EVENTS
OG's Call from Behind the Wall
November 19 and 20
252 Bowdoin Street, Dorchester
Join TE youth at our Dorchester site for a showing 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. There are two showings: Wednesday, Nov. 19, 4-6 PM, and Thursday, Nov. 20, 6-8 PM. This is a free event and features snacks, prizes, games, and discussion. For more information, call 617-288-2784 or email us.
Rock 'Da' Mic in Somerville
Thursday, November 13, 7-9:30 PM
Everyone is invited to "Rock 'Da' Mic" at TE's Somerville site, 236A Pearl Street. FREE, plus free food and raffle prizes. Contact us for more info. Download a flyer.Check out NEWS COVERAGE about TE's work.
TE's Summer Initiatives 2008
Teen Empowerment's youth organizer groups worked throughout the summer to organize a variety of meaningful events for youth and adults in their communities.Boston
Throughout the summer, TE's Boston sites organized several Teen Cafes, which included teen performances, chances to meet other youth, open mic time, fun, and food. Sites also did community barbecues, featuring raps, poems, speeches, and, of course, FOOD. The sites ended the summer by participating in two collaborative events. The first was an original multi-arts stage show created and performed by the youth of the Opportunity for Unity Collaborative, representing Youth Force, Close to Home, BOLD Teens, REEP, and Teen Empowerment. Called Reach One, Teach One, the event was held on August 22 at the English High School. Download an event flyer. Then, on August 27, TE joined with several other community organizations to cosponsor the Egleston Square Unity Celebration at the Egleston Square YMCA.Somerville
The Somerville site organized these events this summer:- "Rock da Mike" Cafe and Open Mic, July 15
- Contributions to the ArtBeat Festival, July 18-19
- Police and Youth Community Barbecue, August 1st
- National Night Out at Foss Park, August 5. More info
- Teen Open Mic Night, August 14 at the Elizabeth Peabody House
- Lexington Park block party, sponsored by Save Our Somerville (TE youth participating), August 16
UNITY RALLY FOR CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND
May 21 at the State House in Boston
Teen Empowerment, our 11 cosponsors, and many concerned students, teachers, parents, and public officials gathered at the Massachusetts State House to rally for true education reform that provides equal opportunities to all children and youth in Massachusetts. Speakers challenged the conventional assumption that the current "education reform" efforts are succeeding, given the facts that the dropout rate in urban schools has gone up and the achievement gap persist. To understand more, download an explanation of the rally's purpose the conditional diploma for future achievement for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education that was signed at the rally, and an education fact sheet.
Why was this rally needed? Check out TE's publication Voices of Children Left Behind in Massachusetts Public Schools and an op-ed about urban schools in the Boston Globe written by TE's executive director. Contact us for more information about the rally.
See our News page for coverage of this event and TE's other work for real education reform.
The Unity Rally was sponsored by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Boston Teachers Union, Citizens for Public Schools, FairTest (National Center for Fair and Open Testing), the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, the Boston Student Advisory Council, MIRA Coalition (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy), Stand for Children, Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership, Massachusetts PTA, and Teen Empowerment.