Center for Teen Empowerment - Boston, MA | Somerville, MA

TEEN EMPOWERMENT BOSTON

YOUTH ORGANIZING INITIATIVES

This year's group of youth organizers is hard at work. Coming up on Friday, February 26: "Equal Up: Different Struggles, Same People." This event, cosponsored with Boston Centers for Youth and Families, features rap, poetry, songs,speeches, and music by youth. All young people are invited. 5:30-8 PM at Grove Hall Community Center. Download an event flyer.

Check with the site in your community for information about more upcoming initiatives.

BOSTON YOUTH PEACE CONFERENCE

Save the date! The 18th annual Youth Peace Conference in Boston is set for Saturday, May 8, at the Burke High School in Dorchester.

BOSTON YOUTH PEACE CONFERENCE 2009

Boston's 17th annual conference on May 9, themed "Reality Check," was a great success. Read about it in the Boston Globe. Listen to TE's executive director discuss what can be done about youth violence on WBZ radio.

SITE EVENTS 2008-09:

The People's Movement Cafe

The Egleston Square site organized a teen cafe on March 12 at the English High School. The event included skits, rap, poetry, dance, and raffle prizes.

"Say It Loud, I'm Proud" in Dorchester

The Dorchester site brought youth together on February 19 to celebrate diversity and Black History Month.

Black History Poetry Slam/Cafe

A hundred people joined the Egleston Square youth at YPACT on February 11. This event included free food, open mic, and raffle prizes.

Adult/Youth Collaborative Dialogue

This event was held on February 4 at TE's Egleston site.

A HOOD HOLIDAY: Presents for the Present

The Dorchester site held a holiday event for the neighborhood on December 22 at the Lilla Frederick Middle School. The event featured raps, poetry, freestyle battle, skits, open mic, and toy giveaways. Many thanks to those who organized toy donations for this event: to the religious schools of Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline and Temple Shalom in Milton, to Joyce Krensky and to her dad, Joel Krensky of Colpitts Travel.

Teen Cafe in Egleston

The Egleston Square site drew over 120 people to this event, held at the Greater Egleston Community High School on December 18.

OG's Call from Behind the Wall

252 Bowdoin Street, Dorchester In November, our Dorchester site held two showings of "Voices from Behind the Wall," TE's 25-minute video of interviews with inmates at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater. The inmates, who made this powerful film in order to speak to Boston youth about the reality of their lives, are Darrell Jones, Clarence McGregor, Herbie Caillot, Anthony Burton, Ricky McGee,Mark Thomas, Anthony Warren, Mack Hudson, and Justice Mohammed. The events were free and featured snacks, prizes, games, and discussion.

BOSTON YOUTH PEACE CONFERENCE 2008

Boston's 16th annual Teen Empowerment Youth Peace Conference brought hundreds of youth to the Strand Theater on Saturday, May 10. This year's theme was "Step Up to Change: From the Strand to the State House." In addition to great speeches and raps, there was a play that highlighted the differences in daily reality experienced by youth in the city and the suburbs. A highlight of the day was the TE-produced video Voices from Behind the Wall, in which inmates at the Old Colony Correctional Facility talked directly to youth about their experiences. Check our news page for articles about the conference and the video.