by Harini Satheeskumar, Youth Engagment Coordinator, Social Six
‘Youth are the future’ is a commonly echoed sentiment, but it’s an expression that I have never been forced to deeply reflect upon before entering my role at Pillar. At first, the idea that youth are the future is an obvious observation, a statement that proclaims the natural order of things, that young people, like myself, will grow up and fill the roles of the adults. However, since becoming a youth engagement coordinator at Pillar, I have come to realise the power of youth and our impact on our communities. As we recognize UN Youth day, I wanted to showcase some of the Social Six participants that are already making our communities stronger, in hopes that the Pillar community may be inspired by them the same way I have been.
Stompbox London
Sofia Pompe and Roisin Miland are two Fanshawe students committed to building the London music scene they want to see in our city; one that is inclusive, accessible, and collaborative. They are doing so through Stompbox London, a collective which works to bring together London’s musicians across all ages, genders, races, and other diverse backgrounds. Stompbox creates zines, runs events and uplifts local artists.
“It’s community. It's...very much about creating space for people who don't see themselves represented in the spaces that already exist in London because there are so many barriers to entry,” Pompe said.
Pompe and Miland are current participants in the Youth Impact Zone, where they are exploring the future of their project with the support of Pillar’s staff and network. They will be presenting at the PITCHD Youth Impact Competition in hopes of winning a microgrant to support their endeavours.
Stompbox has already hosted two packed events and released three issues of their highly popular zine. The first of their events was a show at the London Brewing Coop, which saw a packed house. The second was a Craft Jam held at Reimagine London, an all-ages event where local musicians played, there were crafts attendees could try, and local artists sold their work.
“We are not trying to do what people are already doing in London, we aren't trying to take away business from anyone in London...what we really try to do is bring together bands and groups and niches of people that wouldn’t necessarily have interacted without some type of mediator,” said Pompe.
Stompbox has a heavy focus on including young people in everything they do because they recognize that there are very limited opportunities, venues, events and recording spaces for high-school-aged youth. They too were once high schoolers with a deep interest in local music, and their experiences allow them to understand the importance of youth engagement.
“We are our demographic. That's why we started and that's how it is still,” Miland said.
Stompbox has more events upcoming in August and September. Follow them @stompboxlondon on Instagram, and Stompbox London on Facebook.
Champions of Change
Shiloh Chen and Junsoo Pak are high school students and members of the local youth-led organisation Champions of Change. With the support of the organisation, the two co-created a children's book about 2SLGBTQ+ acceptance, titled “Not Why, but Why Not?”
The ideation for this initiative began when Chen participated in the Social Six innovation incubator last summer. After the program concluded, she brought it to Champions of Change to make the idea a reality.
The book tells the story of a 9-year-old boy, Denver, who receives a candy gram from a secret admirer, and immediately assumes it is a girl. When the possibility that someone other than a girl sent him the candy is brought to his attention, Denver feels confused. He consults his older sister for advice, who helps him understand what it means to love who you love.
“I always wanted more representation and diversity in children's media, because from a personal perspective, when I was a kid I always wanted to see people like myself represented, and that was hard to find,” said Pak.
Champions of Change had a booth at the Pride London Parade where they sold copies of “Not Why, but Why Not?”. All proceeds from sales will go towards the Get REAL movement, which aims to combat 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination in workplaces and schools. These books are available for online order.
“I only realised a year ago that I have never seen any really good representation in children's story books, and it hit me then that most of the social prejudices we have are taught to kids at a very young age, it's a repetitive cycle, and they teach that to their kids as well, so I was hoping we could try to help stop that cycle by creating more representation,” said Chen.
You can follow champions of change at @championsofchangecanada on Instagram or visit their website.
After hearing about the efforts of youth like Sofia, Roisin, Junsoo, and Shiloh, I can't help but return to the idea that youth are the future. I come to appreciate the sentiment much more. Youth are the future because we have an in-depth understanding of the issues that affect us and our peers, and as a result, bring forward promising solutions. Youth are the future because when we are included today, we show up tomorrow. When we are supported and uplifted, we develop an investment in our communities that will guide us for life. We become a generation where every future policy maker, leader, community member, and activist, all has a foundation of community care instilled in them. Youth are the future because we learn how to be role models by example, and will continue a cycle of support and engagement with the next generation should we receive the same.
However, I do raise one issue with the sentiment that youth are the future. Regardless of age or experience, youth are making a real impact now, and our work often keeps up with that of the larger sector. The innovative solutions we bring forward are not pet projects, but viable avenues for change. Yes, youth are the future, but they are also the present.