MoCo Black Coffee Podcast

MoCo Black Coffee Podcast Episode 2 - Youth Voices Part 2

• Frederick Hawkins • Season 1 • Episode 2

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In this episode of Black Coffee, we’re exploring the theme Youth Voices in the County —what is it, why does it matter, and we’ll hear from several MCPS Summer RISE student interns, and discuss their insights and perspectives.

Frederick:

Hello, my name is Frederick Hawkins and I'm the African American Community Liaison for Montgomery County. And this is Black Coffee. Black Coffee is a podcast to amplify black voices and initiatives in Montgomery County. And this is a community program that drives community progress. And today we have two amazing young people with me, with us. Thank you guys for joining. Since meeting you, you guys have been a light. So I would like you to introduce yourselves. school and grade, and then we'll get started.

Dakota:

My name is Dakota Hudson-Neal. I'm a rising 11th grader going to Bishop McNamara High School in Prince George's County, Maryland. What I hope to gain from this experience is to see how government and policy work beyond the textbook and beyond what's on the news and seeing how the gears turn in real time and also to inform and influence other youth who may not know or understand what's happening right now.

Frederick:

I love that. Let's go.

Sage:

My name is Sage Shaddeau. I'm a rising junior at Seneca Valley High School, and I'm really hoping to kind of get a more hands-on approach to helping my community and seeing how even as a youth I can be more involved and help others.

Frederick:

Thank you for that. Thank you for that. I felt that energy the first day. She was here like 30 minutes before everybody else ready to get to work. So super, super great thing. I'm going to jump right in because your partners, they went in and they did a really great job i want to ask you what are some things that adults can do better when talking about justice and race. Let's start.

Sage:

I think The main thing is just making it a more comfortable topic. I feel like for a long time race has been seen as something that's taboo and you shouldn't really talk about it or address it. And that's not the case. I mean, we're all the same. We all have our differences. But we should acknowledge those differences and be able to talk about them in appropriate situations. And I feel like the older generation and the adults around us should be the ones who are starting those conversations for the youth.

Frederick:

Yeah, I agree. This is a tough conversation. It's best to run towards it. So what do you think? There's some things adults can do better.

Dakota:

I would say some things adults can do better on when talking about race is learn to listen before they lead. Too many folks are just people who will talk about racist experiences but haven't gone through them, trying to make a solution. So I think adults should kind of take a step back, kind of go into the passenger seat, and kind of let us make our own solutions. for us instead of just making it without us.

Frederick:

I like that a lot. I like that a lot. How does media, music, other messaging impact how we have the conversation around race and youth leadership or just the perspective of the youth voice? How much does media play into that?

Sage:

I think it plays a pretty big role especially on the youth because we consume a lot of media and that's kind of our lifeline in this society and so it definitely impacts us I feel like in some ways the media kind of motivates us to get out and do the work and fight by like kind of uplifting us but at the same time there's also that side of the media that's kind of pushing the agenda that really like politics and community service and working for you community is something that's still only for the older generation and the youth isn't ready for it yet. So it's like kind of on two sides, there's that push and pull.

Frederick:

I like that. Yeah, thank you for

Dakota:

that. What do you think? Fully agree with her statement. On one hand, there's things like this, saying that use your voice, you're the future, use the tools you have that we didn't have to empower everyone. But again, there also is that flip side of Paul saying, all of you guys are just kids, you don't know what you're talking about, you're not qualified, this, that, and the third. So I feel like, yeah, it is. I feel like it's kind of like two sides to the same coin, in a way. Well, there will always be a bit of both, but I feel that with packets like this and just other forms of media could kind of really give us that big push to influence everyone.

Frederick:

Have you ever been... kind of encouraged to not share your voice or kind of pushed to say, hey, you don't matter? Have you ever received any of that messaging as a young person?

Dakota:

Sometimes. Sometimes. The thing is, they'll say it, but they won't say it. It'll kind of be like passive aggressive.

Frederick:

Mmhmm

Dakota:

It'll be like, oh, this generation is, you know, you know how, it'll be like, you know how they are or how they're always complaining. Or it'll kind of like try and like do a slow like nudge to put us down and kind of pretend like, oh, no, I'm just, I'm just being honest or I'm just, it's just, Honda's feedback or constructive criticism or something like that.

Frederick:

Your thoughts?

Sage:

I think I've definitely heard that before. I've kind of tried to be involved in my community and like politics really for as long as I can remember and I just remember being younger when I was like 10 and 11 and trying to inform myself and be aware of what was going on and just wasn't taken seriously at all. It's definitely a lot of like you have no business being involved in this like this isn't any of your concern and stuff like that which I think is a big problem because like this is my concern this is the youth's our time is coming up, so we should be thinking about it as soon as we can.

Frederick:

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. What was that moment or thing that happened to you that kind of inspired you to get into community engagement or want to learn about it? You said at 10 years old you were learning, so what happened at 10 to make a young person want to give back?

Sage:

It was during 2020 with the BLM movement the 2020 elections and just like all of that stuff. And I just had so much free time on my hands. And it was just, I remember scrolling on social media and just seeing all of the protests and all of the fight for liberation. And I wanted to be a part of that. Like I knew that what was happening was wrong and somebody needed to stand up for it. And I think there was a bit of discomfort at first. Like I wasn't really sure if it was my place to really fight for that or stand up for that. But I think ultimately it's everyone's place. Everyone should be standing up for what they think is right, even if it doesn't necessarily affect them personally.

Frederick:

That's it. Any thoughts?

Sage:

Flawless

Dakota:

answer, I'll tell you that. Flawless

Frederick:

answer, yeah.

Dakota:

I would say for me, it was also around that time with everything happening at one time and me having free time with, you know, COVID and all. And it kind of made me, because the way, because I already, I kind of knew it was a thing, but it was more of like, oh, that happened way back when, like during, not even way back when, but like when, like, you know, the BLM movement, like with Martin Luther King and dope. I kind of thought, oh, that's in the past. That's already happened. But seeing all of it right in front of me and I couldn't just look away from it. It kind of made me go, you know what, I can do this too. This isn't like something I can just read in a book. I can be in that book. Someone can look at me and feel the way I feel right now.

Frederick:

Absolutely. As you get older, you'll see that more and more. I mentioned it all the time, but the world becomes yours the older you get. So they will feel you. And leadership is a choice, not a position. So you guys are leaders, even in your age, with your age, all right? Okay, I know I may get the sign soon, right? But can you describe a time where you had to use your voice in a courageous way? And what did that look like? And how did you know that you had to take a stand in that moment?

Dakota:

I'll take it first this time. So this was in middle school, and we had a pride club. It was always kind of like small. And so the teacher who led it said, there's an opportunity for one of you, whoever wants to participate, to talk to the whole staff about LGBTQ-related bullying in the school. And I was, I kind of looked, because no one really raised their hand, and it kind of hit me, yeah, if you're not doing it, no one's doing it. So, and a person who was supposed to be my partner was busy, so I had to do the whole thing by myself. And I remember kind of being like, kind of having to stand on my own two feet about it. Kind of having to use my voice, use what I knew to kind of influence everyone. And teachers told me that half of the things I said, they had no idea about. So it kind of made me realize that yes, this matters, no matter if it's just in a school or even outside of that. Like in your adult life, you're gonna need to use your voice and it's best you learn early.

Sage:

Thank you. Yeah. I think for me, nothing else, because that was good. That was good. But I feel like for me, just You know, growing up in this generation, I think there's also a big problem with a lack of sensitivity and empathy. And I think that was really present in my school, my high school and my middle school. Like just really mean jokes, just careless kind of talk with like no regards for how it would be perceived, both about race, gender, sexuality, like everything. And I feel like every time I kind of tried to stand up against that and just like, I didn't really want to take it, like let people joke about me like that or let people joke about my friends or really anybody like that. And it was hard to be taken seriously because it really does become like, oh, you can't take a joke. Like we're just kidding around. Like this is just a joke. But like ultimately these jokes like go deeper than just, oh, a little like laugh. And so I think that's kind of where I got some courage to kind of stand up to those people and like just tell them like what you're doing is wrong and like you're not funny. And I think that was is a pretty hard part.

Frederick:

Yeah, yeah. Something peaceful about it, too, though, right? When you take a stand and you know it's the right thing to do. Yeah. Yeah. What is one thing that you, if you can grab the microphone at your school and just tell these adults something, how to run some, how to do it the right way, or just hear something from you all, what is a message that you would give to the adults listening?

Dakota:

Take us?

Frederick:

Yeah, go ahead. I'm curious.

Dakota:

I would say take a step back and allow us to struggle. Because one thing I've noticed is that when you do something and they make a mistake or something like that, usually it's the domino effect of the whole thing getting shut down. Instead of allowing us to struggle and understand because you learn from your mistakes. You don't make a mistake, you don't learn. And so allowing us to go get our hands dirty and to go through it thoroughly is something I would say would have a lot of reward it will have rewards to it.

Sage:

I think I would definitely want to tell the adults at my school that it's really important to include everyone and make sure everyone feels like they have a place we do these surveys where it's like did you feel represented in your class did you feel like you could talk in your class and like me personally I did feel that way but I know when I talk to some of my friends about it they don't have the same experience and so I feel like there is a is a bit of a problem with fair treatment and ensuring everyone is equally represented and included. And I think it's just really important that the adults are treating everyone fairly and are aware that we are all here to learn. We all want the same stuff.

Dakota:

Do I have time to kind of go off that,

Frederick:

or? Yeah, go ahead really quickly.

Dakota:

I would say to bounce off that is kind of, because I noticed teachers tend not to, they'll like not give us the full scope. It'll be like, oh, we're going to talk about like an assembly, and it'll focus on the majority of students, whatever the race may be, instead of the entire school.

Unknown:

Yeah, take it.

Frederick:

Thank you guys for sharing your voice. It is extremely important. Everyone listening, thank you for joining us for another episode of Black Coffee. Listen, you guys are amazing. You have inspired us. You're inspiring listeners, and we want to hear more of you, from you. Okay? So keep fighting the good fight. Always. It's a good trouble. All right? All right. Thank you guys.

Speaker 03:

Thank you.