My name is Jae Lee and I am a rising senior studying Linguistics, English, and French. This summer I will be working with Peace by Piece NOLA, a non-profit non-violence organization centered on youth outreach.
My work with Peace by Piece this summer will have two components: teaching creative writing and self-expression to Black youth as an alternative to violence, and also teaching self-sustainability and sustainability in their communities. This is the start of the type of work I would like to be doing for the rest of my life, whether it become my full-time job or just a personal undertaking. It is so important to have kids that look like me learn how to express themselves in healthy ways and also take care of themselves and others. There will be two locations for the program: Hollygrove and the Desire Project area. Both will center on facilitating youth development and consciousness. Although there have been a few iterations of this summer project, this will be the first year of the sustainability aspect. This means working with the youth to start and maintain a community garden, and also teaching them healthy habits. An important goal here is to give these kids some sense of control and a sense of ownership in what they can produce and become. Contributing to this type if community building at a young age can be pivotal to children who grow up being told that the neighborhoods they live in are “bad” or “worthless.” The way that type of ideology and language affects the mind is often overlooked.
My goals for this summer are to 1) apply and improve upon leadership skills, 2) Learn more about the issues that affect the youth I will be working with, 3) Learn gardening skills, 4) Observe the skills necessary to be an effective change-maker and 5) Create a sustainable environment for local youth. I am very excited about all of these goals and look forward to sharing my journey with you all.
Peace,
Jae