GRATEFUL THANKS to everyone who made the Youth Democracy Fest such a success! The students wowed us with their heartfelt poetry, singing, art and speeches. We had uplifting performances by artists Malachi Byrd, Regie Cabico, Munit Mesfin, and Downwire band. We thank our partners, including Action Youth Media, Community CHEER, Liberty’s Promise, Story Tapestries, Montgomery College and Mikva Challenge for their collaboration, and for their work with students in our community.
We also thank the Donors InVesting In Arts (DIVAS) Fund, a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, for making this event possible, along with the other supporters who stepped forward to help with sponsorships and in-kind contributions. The Takoma Park Community Center was the perfect gathering place for this this celebration of democracy and civic joy. There were many highlights, but here’s just one snippet from the amazing community poem written by the audience, “I Dream of a Nation,” and recited so artfully by Malachi Byrd:
I dream of a world with no borders
And only love
I dream of a world that moves forward, not backward
And a nation that helps get it there
WE’D LOVE YOUR FEEDBACK, so please take a moment to answer a few questions HERE! If you have a student who participated in (or attended) the fest, please invite them to complete the survey, too! This will help us improve, tell our story, and bring you another Youth Democracy Fest next year!
IF YOU CAN’T GET ENOUGH civic poetry, song and art created by students in our community, we also invite you to watch the wonderful video of last year’s Youth Democracy Fest, produced by the civic-minded team at Action Youth Media. If you’d like to support our work to lift youth voices, and empower the next generation of compassionate, informed, engaged citizens, click HERE or on the Donate button below.
Thank You!