From July 11 – 13, I attended the YES! convening in Albuquerque. I was there for a summer employment opportunity with Generation Justice. This convening was a refresher with the many workshops on community organizing and organizing throughout history, but it was also powerful to hear from all of the other youth participants and see what brought them to that moment.
It was a reunion of sorts for me to be joining Generation Justice in this new and exciting capacity, so this convening provided great information and insights as I start this role. The five of us from Generation Justice often spoke during meal times about what mattered most to us as well as who we are as people. I like this because I felt closer to them in the end and understood why I had always stayed close to the project.
At the convening, the workshops were fun. My favorite one was the organizing workshop because it was hands-on and the analogy of parts of a vehicle was cool to think about in connection with the different parts that go into organizing. One of the connections made was how a driver is like being a leader in a movement.
Also during a workshop on privilege I felt it was necessary for me to use my voice when an activity did not include disability as a way to see your life and privilege, so I spoke up for what I thought was important. Overall it gave me more insights into why organizing is essential and why hearing a person’s story can make all the difference.
This convening helped shape the opportunity of having the internship, and gave me new information that I believe will help me in the coming months. It reminded me how important working in our communities is. I enjoyed all of the people, workshops, and conversations because it was apparent to me in the end that when we all come together as a community, we can make a difference.
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