White Privilege Conference

You have the option to register for the Wednesday, April 7th Youth Institute (the day before the conference) Registration is required. Cost: $50 OR $40 if you register and attend the 3 day Youth Conference and/or White Privilege Conference.

Co-leaders:Jesse Villalobos, Lauren Parker Kucera
Participants: 45 (maximum) high school-aged youth from diverse racial and social backgrounds
Time frame: 4-6 hours ---possibly followed by a youth social (TBD)

Over the past decade, The WPC Youth Institute has facilitated a critical space to strengthen relationships across race and identity for over 500 high school-aged youth from throughout the U. S. At the WPC Youth Institute, youth leaders who want to work for social justice can strengthen communication skills and gain more knowledge about white privilege and begin to build strategies with peers on how to end it. This institute is centered around the perspectives, experiences and voice of youth.

Objectives
During this interactive program, participants will:

• gain deeper understanding and more knowledge about white privilege, racial identity, racism, social power and intersections of identity (class, gender and culture, etc)
• strengthen communication skills in order to better organize and engage people more effectively across race, culture, age and difference
• develop basic leadership strategies to organize for social change --to reach more peers and potential adult allies
• find individual and collective voice through creative work, exploring experiences of identity and culture

*Youth participants in WPC11 YI will be offered the opportunity to facilitate and lead discussions with the film Shades Of Youth during WPC11. (NOTE: The pre-conference Youth Institute is separate from the Youth Leadership Conference, which takes place during the general WPC.)

Description
Using the youth-led video project, "Shades of Youth, Youth Speak on Racism, Power & Privilege," youth will explore racism and white privilege as it looks in our lives today ---drawing from the history of white supremacy in the U.S. and its effects over time as a place to start.

Youth will look at the impact of white privilege by drawing from everyday experiences. Through interaction, listening to one another to learn new views and creativity, youth can become more critical and confident in resisting and responding to white privilege in their circles.

Participants will be encouraged to relate current issues that effect their family and community and tend to adversely impact people of color and privilege whites, such as: problems in schools, violence from police/government, the lack of good-paying jobs and access to health care. As a result, we believe that young people will be more prepared to organize, teach and actively challenge white privilege and collaborate toward a shared vision for revolutionary social change that benefits all of us.

Learn more about the video project, "Shades of Youth: Youth Speak on Racism, Power & Privilege": http://antiracism.com/shades_of_youth.html

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