in work that resonates with us: challenging traditional definitions and narratives around what safety means, and building healthier communities by fighting against prisons, policing, and punishment.
Our time interning with the Ella Baker Center has helped us find where we fit into this movement for racial justice by cultivating our strengths. Because writing and storytelling come naturally for both of us, much of our time has been spent developing our own unique voices through which we can contribute to the movement.
That’s why this Giving Tuesday, we are sharing stories from our interns and asking people like you to support our amazing youth. The Ella Baker Center offers stipends to all of its interns, and each gift will help us continue to make our program accessible to these young leaders.
At the heart of this all, the movement is about bringing equity and justice to all and that begins with investing in our youth. We encourage you to ask yourselves: #WhatsYourY? What empowers you in this fight for justice? Who in your community inspires or supports you?
Our youth are taking the future into their own hands, and we hope you continue to do so as well.
