Reporting Live: Opportunity Youth Network

Jamiel Alexander

I’m sitting here at the Opportunity Youth Network meeting in Maryland and just loving it. The OYN is spinning out of the Aspen Institute’s Forum for Community Solutions and is a mix of employers, non-profits, advocates, foundations, policy groups, and government sharing ideas and trying to figure out how we have a larger impact by working together.  I’m loving it for lots of reasons. 

First, it’s because, as far as I can tell, we are building the hope, courage and commitment we need  to explore new solutions, take a stand, and demand that we do something for our young people.  

Second, I’m loving it because Jamiel Alexander and Chris Rada of the National Council of Young Leaders led us in the best, I mean it the BEST introductory activity I’ve ever done.  With really fun dance music, we wandered around the table saying hi to old friends and people we’ve never met. When the music died down, you are supposed to sit at the table closest to you (occasionally bringing back not-such-good memories of getting swatted out of the way and failing to get that chair back in kindergarten), and Jamiel and Chris provide a question for the participants to explore. The questions were great:

• What was you first job?
• If you could have a conversation with your 16-year old self, what would you tell them? 
• What do I love about my job?
• What are you most proud of during the past of all the things you and your team have done in the past year? 

Now Melody Barnes and John Bridgeland are going to speak. Gotta go.