Young, Not Silent theme:
LET’s Talk about it
Workshop guidelines
All workshops should actively engage young people in grades 7 - 12 and connect to one of the 4 BE's below:
Be a Leader: Workshops should help participants identify their leadership style and grow their confidence in order to be a positive influence among their peers.
Be Aware: Workshops that explore aspects of diversity and inclusion or encourage young people to step outside of their comfort zone.
Be The Change: Workshops that help young people engage in activism. Workshops should provide practical ways for young people to be more assertive and how to have their voice heard.
Be Your Best Self: Workshops that promote physical and mental health and/or provide pathways for students to advance their future goals.
Examples of Past Workshops
Building The Next Generation Of Leaders
Standing on the Top
Is the World Ready for My Mouth
Be Your Own Hero
Level Up: Leading With Excellence
Identifying Your Strengths to Navigate Your Pathway in Life
Learning at the Intersection: Why You Don’t Have to Entertain Dehumanization as a Viewpoint
ACT-SO: NAACP High School Talent Competition
Get The Best Bag
Use Your VOICE THRU THE ARTS!
Making Positive First Impressions
(yo)Upstander
Living Your Best Life: Create Your Personal Mission and Vision statement
Why Cultural Appropriation Isn’t Cool
Try and Try Again: Never Give Up on your Goals
Empowering Other Students to be a Voice for Change and Social Justice
Do You Hear What I Hear?
For more details, visit youngnotsilent.org
Questions: Contact Shawn Jeffers at shawn@youthatthecenter.org
12:30pm – 1:15pm: Workshop Block 1
Conference Room 1
Social Media impact and Utilization
Demarco Bryant and Brandyn Morris
We will be presenting on social media impacts and how you can utilize it to your advantage and overall just control what you see and hear. Social media usage has increased among the youth and we want to hear how all of you are affected by it. We challenge everyone that does attend our workshop to come in with an open mind and still have some personal opinions. We will have open discussions and share our thoughts as well. Just remember that there are always multiple sides to everything so let's see which side you pick.
Conference Room 2
Black Masculinity (About You)
Braxton J Simmons and Jordan E Dean
This workshop focuses on the root of toxic masculinity within the black community as well as the pitfalls of Stereotypes found in the origin of America, while also educating black youth on the generational curses used to keep young black men in the same mindset and having and open discussions of what the many experiences of those young black men might be. The goal is for the youth to walk away with an understanding of how black men have been characterized throughout the time of America and gain a better sense of identity that is not so attached to the media.
Conference Room 3
Ending the Silence
Nia Thomas, Tijah Griggs
Ending the Silence is an evidence-based, 50-minute session designed for middle and high school students. Your students will learn about mental health conditions through a brief presentation, short videos, and personal testimony from a young adult who describes their journey to recovery. Students will learn the basics of mental health as well as the symptoms and warning signs of mental health conditions and suicide. Talking to a trusted adult can help students, their friends, and their family members who may need support. Middle and high school students are not alone. Help is out there, and support and treatment is available.
Conference Room 4
You Don't Want This Smoke!
Courthney Calvin
Tigers blood, zombie juice, berry blast, cotton candy, birthday cake, strawberry mango…. Are these snow cone flavors OR vape flavors? Each day in the United States about 1,600 youth use their first vape or tobacco products and nearly 200 youth begin smoking on a daily basis. Tobacco companies love young people; in fact, they spend 8.2 billion dollars annually on advertising aimed at luring youth into using these toxic and very dangerous products. Vaping may look cool, but is it worth it? In this presentation we will discuss the dangers associated with vaping, marketing tactics used to target youth, what they can do about it and more.
Conference Room 5
"Do Something with It!" Using What you already possess to achieve what you desire.
Andreya Williams, Joy Williams
This workshop is about identifying your uniqueness and leveraging it to achieve your goals. We will discuss uncovering your gifts, tapping into resources, and creating a platform to share ideas and entrepreneurship.
2:30pm – 3:15m: Workshop Block 2
Conference Room 1
Young Ladies Beauty Shop Talk
Aissa Bah, Krishawnda Scott, Evelyn Sears
This space is for the ladies! We're talking hygiene, self-care, mental health, relationships, and more!
Conference Room 2
Barbershop Talk for the Fellas
Michael Johnson, LPCC-S, Matthew Scott
This talk will be a space for the fellas to gather and discuss a variety of topics, including manhood, entrepreneurship, mental health, and relationships.
Conference Room 3
The KiKi: Thriving as LGBTQ+ Youth & Allies
Shawn Jeffers
How can you live your best life in a binary world that doesn’t feel like it was made for you? This space is designed for LGBTQ+ youth to discuss all aspects of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. We also have stickers!
Conference Room 4
Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders
Devoe Sherman
"Our youth leadership workshop will provide participants with a dynamic and engaging learning experience that will empower them with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to become effective leaders in their communities and beyond. Through a combination of interactive activities, hands-on exercises, and expert-led presentations, participants will develop practical leadership skills and strategies that they can apply to their personal and professional lives. Our workshop will foster a supportive and inclusive learning environment, where participants can share their perspectives, learn from each other, and build lasting connections and networks. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the confidence, motivation, and inspiration to make a positive impact in their communities and become the change-makers of tomorrow.