Old Articles for Youth Worker: Collective (formerly YDPN)

 

These are all articles I wrote for the Youth Worker: Collective (formerly YDPN). Click through the title to read the full article.

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The Red Carpet Festival Announces Films - The Red Carpet Festival announces a lineup of thought-provoking, emotionally-compelling, and entertaining films from across the Bay Area focusing on the field of youth serives and youth work. These films highlight stories of inclusion, police brutatlity, arts education, sustainable gardening, and diversity from youth and the professionals who work with them. They shine a light on youth voice and celebrate the collective accomplishments of the youth services field.

A Reflection Inspired by Mitt Romney -  It is amazing to see when and where inspiration will strike. This morning I opened up The SF Examiner to get my daily dose of gossip. As I was making my way to "Scoop" on page 20, I saw the article "Romney scoffs at presidential 'tour of apology'", complete with a picture of the always-coiffed Romney with pursed lips.

The Navigators and YDPN - I am on the plane back from Indiana listening to Damien Rice and reflecting on my experiences over the last week, specifically over the last 36 hours. It has been a whirlwind of activity: Youth Worker Brown Bags, Financial Literacy 101 for Youth Workers presented by Y-TEP, Community Conversations, We Are Youth Workers Steering Committee meeting, and the fantastic time spent with The Navigators, a group of youth worker fellows in Indiana. Tomorrow I spend the day with Steering Committee members doing arts-based practice to help think really big about the YDPN, and I am on the verge of tears. I am amazed by youth workers. I am amazed by their resiliency, candor, passion, critical thought and lives. I am overwhelmed by how much they do given everything that surrounds them and all of the roadblocks, both internally and externally, that lay on their path.

AFATAC and YDPN: Two Models of Collaborative Professionalization -
On February 12th and 13th, I presented at Foundation Inc.'s Beyond School Hours Conference. The presentation was on Collaborative Professionalization Models: Learnings from the After School for All Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Youth Development Peer Network. These two models are quite unique and different. One, AFATAC, seeks to build collaboration among technical assistance and professional development providers to improve the quality of programming in the out-of-school arena. The second, YDPN, seeks to professionalize youth workers from the ground up.

Youth Worker Brown Bag: Peace -  The YDPN in collaboration with youth workers Aaron Gilbert, Dana Mandolesi, Teresa Nauer, and Bill Vanark hosted the first Youth Worker Brown Bag on Monday, October 27th at Sports Basement in San Francisco. This Brown Bag focused on peace and drew over 15 youth workers from across a variety of sectors and positions.

Announcing the 2008-2009 AFATAC Mentors and Mentees - On Thursday, October 30th AFA TAC ushered in the 2008-09 cohort of Mentors and Mentees at the annual Mentor/Mentee retreat. The retreat brought together 12 experienced site coordinator/director-level youth workers and paired them with 14 emerging leaders. The day was chalk full of activities, teambuilders, and business.

A Report on the Community Conversations with the Blood Centers of the Pacific - Community Conversations is a program of the Youth Development Peer Network (YDPN) that seeks to bring youth workers, the community and organizations together to brainstorm ideas and create action plans around a specific guiding question utilizing existing resources. The YDPN’s role is to partner with an organization looking for support and input from the community around a specific issue. YDPN seeks and connects with intentional partners to meet the partnering organizations goals. 

A Small Peace of Revolution in The Mission - On Saturday, August 23rd the 16th Street BART Station was transformed into a public space of peace. The Youth Development Peer Network and the Mission Community Council gathered youth workers, professionals who work with or on behalf of youth, from across the Bay Area to ask people “What is your path to peace?” This question took different formats at the BART Station including informational tables from Mission Graduates, the San Francisco Buddhist Center, GirlVentures, and Public Allies of Silicon Valley; performances from Danza Azteca and Alphabet Rockers; a community peace altar; and a community art project where passers-by completed the statement “My path to peace is…”.

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Events, News, Music, Action, Resources, and MORE! (11/12/2009)

EVENT: Massive Men's And Women's 'Cool Cat' Clothes Swap For Fashionably Conscious Cultural (via SFist) Check out this event tonight (11/12/200) at Cell Space. It is from 7pm to 11pm. Cost varies depending on what you bring (clothes, potluck item, or nothing). Great opportunity to empty your closet and get new (at least to you) clothes. 

NEWS: Catholic Church Issues Ultimatum To DC: Allow Us To Discriminate Against Gays Or We Won't Feed Or Shelter The Homeless (via Joe.My.God) On one level I can't believe this. On another, it's not surprising. What is surprising is this: "Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Wednesday. 'The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem.'" How is it that they have gotten away with providing non-secular social services using federal dollars? Where is the separation of church and state? Here is the link to the original Washington Post article. 

NEWS: Candy: First 'Transversal Style' Fashion Magazine Launches (via Towleroad) Yay! A magazine dedicated to "Transversal Style" and all fashionable things celebrating "transvestism, transexuality, cross dressing and androgyny".   

MUSIC: "I'm in Love with the City" (via Lala) I love Belle & Sebastian. This is from a musical that Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian's front man, is working on called God Help the Girl.

I’m In Love With The City - Go...

INTERVIEW: Brian Eno (via Pitchfork) Brian Eno is a genius. He has created some of my favorite albums. His visual arts work was displayed at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and I was fortunate enough to see it. I really got into him after I read Stewart Brand's Clock of the Long Now, an amazing book about how to create something that looks at the long view (1000 years or more) and takes viewers out of themselves to experience time. Brian Eno's Bell Studies for the Clock of the Long Now Pitchfork definitely inspires me. recently did an interview with him. Click above to read more.


ACTION: Queer the Census (via Queer the Census) This is a call to be counted in this year's census. Click through the link to get a sticker you can add to your census form. It is time to count everyone! 

RESOURCE: Money Tweets: Twitter Meets Financial Education (via Mashable) I've been working on getting more financially literate since July 2009 when I started taking a class with Youth Worker: Collective and Mission SF Community Financial Center. These are some great resources to get you started on the path to financial education. 

HUMOR: Seth MacFarland's Secret (via Huffingtonpost) I laugh at Family Guy, but really all of his shows are the same. Watch this and learn Seth's secret.

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Health Care Updates

Alright, so it is time for some more info on the health care "debates" that are going on right now. I am amazed and inspired by the fact that the left is finally organizing, questioning, and reporting. There already is enough in the blogosphere/news media that I don't need to go into depth or detail about the policy or debates. Instead, I offer you a list of links to help you engage in the debate depending on what suits you.

Health Insurance Reform Reality Check - Want to know the official Whitehouse position on health care reform? Follow this link and find lots of direct responses to the lies being propagated by the right.

YouthNoise Blog on Health Care - Know a youth who has an opinion about health care reform? Check out YouthNoise, a great organization that empowers youth voice through the blogosphere, and encourage them to sound off on their hopes, dreams, fears, and opinions about health care reform. Health Care reform WILL affect our youth.

Huffington Post Health Care Big News Page - Want to know where to go for all of your news on health care? Well check out this Huffington Post link. Want to know what other citizen's are thinking? Read the comments on any of the posts. They are most insightful.

Pam's House Blend - Great reporting/summaries/commentary on the intersection of healthcare and LGBT issues. Definitely a blog to keep on your radar.

Rachel Maddow - Like the reporting by Rachel Maddow below? Then keep abreast of all that she is reporting with this link. She has daily updates on what is happening in this "debate". Don't miss her fabulous reporting.

And last... A piece of the absurd from John Stewart:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Gun Show - Barrel Fever
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

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