Choosing Sides seeks to inspire the imagination, creativity and confidence of today’s emerging leaders, as they take charge of their lives and proactively engage in community transformation. We remember that strong alliances between community organizers, community members, student leaders and gang-involved youth, led to the Civil Rights and Black and Brown Power Movements of the 60s & 70s. Therefore, we are committed to intergenerational work that supports grassroots initiatives led by community change-makers at every level.
“We learn to teach and we teach to learn. We keep it interesting and fun. I don’t know anybody else who works that way.” – Naeemah Kelly, 17.
The SpiritHouse Choosing Sides program uses participatory and popular education to help young people contextualize and critically analyze relevant history, media stereotypes and systemic barriers and disparities impacting their communities. Participants develop leadership skills and create new capacities for action through skill sharing workshops, role-play, community engagement and direct action.
Youth Noise Network (YNN) is the media component of the Choosing Sides Program. YNN provides a venue for young people to express and represent themselves as scholars, and experts on the complicated systems they have learned to navigate. Program participants share their work through a variety of media mediums including: audio documentary, radio, video and television production, print media and performance.
SpiritHouse Choosing Sides participants use cultural organizing to encourage community members to enthusiastically engage in policy-making decisions that affect their communities and their lives.
Current campaigns we are working on include: The Harm Free Zone, Safe in Our streets, Raise the age, Save Durham Community Media and Support our Local Arts.
SpiritHouse Choosing Sides participants develop a broad global view, through, “summer of education,” field trips that strengthen regional, and national partnerships, and help them make meaningful connections across age, race and socio-economic lines.
To date, we have taken trips to: The Allied Media Conference in Detroit MI, Seeds of Fire Leadership Camp in New Market TN, Critical Resistance CR-10 in Oakland CA., The Unites States Social Forum (USSF) in Detroit MI and the Alternate Roots Annual Meeting in Arden NC.
