Young people from around the state converged on the Portland State University (PSU) campus on September 18-20 for a weekend full of connection, learning, deep discussion, and fun at the first-ever Youth Convening for the Youth Leadership for the Environment (YLE) cohort.
The three-day convening was a collaborative effort between Oregon’s Kitchen Table (OKT) and the Gray Family Foundation, which provides environmental literacy and civic engagement opportunities for Oregon youth by funding outdoor education, leadership development, geography education, and experiential learning.
Twenty-two youth (ranging from 15 to 20 years old) and 15 program chaperones arrived on Friday evening for a welcome dinner and lawn games at the PSU Park Blocks.
Youth convening participants gather for a game of “where I’m from” to highlight similarities and differences between their communities. Photo credit: Estefania Zavala.
The next day, they took part in a story exchange and a photo gallery, sharing personal stories related to their communities and relationship to nature, animals, and the land. One participant remarked, “[hearing] others perspectives from people around the state was extremely beneficial to learning about environmental issues in Oregon and how they affect the people living here.” Looking at the photo gallery they created, folks could connect issues across regions, as well as celebrate the things that are going well.
Participants create a photo gallery of issues and solutions in their communities. Photo credit: Estefania Zavala.
Later that afternoon, participants visited the ITECK Center (Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge) and Oak Savanna, and then continued with a campus tour and mapping activity led by our NPCC colleague Thien-Kim Bui. But we weren’t done yet! The group came back to the Smith Student Union for a Youth Organizing workshop, co-facilitated by Rogue Climate and Beyond Toxics. Youth had the opportunity to try out their best arguments in a mock City Council meeting.
Participants go on a mapping tour and activity led by Thien-Kim Bui. Photo credit: Estefania Zavala.
The night went on with a kitchen table conversation about what Oregon should do with money from the recent Meta settlement. Youth gave input on how the funds should be spent, as well as on how to prioritize what areas will have the most impact on youth. That feedback will be shared with the Oregon IRL Coalition, which is working to ensure social media settlements or future financial payouts are invested in programs and services that help young people connect, build relationships, and thrive in real life. After engaged and meaningful conversations throughout the day, we ended the night in true OKT fashion: karaoke!
The group visits the Oak Savanna and learns about the Indigenous Traditional Ecological & Cultural Knowledge (ITECK) center. Photo credit: Estefania Zavala.
The next morning, youth and adults gathered to reflect on what they learned and what they would take away from the weekend. What became clear among the participants is that having the opportunity to connect with a broader network of environmental leaders was deeply important, creating a greater sense of awareness and trust in themselves to make effective change happen. One person confided, “the activities pushed me in a lot of good ways. It’s scary being vulnerable with someone you just met,” while another declared, “we are stronger in groups!” and the time we spent together proved just that.
OKT leads the participants in a kitchen table conversation. Photo credit: Estefania Zavala.
From discussing beaver dam restoration to fire preparedness, water quality to climate change, a simple statement sprung forth and echoed across the room, one that people could carry with them as we parted ways: that we are not alone.