Last Friday, YAC held the first YAC Unity event of the year in a joint workshop with the First Generation Ensemble for some performance art fun!
YAC Unity brought together students, interns, board directors, and staff members together for an evening full of getting to know each other and exploring performance art with the help of First Generation. First Generation is a Springfield-based youth leadership group that expresses both individuality and cultural ties through performing.
During the workshop, First Generation taught YAC several theater and performance games. Some of them included...
Zip, Zap, Zop...
sound games...
Rabbit and Fox...
and the Booty Game.
All participants greatly enjoyed the event. At the closing, several people expressed how wonderful it was to meet new people and learn new things.
New 21st Century Community Learning Centers partnership: same programs > new partner!
YAC teams up with the Collaborative, ARHS & EHSWe are pleased to announce a new partnership! The Collaborative for Educational Services led the way to a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant that will bring new after school programs to both Amherst Regional and Easthampton High Schools. YAC--as one of the community partners--will bring our signature Arts-for-Change project offerings to each site (see program schedule below for details).
For more information about 21st Century programs: Chris Taggart, After School Program Director at the Collaborative: 413.586.4900 x 158,ctaggart@collaborative.org,www.collaborative.org/after-school
For YAC info contact Stacey: slennard@youthactioncoalition.org, 413.253.2158 x1
We've got a program for you(th)!Fall Program Schedule
E'Town Rising: Voices of Youth Tu/Th @ 2:15-4:30p [begins THURS, 10/14] Easthampton High School Equipped with digital cameras and creative writing, E’town youth explore and communicate their views about their community. Themes and focus will emerge as the program begins. This is a collaborative project with Easthampton High School.
For more info: Erica Ann: eaflood@youthactioncoalition.org. Register at EHS 21stC Office: Ibrahim Ali: iali@collaborative.org
GirlsEyeView Amherst Tu/Th @ 2:30-5p [begins TUES, 10/19] Amherst Regional High School GirlsEyeView (GEV) offers young women a safe space to explore who they are through photography and creative writing. We focus on self exploration, women’s issues and community through black and white manual photography. Youth learn to process their film and print their images in the darkroom, host community exhibitions, and sell their photos. We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Amherst Regional Middle and High Schools. This year GEV is open to girls in 7-9th grades, forming a bridge between middle and high school. For more info: Erica Ann: eaflood@youthactioncoalition.org Register at ARHS 21stC Office: Lisa Candito:lcandito@collaborative.org
GirlsEyeView Ware M/W @ 2:45-4:45p [begins WED, 10/6] The Literacy Project-Ware GirlsEyeView Ware is our longest running program, founded in 1997! GEV offers a supportive and creative space for young women to express themselves and their ideas through digital photography and creative writing. We partner with the The Literacy Project-Ware, Ware High School and the Ware Domestic Violence Task Force, helping to build bridges among youth both in and out of school and empower girls to take on important community issues with a photographic response. Youth work is exhibited in local restaurants, galleries, in the streets and on Ware Community Television. Open to 13-18 year old girls. For more info: Lauren: lauren@youthactioncoalition.org Get Up Get Down M/Th @ 4-6p [begins MON, 10/18] Get Up Get Down (GUGD) empowers young people to speak their minds through public art. Since 2000, youth in the Amherst area have used a variety of art forms to get their messages out -- from murals to street puppets, metal sculpture to paper mache, sidewalk art to gallery work -- investigating issues that are relevant to them and their communities. Examples of their innovative projects include: multi-media murals in the community and in the high school, sculptural masks, and grafitti murals at Hampshire College. Open to high school-aged youth. Our community collaborators include Amherst Regional High School 21st C After School Program and the Collaborative for Educational Services, and Hampshire College. For more info: Katie: katie@youthactioncoalition.org Register at ARHS 21stC Office: Lisa Candito:lcandito@collaborative.org Video Vanguards M/Th @ 4-6p [begins MON, 10/18] Video Vanguards (VV) works with youth of color and their allies integrating youth leadership, video production, media critique and social justice education. Youth use these skills to create video pieces that address issues that are overlooked by the mainstream media. They organize socially conscious screenings and events throughout the year and attend various trainings, conferences and workshops. Our partners include: Amherst Community Television, Amherst Regional High School 21st C After School Program and the Collaborative for Educational Services, Food For Thought Books, and Hampshire College For more info: Sasha: sasha@youthactioncoalition.org Register at ARHS 21stC Office: Lisa Candito:lcandito@collaborative.org
Dates subject to change. Please check in with staff of respective program for updates.
256 N. Pleasant Street | P.O. Box 747 | Amherst, MA 01004 | 413.253.2158 www.youthactioncoalition.org
Sounds like they're looking for youth like you! Contact the YAC office for the application! hannah [at] youthactioncoalition.org
To: Massachusetts Youth and Young Adults, Ages 14-20
In response to a 2008 outbreak of youth-related violence in the Greater Boston area and in order to incorporate youth voices into the policy-making process, Governor Patrick created the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council. Since that time, the Youth Council’s mission has been to advise the Governor in making decisions and setting policy to improve the lives of young people throughout the Commonwealth.
Current Youth Council members are now serving their second and final term. They will be selecting 28 new Youth Council members to represent Massachusetts’ fourteen counties, two Council members per county. They are now aggressively seeking to contact and recruit potential candidates throughout the state to apply for membership in the Youth Council.
Youth Council applicants should be passionate, motivated, emerging leaders between the ages of 14 and 20 who are able to make a two-year service commitment. Their responsibilities will include: attending monthly meetings and conference calls, advocating for youth issues and incorporating the ideas of other youth and young adults into the creation of effective policy.
The Youth Council has advocated on various issues in the Patrick administration; most recently, the historic anti-bullying legislation that Governor Patrick just signed. To learn more about activities, initiatives and trainings that the Youth Council has participated in please visit www.mass.gov/governor/youthcouncil or contact Anny Jean-Jacques at the Governor’s Office of Community Affairs (617-725-4020).
The month of May went by fast and furious at YAC - with at least one event every single week! We've been displayed, barbecued, screened and recognized, and now all four programs have wrapped up for the year.
Check out photos of Making Our Way, the YAC-wide end of year show, on Facebook.
If you have any additional photos, please post them to the Youth Action Coalition Facebook page or email them to Hannah - hannah [at] youthactioncoalition.org
This summer, in the YAC office, we'll be working on planning for next fall! On that note, I'd like to introduce Briana Hanny, our summer intern! Briana comes to us through the Amherst College Pioneer Valley Internship Program, and will be working at YAC throughout June and July. If you're involved in a YAC program, you'll probably be hearing from her soon as she works on evaluating our programs and planning for the fall!
So much exciting stuff happening this week at YAC!!!
First, tonight YAC is co-sponsoring the Town of Amherst Social Justice Project showing of Unnatural Causes. Join us tonight from 5-7pm at Amherst Cinema for this free showing of the eye-opening documentary about the causes of health inequality in the United States. Check out the preview below of the section being shown tonight!
Next up, on Thursday night from 5:30-7pm, the Capturing Stories Capstone Class from UMass Amherst will be presenting their completed projects at Food for Thought Books. These students spent the year volunteering with community organizations, including YAC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, the Amherst Survival Center, the Literacy Project, Nuestras Raices, and the Center for New Americans, and interviewing people involved with the organizations to share their stories. It's going to be a great evening, with 5 YACies profiled!
Finally, this Friday from 5-7pm is MAKING OUR WAY: the YAC art & media showcase! Join all of YAC at theNacul Center Gallery(592 Main St, Amherst) to see some amazing artwork and celebrate an incredible year of programming.
There will be food donated by the Fresh Side and Henion Bakery!
This event is also a fundraiser for YAC. We'll be accepting donations at the door, there will be a raffle drawing for prizes from many local businesses, and many pieces of youth artwork will be for sale.
This is a busy, busy month here at Youth Action Coalition! Every week we have more events coming down the pike. So what, you ask, is up? Here's the list!
Thursday, April 29th at 7pmFood for Thought Books is hosting a community dialogue on smashing racism as part of their Celebration for Liberation series. A suggested $5-25 donation will help support the effort to bring people from Western MA (including youth from VV!) to the US Social Forum in Detroit this June. Check out the Food for Thought Books website or Facebook for more information about upcoming events in the Celebration for Liberation series.
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And because it is impossible to have too much dialogue, you should also join YAC for the third installment of the Dialogue Project on Friday, April 30th from 3:45-6pm.The first two conversations were amazing, and we hope to have even more YACies participate in this third and final dialogue. Come one, come all! Help YAC advance our goal of being an anti-racist organization. Partake in the DELICIOUS food that Leda so generously provides us.
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From El Barrio to the World: Community Film Festival 5/1 -- 1-5pm @ Hooker Auditorium, Mt. Holyoke College
Join Mt. Holyoke College student organizers and a consortium of local youth, college students and filmmakers for an afternoon of inspiring videos! YAC’s Video Vanguards youth will represent! For more info: (646) 703-3205 or youthsummits09@gmail.com
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Site Beyond Sight
Friday, May 7, 2010 -- 7-10pm Hampshire College Library Gallery
Join our Get Up Get Down Program Coordinator, Hampshire College student, and artist, Kamil Peters, for this innovative exhibition. Experience the magic of masks!
Get Up Get Down youth creations will also be shown, part of Kamil’s critical pedagogy explorations with GUGD.
In Kamil's words:
"A gallery show, and the magic of the influence that the beginning of time contributed to make today what it is. Masks have been a part of every culture, before the oceans were explored cultures across the globe were creating some form of face-altering imagery that went beyond "art", because it was a way of life. My show is an attempt to bring that form of homage to the present day."
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As part of its work on Social Justice and Health Equity, The Town of Amherst and the Amherst Department of Human Rights and Human Resources is extending a special invitation to all interested people to FREE screenings and discussions of:
UNNATURAL CAUSES… is inequality making us sick?
DATES
28 April 2010—Place Matters
12 May 2010—Not Just a Paycheck: co-sponsored by YAC! 19 May 2010—In Sickness and In Wealth
9 June 2010—When the Bough Breaks
16 June 2010—Bad Sugar
23 June 2010—Collateral Damage
TIME 5:00pm—7:00pm 5:00—5:30 Registration
5:30—6:00 Screening
6:00—7:00 Dialogue to Action
WHERE
Amherst Cinema This program is FREE and open to the public. Because seating is limited, we recommend obtaining free tickets IN ADVANCE at the Amherst Cinema box office.
The screening will include a forum—Implications of inequality and health for the Amherst community: A dialogue among participants—facilitated by Dr. Barbara J. Love and introductions by Amherst Human Rights/Human Resources Director, Eunice Torres.
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Please Join Us!
Capturing Stories for Community End of Year Exhibit, Discussion and Celebration Thursday, May 13th 5:30pm – 7:00pm Food for Thought Books
106 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01002-1703
(413) 253-5432
www.foodforthoughtbooks.com
Capturing Stories for Community is a collaboration between the Community Engagement Program of Commonwealth Honors College--UMass Amherst and six local community-based organizations: Nuestras Raíces, the Literacy Project, Youth Action Coalition, the Amherst Survival Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Hampshire County, and the Center for New Americans
In this year-long community-based research project, students volunteered in one of six community-based organizations, conducted research on relevant economic, social and policy issues, and collected oral histories of people who participate in and are served by the community organizations.
The collected stories are one way for the participating community organizations to honor and share the life experiences and views of the individuals with whom they work and serve. The course explores the role that stories can play in deepening our understanding of public issues and building community capacity and challenges us to think about the relationships among community, history and social change. This end of year presentation is an opportunity for all those involved in the project, and others, to hear a selection of the stories and learn more about the project.
Last Friday, YAC held the first YAC Unity event of the year in a joint workshop with the First Generation Ensemble for some performance art fun! 
This summer, in the YAC office, we'll be working on planning for next fall! On that note, I'd like to introduce Briana Hanny, our summer intern! Briana comes to us through the Amherst College Pioneer Valley Internship Program, and will be working at YAC throughout June and July. If you're involved in a YAC program, you'll probably be hearing from her soon as she works on evaluating our programs and planning for the fall!
