Cedar Rapids youth: We are listening

Today (Dec. 12), a group of Cedar Rapidians will meet to discuss stopping neighborhood violence and helping connect youth with the resources they need to succeed.

That might be unremarkable, given the welcome number of such groups that have popped up in recent months in response to troubling local, national and international events, but for one fact: This group is made up entirely of local youth.

They are calling themselves the Youth Think Tank, and they'll meet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Oakhill Jackson Community Church to discuss problems in the community that we share.

How do they handle stress? How can schools and the community support them when they struggle? What can be done to make the community safe? How can we all be part of the solution?

These are questions that many adults have been asking about our youth, but less frequently asking of our youth.

It seems such a simple idea, that any conversation of neighborhood safety and violence - which affects our youths even when they aren't directly involved in an individual incident - must include young voices and ideas. But too frequently, young people aren't invited to the table.

Today, the table is theirs, and we're glad to see this important conversation take root. We'd like to see it continue and expand beyond the critical question of survival.

How do we get more youth to thrive? To succeed? To feel invested in this community? To feel that they belong? What do they need to do in order to build a life after high school graduation, and how can adults support and help them do that here?

Too often, especially in the wake of crisis, we neglect the important task of listening. In doing so, we close our eyes and ears to ground-level solutions that are specifically tailored to local challenges.

The information and ideas shared in today's youth conversation will serve as building blocks for a Youth Empowerment Conference in February. Organizers hope this dialogue will begin to address the youths' ongoing concerns as well as launch a safe space where young people feel empowered to share their ideas for their communities.

We urge current leaders to hear what these young people have to say, and to empower them further by exploring their suggestions and recommendations.

Today, Cedar Rapids youth will be talking. We hope everyone is listening.

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