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< Back Protection of Kids Act Written By: Kenzie Shelstad Publishing Date: July 16, 2023 After the tragic events at Uvalde this past month, parents and lawmakers alike are desperate for gun restrictions in the United States. The House, as of June 8th, 2022, has voted in the Protecting Our Kids Act . This act comprises multiple laws aimed at preventing mass shootings, and include seven laws that aim to prevent mass shootings. These include laws that raise the age to purchase semi automatic centerfire rifles from 18 to 21, prohibit the sale of large capacity magazines, increase penalties for failure to comply with federal regulations regarding the safe storage of firearms, prohibit the sale of ghost firearms, and tighten federal regulation on the use of bump stocks. The aim of the Protecting Our Kids Act is to reduce the ability of mass shootings to take place with legally purchased firearms. However, the Protecting Our Kids Act has not progressed to the Senate at this point, and faces strong opposition from Republicans, who hold the majority in the Senate. While five Republicans in the House voted in favor of the Protecting Our Kids Act, including Reps. Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Fred Upton of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Chris Jacobs of New York, it is unlikely that the Senate will receive the 60 vote majority required to pass the Protecting Our Kids Act. For young individuals in the United States, this package of laws could provide unparalleled protection from potential school shootings. The Senate has not yet stated when the vote on the Protecting Our Kids Act will take place. Sources "Text - H.R.7910 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Protecting Our Kids Act." Congress.gov , Library of Congress, 9 June 2022, http://www.congress.gov/ . Gittins, William. “Gun Control: What Laws are in the “Protecting Our Kids Act” legislation passed by the House?” MSN . 11 June 2022. Accessed 12 June 2022. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gun-control-what-laws-are-in-the-e2-80-98protecting-our-kids-act-e2-80-99-legislation-passed-by-the-house/ar-AAYlQRt Previous Next

Volunteering in Political Campaigns < Back Community Resources: Volunteer Written By: Fatima Javed Publishing Date: July 26, 2021 Volunteering in political campaigns is widely favored among youth. According to data by Circle (2020), more than 25% of young adults polled were interested in volunteering for campaigns if given the opportunity to do so. Increasing opportunities for youth to be involved as volunteers on political campaigns offers great advantages to campaigns by increasing their outreach capabilities, especially among younger voters who may be more convinced to vote when reached out to by their peers. Volunteering for campaigns also improves youth political skills, knowledge, and motivation as they provide opportunities for young people to learn that their voices and actions are welcomed and valued in our political system. A good way to start looking for volunteering positions is looking up your local political candidates and signing up through their candidacy websites. A simple google search of “volunteer positions in political campaigns” can also help to find positions. It is important to determine which campaign to volunteer or aid. Picking a campaign party can sometimes be a confusing and difficult job. It is best to pick campaign parties that closely align with your core ideals so you can easily expand on the parties’ values and beliefs when outreaching to the general public. Another way to determine what campaign to aid is by listening to the voices of fellow youth and the public. People tend to vote for those who can personally connect with them and listen to their voices and concerns. If a lot of people favor certain values that are desired in the next political figure, then campaigning with that political figure may be ideal for making the public more receptive to voting for certain candidates or issues. Sometimes landing a spot on a campaign is about who you know, so network with your colleagues, classmates, and your community. It is best to know what volunteering for a political campaign is all about. Ben Rajadurai, an executive director from the College Republican National Committee suggests volunteering for local races first to really get your foot in the political campaign world. In Fuller’s (2020) article, Rajaduari emphasizes that “You have face-to-face interaction with the (local) candidate every day and you learn more. (Ultimately), they’re the ones that make the decisions that impact your day-to-day life the most.” Another thing to take into account is whether you are willing to travel with the campaign party. Many big political campaigns, like those running for governorship, senatorship, or presidency need workers who have the ability to travel frequently to reach out to as many diverse voters as possible. Another thing to take into consideration is how long you would be volunteering for the campaign. Some campaigns like the ones listed previously would want you to be involved in their campaign until election night. And yet another important factor to take into consideration is whether you are willing to do this demanding job without pay. Take note of volunteer requirements for different campaigns and determine how much time and dedication you are willing to offer. As mentioned in Fuller’s (2020) article, “youth can start as a volunteer on campaigns and apply for paid positions in the next cycle.” Ben Rajaduari himself, started out volunteering as a canvasser on congressional campaigns during high school, later moving into a paid position as a volunteer coordinator on local campaigns. A typical assignment for volunteers on political campaigns is phone banking (cold-calling voters). Volunteers help to identify where people stand in terms of support for a candidate and try to persuade undecided voters. Volunteers also call voters to encourage turnout among people who support the candidate, and remind them how, when, and where to vote. Another campaign activity is canvassing (door-to-door knocking), where volunteers hand out information to potential voters and inform them about their candidates’ issue positions. Other assignments available include conducting research, fundraising, and collecting signatures for petitions. If you are curious about volunteering for campaigns, give it a try and get a feel for it. If a campaign doesn’t click with you, try a different campaign. If you don’t want to campaign for a candidate, you can join political efforts that solely focus on registering people to vote. Due to COVID-19, there are currently certain protocols being mandated in certain cities and states. A covid test or proof of vaccination may be required before volunteering. Masks may also be mandated for all workers and volunteers. Please check with the campaign you are planning on volunteering with about these different protocols! Sources Fuller, J. (2020, January 10). What to Know About Volunteering for a Political Campaign. Rewire. https://www.rewire.org/volunteering-political-campaign/ . Youth Volunteering on Political Campaigns. Circle at Tufts. (2020, March 17). https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/youth-volunteering-political-campaigns . Previous Next

Rainbow Capitalism (OP-ED) Written By: Emily Eames Publishing Date: June 11, 2022 This article contains opinions that do not represent the official views of USYF. What is Rainbow Capitalism? Many stores offer LGTBQ+ and Pride merchandise during June to celebrate Pride Month. Stores and retailers, such as Target and Walmart, will display this merchandise in the storefront, so it is the first thing customers see. Offering Pride merchandise is a way for corporations to demonstrate diversity and inclusivity to their customers. However, there may be an ulterior motive behind the influx of LGBTQ+ commodities during June. There is a demand for Pride merchandise, especially during June when LGBTQ+ communities and allies alike aspire to demonstrate their support and celebrate Pride Month. Since there is a demand for Pride goods, some corporations will often supply commodities that brandish rainbows, the symbol for the LGTBQ+ movement. This is where the term "Rainbow Capitalism" gets its name. During Pride Month, you may hear the term Rainbow Capitalism and wonder, what is this referring to? Rainbow Capitalism references the practice of companies offering Pride-related merchandise during Pride Month [1] . However, their company views and actions may work in opposition to or ignore the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. What can you do? This can be a tricky topic to navigate as a consumer, since Rainbow capitalism falls under the category of ethical consumption. Ethical consumption involves understanding where the product comes from, who made it, and the context surrounding the product [1] . Ethical consumption can be a privilege because it involves having the opportunity and time to research all of the goods you purchase and having the financial freedom to choose between an ethical or unethical option. If ethical consumption interests you, then the best way to get started is to pick a few items you use everyday and research where they come from and who makes them. Start small; who makes your shampoo? What does the company that makes your favorite t-shirt support? Does the company that makes your toothpaste practice any philanthropy? If so, who do they donate to? What causes do they stand with? As a challenge, during Pride Month, try to be more conscious about the companies you are buying from. If you are on the market for a Pride t-shirt or bumper sticker, take a few minutes to see if that company is actively supporting the LGTBQ+ community. If not, then maybe look for an alternative company that's actively striving to support the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, or take this opportunity to donate directly to an organization that supports the Pride movement. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, it's not about being perfect. It's about staying informed and doing your best. [1] See Pyke, T., & Regan , C. (2020, December 1). Ethical Consumption. DevelopmentEducation.ie. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://developmenteducation.ie/feature/ethical-consumption/ [1] From Desjardins, L., Jacobson, M., Carlson, F., Thoet, A., Foley, A., & Barajas, J. (2021, June 30). Rainbow capitalism raises questions about corporate commitments and pride month's purpose. PBS. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/rainbow-capitalism-raises-questions-about-corporate-commitments-and-pride-months-purpose Sources [1] From Desjardins, L., Jacobson, M., Carlson, F., Thoet, A., Foley, A., & Barajas, J. (2021, June 30). Rainbow capitalism raises questions about corporate commitments and pride month's purpose. PBS. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/rainbow-capitalism-raises-questions-about-corporate-commitments-and-pride-months-purpose [2] See Pyke, T., & Regan , C. (2020, December 1). Ethical Consumption. DevelopmentEducation.ie. Retrieved May 30, 2022, from https://developmenteducation.ie/feature/ethical-consumption/ Previous Next

Pride Month During Covid-19 Written By: Tatiana Pagan Publishing Date: August 1, 2021 COVID-19 has had a profound impact on social gatherings. In 2020 alone: weddings were postponed or canceled; schools went to remote learning, which led to the cancellation of many after-school clubs and events, and many yearly parades were postponed indefinitely. Pride events were not immune to the effects of the pandemic. Social distancing, travel restrictions, and limited gathering capacities made most Pride events impossible. San Francisco’s decision to cancel their 2020 Pride parade was, as stated in an article by The Guardian, “the first time since it began that there [was] no march along the city’s Market Street.” This was a particular blow for the LGBTQ community, as 2020 marked the 50th anniversary of the event. Boston, Toronto, and New York City were also among the list of places cancelling Pride events that year. While some Pride events are still being held virtually in 2021, there are a number of in-person events taking place, namely NYC pride, which will be held with health and safety guidelines in place. While things appear to be looking up in 2021, there is still the question of COVID-19’s impact on LGBTQ youth based on the postponement of Pride Events. To understand the impact of these event changes on LGBTQ youth, we first should look at the issues that impact the community. First, LGBTQ youth face a number of challenges regarding their mental health, as they are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidality (Russell & Fish, 2016). Over the years, resources have been introduced to help mitigate this, such as Gender and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) and counseling at schools. These resources have proven to be vital in many cases since “school can [...] offer access to an LGBTQ community [...] where they can feel empowered, socialize, and receive support.” For some LGBTQ youth, school may be the only source of support and community they experience. Because of this, school closures have added yet another stressor for LGBTQ youth during the pandemic. According to The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health for 2021, “More than 80% of LGBTQ youth stated that COVID-19 made their living situation more stressful — and only 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming.” With only a third of LGBTQ youth living in LGBTQ-affirming households, many others in the community have been left feeling isolated due to COVID-19. School closures and virtual learning have left LGBTQ students without the vital support systems they need. The cancellation of GSA meetings and Pride events has exacerbated the issue. The lack of accessible support is not the only issue to come out of the pandemic. So far, in 2021, over 250 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures throughout the United States. These bills would impact students’ ability to use restrooms and locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity, forbid the discussion of LGBTQ people, sexuality, and/or gender in the classroom, and prohibit transgender youth from being able to access gender-affirming medical care. Legislators across the United States have worked to pass these bills, while LGBTQ youth have been at a loss as to how to engage in further activism due to a lack of in-person events. But not all is lost. The Equality Act, which was passed in the House of Representatives in February of 2021, “prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system.” While the bill was discussed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing back in March, it has not been said when the legislation will be voted on. A total of 60 votes will be needed for the bill to pass in the Senate. It is important that supporters reach out to their representatives to support the bill. Details on how to reach your senator -- by mail, email, or telephone -- can be found on the United States Senate’s website. The following websites are offering a variety of resources and events that can be accessed online: 1. Arcus Foundation: The Arcus Foundation offers a variety of LGBTQ resources to help LGBTQ advocates during the pandemic. 2. Eventbrite: This website has a series of virtual Pride events taking place throughout the month of June. 3. Q Chat Space: Chat support group for LGBTQ youth from ages 13 to 19. Other suggestions on how to help LGBTQ youth during this time are: reading LGBTQ literature, supporting LGBTQ-run businesses, and staying up to date on the latest surveys and research by foundations like The Trevor Project, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), and The Equity Project. COVID-19 has made navigating life difficult for a large percentage of LGBTQ youths. Despite this, the community has found unique ways to engage in activism via the internet. Virtual events on Eventbrite and social spaces in Q Chat Space have rebuilt the sense of belonging that was lost during the pandemic. Groups like the Arcus Foundation are a reminder that activism is still alive and well even from home. These resources will make it easier for LGBTQ youth and allies to educate themselves while also advocating for change. The pandemic has led to plenty of social distancing, but it has not diminished the LGBTQ community’s commitment to lasting change. Sources Paul, Kari. (2020, April 14) San Francisco cancels 50th anniversary LGBTQ+ Pride parade amid pandemic. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/14/san-francisco-pride- parade-cancelled-lgbt-coronavirus The Trevor Project. (2020, April 3). Implications of COVID-19 for LGBTQ Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/2020/04/03/implications-of-covid-19-for-lgbtq-youth- mental-health-and-suicide-prevention/ The Trevor Project. (2021). National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2021. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/ Ronan, Wyatt. (2021, April 22). 2021 Slated to Become Worst year for LGBTQ State Legislative Attacks as Unprecedented Number of States Poised to Enact Record-Shattering Number of Anti-LGBT Measures into Law. Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/2021-slated- to-become-worst-year-for-lgbtq-state-legislative-attacks United States Congress. (2021, February 2021). H.R.5 – Equality Act. Congress.gov https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5 Quinlan, Casey. (2021, June 22). LGBTQ groups say ‘America is ready’ for the Equality Act. The American Independent. https://americanindependent.com/lgbtq-groups-civil-rights-transgender-americans- equality-act-congress-state-legislatures-sports-bathroom-ban/ United States Senate. (2021). Contracting the Senate. Senate.gov. https://www.senate.gov/general/contacting.htm Arcus Foundation. (2020, May 1) Resources for LGBTQ Communities and Advocates Navigating COVID-19. https://www.arcusfoundation.org/blog/social-justice-lgbt/resources-for-lgbtq- communities-and-advocates-navigating-covid-19/ Eventbrite. (2021). Pride. https://www.eventbrite.com/d/online/pride/ https://www.qchatspace.org/ Previous Next

How is mental health impacting youth in the United States? End the stigma by continuing the dialogue surrounding mental health. < Back Mental Health There is an ever-increasing need for mental health intervention in the United States. According to Mental Health America, 15.08% of youth in the U.S. experienced a major depressive episode in the past year. Equally concerning is that suicide has become the second leading cause of death in individuals aged 10-34. While the discussion of mental health has become more widespread, the stigma surrounding mental illness is still prevalent. In fact, these stigmas will cause individuals to delay or avoid treatment altogether. Mental health stigmas have other impacts including work discrimination, social isolation, and inadequate coverage for mental health treatment. We must continue the dialogue surrounding mental health in every age group, including youth. Early intervention, when combined with compassionate dialogue and adequate access to treatment, will lead to a greater support for American youth dealing with mental illness. This will improve the quality of life for youth in the U.S. OTHER TOPICS Social Class Discrimination Voting Rights Climate Change Environmentalism Gender Equality Healthcare Inequality Immigration LGBTQI+ Rights Labor Rights What can I do about this? 1. Be conscious of the language used when discussing mental health. What words or phrases are you or others using that perpetuate negative stereotypes? Consider and point out how these stigmas appear in media including television, film, and news outlets. 2. Familiarize yourself and support organizations like NAMI, Bring Change to Mind, and Stamp Out Stigma. These organizations, along with others, are working to open an honest dialogue about mental illness, while also providing resources for youth, caregivers, and activists. USYF CONTENT External Resources National Alliance on Mental Illness National Institute of Mental Health National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Previous Next

< Back Electoral College: How It Works Written By: Laura Ruzicka Publishing Date: August 27, 2022 Currently The Electoral College has 538 Electors with 270 needed to win the presidency and vice presidency. A mere 270 votes are all it takes to determine who will lead the nation for the next four years, not the popular vote but a simple 270 Electoral votes. Our Founding Fathers established The Electoral College as a fundamental process in how the nation elects the President and Vice President. Yet, many are unaware of how the process works and how one becomes an Elector. The rules governing the selection of Electors have changed over the years. Originally, selecting Electors was left up to the State Legislatures. Some would appoint Electors before the deadline, while others chose to let their citizens decide. The Founding Fathers stipulated within the Constitution that an Elector must not be a Senator, Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust. In addition, state officials that have engaged in any kind of insurrection or rebellion against The United States are prohibited from being an Elector. Nowadays, political parties play a huge role in picking Electors to serve in the Electoral process for the upcoming elections. Nowadays, the most common way to get Electors is through a State’s Convention, or through a State’s Party Central Committee. Depending on the state you reside in, each state organizes a statewide party convention where they nominate a slate of Electors and then vote at that event. All the Electors in each state must be appointed by Election Day in November. Then after the General Election the Governor of each state prepares the Certificates of Ascertainment, that list the Electors that have been chosen from each state. After that, in December the Electors finally meet in their own States’ Capitol representing their state in a politically unbiased manner where they will cast their Electoral vote according to who wins the popular vote with the exception of Maine and Nebraska who decide to split their electoral votes amongst the two candidates . However, if any of the Electors are unable to perform these duties on the day of the meeting as a back up the state will pick an alternate Elector that will . During this meeting is where the Electors will prepare the Certificate of Vote to cast in for President and Vice President. When preparing the Certificates Federal Law requires that the Certificate of Vote and Certificate of Ascertainment meet a set of requirements in order to be fully processed. To see these requirements you can visit The National Archives. Afterwards, states send one pair of the certificates to the president of the senate, two pairs to the archivist, two pairs to the secretary of the state you reside in, and one pair to the Chief Judge of the Federal District Courts in the state where your Electors met. When the certificates of vote and ascertainment have been properly delivered to these federal and state officials the state’s Electoral College duties are complete. Sources Pruitt, S. (2020, October 21). “How Are Electoral College Electors Chosen?” History.com. A&E Television Networks , LLC .https://www.history.com/news/electors-chosen-electoral-college National Archives and Records Administration. (2019, December 23). “Roles and Responsibilities.” National Archives and Records Administration. https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/roles Funakoshi, M., Foo, W., Wolfe, J. (2020, October, 16).“How the Electoral College works” Reuters.com. https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-ELECTION/ELECTORAL-COLLEGE/qzjpqaeqapx/ Lau, T. (2021, February, 17). “The Electoral College, Explained” BrennanCenter.org. Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/electoral-college-explained Previous Next

What should you know about labor rights, and how is it affecting youth in the United States? Encourage policy change today. < Back Labor Rights There is no strict definition of workers’ rights. The International Labor Organization (ILO) states that “fundamental principles and rights at work” should be respected by all ILO Members. Those rights include: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor; effective abolition of child labor; and elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. The ILO supervises the application of these rights. The ILO also looks at other areas of work such as wages, safety, and hours of work. The United States considers minimum wages and occupational safety as internationally recognized labor rights. There have been some acts passed to protect the rights of workers in their respective fields. The Fair Labor Standards Act specifically establishes a minimum wage, record keeping, and child labor standards for workers. The act affects workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments. The National Labor Relations Act allows workers to join together and improve their working conditions, with or without unions. Employees have the right to form a union if no other exists and they can even decertify a union that has lost the support of the employees. The United States is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The tight labor market is pushing employers to increase wages. Unionized workers are using their collective power to demand better work. The Economic Policy Institute found that net productivity has grown by 62 percent over the past four decades but the average hourly pay for a labor worker increased by only 17.5 percent. The recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is supposed to improve job quality by improving wages and benefits. OTHER TOPICS Mental Health Racial Justice Social Class Discrimination Voting Rights Climate Change Environmentalism Gender Equality Healthcare Inequality Immigration What can I do about this? 1. Take action to enforce workplace standards like minimum wage, overtime, and sick leave by encouraging policymakers to increase funding for state and local labor agencies that investigate and enforce labor laws. 2. Know your worker/labor rights so that you can report any violations. Also protect others that speak up about their violations so that they may not face any retaliation from their employers. USYF CONTENT Minimum Wage — The Effects on Youth by Joseph Sweeney External Resources Summer Employment — Student to Employee by Summer Clevenger Previous Next

An Interview with USYF founder Melissa Ballard and Delaney Reynolds from the Sink or Swim Project < Back An Interview with USYF founder Melissa Ballard and Delaney Reynolds from the Sink or Swim Project Publishing Date: December 7, 2021 Interviewee Name: Delaney Reynolds, Founder - Sink or Swim Project Interviewer Name: Melissa Ballard, Founder - United States Youth Forum Transcriber: Michelle Blakeslee, Programs Assistant - United States Youth Forum Date: 9 November 2021 List of Acronyms: MB - Melissa Ballard; DR - Delaney Reynolds Keywords: climate, climate change, climate policy, solar power, solar law, Florida, California, youth, climate activists, youth activists [Intro] MB: Delaney Reynolds is the founder and CEO of the Sink or Swim Project and its popular website www.miamisearise.com. She is the author and illustrator of 3 children's books, as well as a comic book, on ecology topics. She also serves on the Youth Leadership Council of EarthEcho International, is an Ambassador for Dream In Green, and a member of the CLEO Institute's Leadership Circle, as well as the Miami-Dade County Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities Steering Committee. Delaney has also been honored with numerous awards including the inaugural National Geographic Teen Service Award, the Miami Herald's Silver Knight Award for Social Science, and the University of Rochester George Eastman Young Leader's Award, among others. MB: Delaney, I just want to welcome you to our interview today and I really appreciate you being willing to talk about the Sink or Swim Project and some of the other work that you’re active on and doing. I really appreciate it. DR: Yeah of course! Thank you so much for having me. It’s my honor. MB: Yeah. ( laughing ) Well, I thought we could start fairly easy with you just explaining the Sink or Swim Project in kind of your own terms and any other projects or initiatives that the Sink or Swim Project supports. DR: Sure. So the Sink or Swim Project is a non-profit organization that I founded when I was about 14 years old and it has two main goals. So the first one is just quite simply educating as many people as possible about climate change and the science, the risks that we face, how it’s currently impacting us, what future impacts will be, as it continues to worsen, and then of course most importantly what we can do to help solve it. When I give presentations and stuff like that I like to focus on kids and youth groups ‘cause I truly believe that climate change is the most significant issue that the youth generations of today will ever face and I think that how we actually go about solving it will define our time here on this planet. So while I do presentations to all ages - adult groups, college students - I really like to talk with kids. And then the second portion of the Sink or Swim Project is political advocacy - so working with politicians from all over the world but of course specifically here in south Florida where I’m from and where I kind of work out of to try and implement different solutions that will help us adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change as well as reduce fossil fuels and carbon emissions which is, as most of us know, the cause of climate change. So those are kinda the goals of the Sink or Swim Project and the way that it kind of came about is I was born in Miami, Florida - a very cosmopolitan city here in south Florida, millions of people - but as I was growing up I grew up part time in the Florida Keys in a completely solar-powered home. A very small island called No Name Key; there’s only 40 houses on the island and they’re all solar-powered actually and it’s in the middle of two wildlife refuges so it’s a very special and protected place and because of that I grew up loving nature, loving the ocean, loving snorkeling, fishing, anything having to do with that kind of stuff. And I also grew up learning about sustainability and its benefit not only to our environment, but us as humans - to our pocketbooks, to us as a society. So I always knew I was going to be involved with the environment and study marine science in some capacity. But it was actually in-between elementary and middle school that I was writing some children’s books that- that’s actually where I first learned about climate change. So it was never in a classroom setting, it was on my own time as a 7-8 year old at first and then I started to learn more about it as I grew up. Around 13 I decided I wanted to write my fourth book about climate change and sea-level rise. So I, on my own volition, started to interview scientists to learn about the science. I interviewed homeowners and business owners to learn how they were being impacted by climate change so I could tell their story and show other people what it’s like to live with the impacts of flooding in south Florida. And I also started to interview politicians to learn what they were doing in south Florida - if anything - to address the issue. And it was then that I realized - like I kinda came to an epiphany - that if I learned about climate change, and I found it to be such a scary topic, outside of a classroom setting that there was a really good chance that other students my age - older, younger - didn’t know about it either. I started to create a website; I started to post blogs about climate change. And then I started to curate these powerpoint presentations and from there I reached out to schools asking if I could give lectures to their science classes and things like that. Eventually, I stopped reaching out and people started reaching out to me and I created or I turned it into a non-profit organization and I got into politics and from there it’s taken on a life of its own. MB: Mhm. Yeah so, I want to kinda talk about all aspects of what you just [explained]. But let me really quickly focus on the author part because you’re an accomplished author now, having published four books and you have your blog posts that you do. So, is writing a particular passion for you and what kind of process do you have when you are writing - for example your blog posts which can be quite detailed? DR: Yeah, I love writing. Like you said, it’s something that I do often with my blog. I try to put out at least one blog a month but that’s been hard with undergraduate and now graduate school it’s becoming even harder. So I’m trying but yeah. I love writing and my process for that is kind of first and foremost coming up with the idea for a blog. I don’t really plan any of it out, I’ll just read an article and form an opinion on it or see some new science that’s been published and think “Ooh I want to share this!” or just an update on some of the political stuff that I’ve been working on or just share literally anything about what I’m doing that I think would be important for other people to know or something that I think other people might be remotely interested in. So once I get an idea then I just kinda put my fingers on the keyboard and see what I can come up with on a whim and if I need to do more background research I will do that as I go, kinda as I come up with things that I want to write about. Then I always make sure that I have some sort of visual - whether that’s a picture or a video - because I think that that’s kind of more attention-grabbing than just blocks of text. So, that’s pretty much it. It’s pretty simple. I just kinda get an idea and run with it. MB: Mhm, ok, and in the research process behind the blog posts, do you do pretty much like, I suppose, any research paper that you’re doing in school - is it like a similar process for that? DR: Yeah, definitely. It’s very similar to just a regular school research paper. The most important thing to me when I’m doing research of any kind - whether it’s for a blog or a presentation or anything else in life - it’s super important to me that my resources and the things that I’m finding and writing about are credible. Most of the science that I will cite is from NASA, it’s from the Union of Concerned Scientists, it’s from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, so national and international organizations that are full of scientists who are dedicating their life to studying climate change because I want to make sure that what I am citing is fact; that what they are finding is showing itself to be true. I don’t want to present anything that may mislead people or be a conspiracy theory or anything like that. I want what I post to be a majority consensus. I think that that’s really important because there is so much misinformation out there in the world about climate change. So that’s the most important thing to me when I’m doing background research is making sure that the source that I’m getting this information from whether it’s science or just an opinion - wherever that opinion is based from - is credible. MB: I think that’s a process that every writer or author should use - that the sources they’re using are people who are informed about the process or the information comes from credible sources, or like you said, from a majority consensus, because sometimes that’s the best we can do. Take from what a majority of the experts say and work from there. So, going to some of the political advocacy work that the Sink or Swim Project has done - and you as well. I want to go to when, in 2017, South Miami passed an ordinance - and it was Florida’s first, I’m not sure, it was already implemented in California, is that correct? DR: Yes MB: But it was Florida’s first ordinance that would require new homes to include rooftop solar installations and you were a big inspiration behind that ordinance. In fact, you wrote to half a dozen mayors about the ordinance and urged them to support it. Can you tell me [us] a little bit more about why you decided to write this ordinance and what the journey was from writing that ordinance, or doing the research behind the ordinance, to getting it passed? I imagine it was a long process and a lot of work. DR: ( laughing ). Yeah, it was a long process. But, it started with inspiration from California. I read an article about the laws there. They have three different cities with existing solar laws, one of them being San Francisco which is one of the major cities in California. I thought that that would be a really cool idea here in Florida because we’re known as the Sunshine State first and foremost, so it makes sense, and also because we just need more renewable energy everywhere. I thought that this was a great way to make that happen. So, like you said, I wrote a letter to about a dozen mayors, that’s how I started. Just kind of gauging interest, see if anyone would respond - if anyone would be interested in doing something similar and the mayor of South Miami, Philip Stoddard, was the first to respond. He was super enthusiastic about the idea. He loved it, but he had one condition and that was that I help him write it. Now, at this point in my life I’m 15 years old, I have no idea - I really don’t know anything about the law, I don’t- I definitely don’t know how to write it. So, um, I was like “Sure, sure, I’ll help”. So he and I just started off, we spent hours together going through the California codes and seeing what their contingencies were. Then we went through South Miami’s codes and we had to make sure that whatever law we were proposing didn’t impose upon pre-existing laws. So there was a lot of changing and molding and working around different things and making sure that there were, you know, ways out of it in case solar wasn’t the right fit for your home because of tree canopy - we didn’t want people cutting down trees just to install solar, stuff like that. There was a lot of background research and taking certain things into account that went into it. After about a year we had our first draft. I went in front of the mayor and the commission and I spoke on behalf of the law and they passed it unanimously that night with some revisions. There were about two or three revision meetings after that and at the last one they passed it 4-1. So it made South Miami the first city in Florida and Florida the second state in the United States to have a solar power law. And what it says is that any existing home that if you build a renovation that extends that home by 75% of its size you have to install a solar system of maximum possible size on that roof, or if you are building a brand new home from scratch you also have to put a solar system on that roof of maximum size in the city of South Miami. The city of South Miami is small, it’s not very big; there’s not a lot of people building new houses or doing renovations - but it’s more so the idea of it. And if cities all over the state of Florida were to do something similar then we could make a huge impact as a state. Scientists predict that 50 percent - half - of Florida’s energy needs could come from the Sun by 2045 if we were to get real serious about solar power. So that’s [in] our lifetimes. And there’s no reason why we shouldn’t do that. So this is kind of like the first step to hopefully achieving that and I’ve had a lot of other cities and counties reach out to me with interest in doing something similar. The city Orlando - or, not the city, but - Orlando reached out to me with interest in doing something similar. St. Petersburg was this close to achieving it and then they had an election that kind of messed it up, but they’re revisiting it now which is awesome. And I’ve had other countries reach out to me as well. I’ve had people from Canada and India ask me about it and ask how they could do something similar. It’s been really cool and I’m really proud of it. MB: Mhm. It’s not a story you hear about every day where a young person took such an initiative to go ahead and write an ordinance and [create a] partnership with the mayor of their town. Do you see that though as a model young people can follow? That they can see an issue that they’re passionate about and bring it to the attention of the local officials and actually work directly with them on this type of project. DR: Absolutely, 100 percent. So while I am really proud of writing the ordinance and getting it passed, I think the biggest takeaway from it for me was the fact that youth can get heavily involved in politics. You can write a law in your local city and work towards getting it passed and ultimately get it passed no matter how old or how young you are. I was 15-16-17 when I was working on this law. I couldn’t vote yet. So that shows you that even if you don’t yet have a vote in your city/state/country, then you can still have a voice and make an impact in your community. I think that that is the perfect example of that and whenever I talk about the solar law it’s not to say “Hey! I wrote a solar law” it’s to say “Hey! You can do it too!” And if you want to, I already have the materials to do it. Send me an email, I will give you the letter I wrote. I will give you the law that we wrote. I will give you the speeches I gave in front of the commission. And like [I will] be involved as much as I can. I want to help. I want everywhere to incorporate solar power and renewable energy. So yeah, if you’re a youth and you’re out there and you’re listening to this or reading the transcription and you want to do this, please go for it! MB: Yeah. That’s exactly the message that I think the United States Youth Forum wants to get out there - is that youth can be directly involved in these types of issues and they don’t need to be- they don’t need to feel like because they lack a certain amount of experience that they can’t jump in. Taking a step like you did puts them actively - as an actor, as an active player - pushing forward on issues that really they care about and matters to them. DR: Right. MB: That’s really important for us. DR: Yes. MB: Yeah, so I’m very impressed by that and inspired. DR: Thank you. MB: So in March 2020 you were featured in a National Geographic article. It’s a very nice photo by the way. DR: ( laughing ) Thank you. MB: It’s a very nice photo. And it was about- the article was about young climate activists, some of whom have been activists for years, like yourself. You’ve been active for a long time on this issue. So I wanted to ask if you personally feel like there’s a lot of collaboration and communication within the climate movement. Do you personally communicate with fellow climate activists? [Do you] share best practices - for example, how to pass these types of ordinances? Do you think that the movement has been able to tap into the strength of having so much support amongst young people - it being such an important and urgent issue for many many young people? DR: Yes across the board. I do a lot of work with other youth here in south Florida and all over the world. I think it’s really important to work with others because climate change is such a big issue. None of us can solve it on our own; we’re gonna have to work together in order to implement the solutions that we truly need as a society. So the more numbers we have, the more we work together, the better. I’m involved with a lot of different organizations that all have youth councils or youth board members or stuff like that. There’s the CLEO institute who has a gen-CLEO group. Earth Echo International has a youth leadership council. I’m involved with an organization in New Mexico that works on educating students about climate change. I’ve worked with students in India, in Vietnam, in the United Kingdom - all over - on different climate change issues and topics. I do a lot of work like that. It’s super important. We often have really good conversations about what each of us is doing to solve climate change. And I think the most interesting ones are the ones that I have with those abroad because our societies are different in many aspects so it’s super interesting to hear how different people are approaching it across the world. And it’s also interesting to be able to draw from some of those ideas and try to use them in the different places that we live. But we’re seeing a lot of this youth support globally. A lot of it started with the Fridays Strike for our Future that Greta Thunberg kinda headed and started. We’ve seen millions of kids join together whether it’s in the streets to demand climate action or working behind the scenes after those strikes to ensure that their political leaders are listening. And that they’re following up on those strikes and making sure that political leaders are following through with those promises that they’re making as a result of them. I think that there’s been a real turning point in the future of climate change even in just the past couple years, regardless of COVID and especially because of Zoom we’re now a global community. And the fact that a couple of years ago youth were involved, but now we’re way more involved. We’re heavily involved. If you look at different postings or pictures from the COP26 conference that’s going on right now as we speak in Glasgow, there’s a lot of kids that are attending the conference which is super cool! Just a few years ago COP25, COP24 you didn’t see that happening. So now that’s actually super encouraging. We’re getting involved with the science. We’re getting involved in global decisions that our leaders are making. It’s super exciting. I think that we’re seeing a lot of changes and I think that because of it I have even more hope for the future. I think that, like I said earlier, the biggest issue the youth generation is gonna face and how we solve it will define our time here on this planet. I word that very carefully - how we solve it will define our time here on this planet. I think we are gonna solve it. We’re gonna be the ones who are going to do that. As soon as we can replace these political leaders who are deniers or who want nothing to do with climate change and we can start to implement the solutions ourselves, we’re going to. And we’re already seeing that happening. We’re fed up, we’re tired of the inaction. This is our future and we’re taking control of it. So it’s awesome. ( laughing ) MB: ( laughing ) Yeah I mean, this is exactly right though. I think that the power of the climate movement has been to show young people that they can be actively involved and make a real difference. I think it was for a long time that many young people felt really disconnected from their communities and politics simply because they've been told for a really long time that “It’s not your space.” And now they’re feeling like this is a space that we own. This is our space and we can advocate for a better future on our behalf and it’s activating, like you said, millions of young people around the world. It’s really powerful and it spills over into other areas as well. Many young people who became - who joined the climate movement - have also become active in other political areas. That’s the power of the climate movement that I personally have witnessed and am really excited to see. I share your enthusiasm for it. And I want to hone in a little bit on something you mentioned there about there being politicians who are, for example, climate deniers and there’s always opposition to these movements. There’s always - you’re always gonna come up against opposition. And for example, I’m sure you faced opposition when you were trying to pass the ordinance in South Miami. How do you address that opposition? How do you handle it personally? DR: The best way that I’ve found to face any sort of opposition no matter who or where it’s coming from is just through facts. Credible facts, credible sources - going back to that. Like you said, or like you guessed, I did face a lot of opposition with the solar ordinance. I directly had to speak against adults in the building industry and even our local power company. The building industry, real estate agents and stuff like that, they didn’t want the law to be passed because it was just another “burden” to them. They thought that it would reduce the price of homes that they were trying to sell and therefore they would get less income and they threw a fit over it. But the facts are...studies and scientists say that solar actually increases the value of a home when you’re trying to sell it. And more and more people are actually looking to buy homes with solar already installed on the roof. So, there are your facts that dispute their arguments. Our local power company - so here in south Florida it’s interesting because there’s only one, we only have one. Most places get to choose who their provider is but we have a sort of monopoly and they have fought solar power pretty much every step of the way. Whether it’s through the ordinance that I wrote or otherwise. They’ve posted amendments that they’ve tried to pass that would give them complete control of the solar industry in south Florida and basically put small business owners - solar business owners - out of business. Luckily the amendment wasn’t passed because we have awesome people who read the fine print and realized what their true intention was. But they also came out and spoke against me personally and the solar ordinance. Their arguments were even easier to overcome with facts. The biggest one that they cited is that the solar ordinance wouldn’t work in Florida like it does in California because the Sun in California is different. (laughs) Yeah. I mean any logical person hears that and laughs. It’s ridiculous. MB: ( laughing ) I mean I don’t know, I’m originally from Minnesota and I’m sure there’s so many people from Minnesota who are like “The Sun is different up here too!” You know? “It feels different” DR: (laughing) It might feel different, it’s a different climate. But the Sun is the Sun no matter where you are. You’re getting the same sunlight. You know, maybe his argument was in some places solar energy isn’t as productive but that’s just not the case in Florida. So anyways, but once again I just came back with arguments and basically cited the fact that they tried to pass this amendment so clearly they’re against the solar industry. They like to tout that they love solar. They like to tout how much solar they actually install. They run ads on TV and in the newspapers. But their own annual report says that they produce less than half of one percent of their energy from solar power. So it’s very clear that they’re not in favor of it. So, posting those facts, citing them - making sure you have reputable sources - super important when it comes to stuff like that. That’s a huge way that I’ve been able to overcome opposition. MB: Mhm. I imagine it’s also difficult occasionally when you’re hearing these arguments to keep a calm head and just, you know, “keep calm and carry on” as they would say in England. DR: It is. It is difficult sometimes but I just try to put myself in a sort of professional mindset and just keep composure and focus on what needs to be done. MB: Yeah that’s the best way to go about it. Yeah, exactly. I want to also ask, because you mentioned it earlier, if you have any thoughts about [COP26], on what’s happening over there right now. I know they’re currently still in talks I think until Friday [12 November 2021]. Any thoughts that you want to share about it? DR: Yeah. There’s been a lot of great first steps that have been taken. For example, India committed to net zero emissions. However, they committed to that by 2070. I wish that would’ve been an earlier date - maybe like 2045, 2040, 2030? Maybe? But it’s a first step so maybe they will speed that up. Other places like China and Saudi Arabia made the same- or similar promises but by 2060 so that’s a little better. And then there were, like, over 20 countries that said that they would slash methane use within the next 9 years - which is great. That’s awesome because methane is more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to our climate change crisis. It’s just not as abundant, but it comes out of fracking rather than just burning fossil fuels from a car or factory. So even though it’s not as abundant the more we do it, the worse it is for our environment. They made renewable energies more accessible. A lot of smaller territories joined the agreement that weren't originally in it, so that’s awesome. And then they set a lot of biodiversity goals to protect 85% of the world’s forest by 2030 - a great goal. They set the largest ocean sanctuary ever created which is really cool. There’s a lot of really good things happening but they’re of course just first steps. If we really want to crack down on climate change then we just need to, quite simply, eliminate the use of fossil fuels and our carbon emissions. We need to transition our society from one based on these antiquated technologies to one based on renewable energies and we need to be doing it now - not by 2070. We need to do it like last year. But that’s okay, they’re working towards it. So, you know, it’s been a productive conference. President Biden was there whereas our previous president did not attend, so I guess that’s another good step. MB: Symbolic step, yeah DR: Hopefully we stay in that direction as a country. But a lot of good progress. MB: Let’s hope that President Biden can back that up with some climate change provisions passed in the - I think they’re calling it the Build Back Better bill. DR: Yeah, I’ll give it to him - he is trying, but it’s been difficult with a couple of the people in the house and the senate. MB: Yeah, it hasn’t been an easy process but it’ll be great to see that pass and it’ll be I think the biggest investment in climate change and renewable energy sources, and just in general the biggest [green] investment ever, which is fantastic and something that should have happened a long time ago I think. I don’t know, I think that the messaging is sometimes so wrong where people believe that climate change activists are always about trying to prevent people from doing things or saying “no, you can’t do that” or whatever. It’s not just that, it’s that we actually want a more technologically advanced society in general. More technologically advanced, cleaner. We want - we’re for something, we’re not always against something. DR: Right, exactly. MB: I think that’s a better way to look at it. We are for a greener, better future. And that transition to green investment is going to be so much better for everybody. Better for the economy, better for our health, better for the planet. It’s just all positive. You know? DR: Yes. Fingers crossed that something, at least some part of his plan can get passed. MB: Let’s hope. So, I kind of want to close with a question about you and how you - I think that [the] Miami Hurricane - let me quote this - the Miami Hurricane wrote this “Defending Florida from the effects of climate change is what Reynolds has classified as her lifelong goal since she was 8 years old.” So you’ve been in this fight for awhile and I wonder if there’s been moments where you’ve really struggled in that fight. Where you thought “this is too much” and if so, did you persevere through that? Or has it been a journey that you feel like has been one you’re proud of? DR: A little bit of both. I’m definitely 100 percent proud of everything that I have been able to accomplish. All the people that I’ve been able to work with and everything that I’ve been able to do in general, but there have been moments where it has been hard. You know, climate change is a huge issue. There’s a lot at stake. It’s not just sea level rise. And there are moments where I think to myself “am I not doing enough? Am I just focusing too narrowly on sea level rise? Do I need to be doing more on different issues? Do I need to be tackling things in different states and in different countries? Am I even going to be able to make a difference at all? Is what I’m doing important at all?” Because it’s a scary topic, you know? It’s daunting. There’s a lot at risk, there’s a lot at stake. I’m in the process of losing my most precious environment where I live, where I’ve lived my entire life, where I’ve grown up. So there are times when it gets really difficult for me to even think about what I’m doing and what my future could look like. Is it even worth it at times? But when I start to think so pessimistic-ly like that I try to draw myself out of that real quick and point myself more in the positive direction. I try to think about all the kids that I’ve worked with who are younger than me, who are the future after me. I think about the questions that they ask when it comes to solutions. A lot of adults don’t even ask about solutions. Most of the kids that I talk to do. I talk about how I get emails - or I try to think about how I will occasionally get emails from students who I spoke to months or years ago about updates on what they’ve done in their own communities or in their own school; how they were able to get a solar system installed in their school; or they’ve been working with their community to implement solutions; or they joined a climate organization. It’s the little victories like that where I realize that I’ve been able to inspire other people to get involved with climate change. And that’s the reason that I’m doing this. I’m educating people so that they learn more and they become involved because like I said earlier, this isn’t something that I can do alone. Because it is so big, maybe just focusing on solely sea level rise right now is the best way to approach that because I can get things done here at the local level. And then I can continue to the state level and then I can continue to the federal level but it takes baby steps and it takes a whole team. I try to think about that and I try to think about the fact that youth all over the world are getting more and more involved and that I really do think we have hope for our future and in solving this issue. So yes, it definitely does get hard but I try to pull myself out of that really quickly and stay optimistic. MB: Mhm. Focusing on the positive effects that have come out of this journey. Well thank you so much Delaney again for joining us and talking to us. We really appreciate it and I again appreciate all of the work that you’ve been doing. I want to affirm you in that work. It’s really fantastic. DR: Thank you, thank you so much for having me. Previous Next

Neurodiversity, and Why It Should Be Celebrated Written By: Areionna Anthony Publishing Date: April 29, 2022 Growing up, I watched my brother struggle. He was forgetful, he was easily distracted, and his grades suffered. His teachers thought that these were disciplinary problems, and for a long time, "has difficulty paying attention in class or needs to apply himself more" was written on his report cards. He felt bad that he couldn't remember to do things, that he couldn't focus the way other students could. When he was finally diagnosed with ADHD, he felt worse. But that's only half of the story; my brother is more than just his struggles. He's creative and talented, a musician that also expresses himself through art. He's becoming more comfortable with who he is every day and learning to embrace his neurodivergence in a world that stifles it. The problem is that we as a society haven't fully accepted this simple concept: no two brains are exactly alike. They aren't factory-produced according to specific instructions the way a car or computer is, and neurodiversity embraces the idea that our brain differences are normal rather than deficits. These differences, like our height or eye color, can't be changed, and we shouldn't want to change them. Rather, neurodivergence comes with benefits we should celebrate. ADHD, dyslexia, and autism are just a few examples of neurodivergence. What everyone knows is the challenges that come with these differences but we seldom discuss the advantages. For instance, people with ADHD tend to be more flexible and resilient , which often stems from them considering many options at once. This can mean they're less likely to become set on a single choice, and that leaves them open to different ideas and new courses of action. Due to their symptoms, kids with ADHD often have to figure out ways to adapt to their environments as well. This teaches them coping skills. Lito, an artist with ADHD, has also embraced his creativity, another frequent advantage of ADHD. On Instagram @lito_leafart, he posts images of the daily leaf cut-outs he creates, most depicting animals and what appear to be magical scenes. His cutouts are incredibly detailed and when explaining his art, he said, “I make positive use of my own ADHD biased concentration and commitment to create paper-cutting works using leaves.” The energy that someone with ADHD can have is valuable when they are doing something that they are passionate about or interested in, as they can become so motivated that it may be hard to distract them from their favorite activity. People with autism may also display a range of strengths that can be directly related to their diagnosis such as memory recall, visual learning, logical thinking, honesty, and learning to read at a very early age (known as hyperlexia). They too are capable of being extremely creative and innovative. A website dedicated to promoting neurodivergent artists is The Art of Autism , and one featured artist is Michael Worthington. He noticed loose change on the sidewalk and got the idea to incorporate loose pennies into his artwork, which brought about his Lucky Penny Paintings. In addition to The Art of Autism website, his work can also be viewed on Instagram @luckypennypaintings . When describing these paintings, he said, "You can cup the Lucky Penny Painting in two hands, much like a retablo, with the energy of the penny radiating outward. The painting reflects the location, history of the area, and my relationship to it." Worthington reflects on his mother telling him that he always “marched to a different drummer," and attributes this to some of his success in the arts, as he gave purpose to pennies most ignored by turning them into beautiful works of art. As I mentioned with my brother, however, where there is good, there are also challenges. Shawn Brown, a Ted Talk speaker who is an engineer and designer, also has dyslexia and experienced struggles in school. Instead of having trouble with reading or writing, he often struggled to remember long lists of information like mathematical formulas or facts and statistics. "When it came to my A-levels, I revised stupidly hard to try and remember as much information as possible. But when it came to some of my exams, I just sat there with my head in my hands, and I couldn't remember anything. I felt useless." Brown decided to focus on what he was good at— creating things, designing, and problem-solving. This paid off for him, as he created a road-legal solar-powered electric trike, and won the 2010 UK young engineer of the year. Though while Brown and many neurodivergent people will go on to do great things, struggles at school and in the workplace are all too common. This is no fault of theirs but an issue with how these systems are set up. We are more concerned with trying to conform neurodivergent people to neurotypical solutions rather than accommodating their differences. As was the case with my brother, children with ADHD can sometimes struggle in school due to a lack of focus. Their grades can suffer because of this or they are reported for bad behavior because of their inattention. They are sometimes written off as bad students instead of being allowed to learn their way. Children with dyslexia may have trouble with reading, writing, memorizing information, and even communicating verbally, which may also be dismissed by educators as a lack of skill or effort. Students with autism may require less sensory input in the learning environment and even individuals who can read benefit from visuals. Concrete wording and phrases also help them understand more than figurative language. Possible solutions to incorporate these students' needs would be educators adapting their teaching style, how they teach specific students, and checking in with them regularly. Another issue we must work on, in schools and outside it, is how we speak of neurodiversity. As I was researching for this article, I came across others that addressed neurodivergent peoples' differences as deficits, or stated that they were afflicted with their differences or a sufferer of them. The challenges of these differences are very real, and when I say to embrace the positives that doesn't mean ignoring the negatives. However, changing how we speak of neurodivergence will erase a lot of the stigma surrounding it and create a more inclusive space for neurodivergent people. This just doesn't end at talk, however. Action is important too. Psychologists, the education system, and the workplace need to be more accommodating. Psychologists who embrace neurodiversity can research and provide therapy and support in ways that don't marginalize neurodivergent individuals but create empowering opportunities instead. Psychologists can also advocate social changes that promote inclusion and reduce stigma; even small changes can greatly benefit neurodivergent people at school and work. Further examples include allowing employees to wear noise-canceling headphones to improve concentration, giving all students the option to stand while they work, allowing fidget toys, movement breaks, or simply recognizing that listening does not require eye contact. These steps promote the idea that neurodivergent people are just as capable of success as neurotypical people, because they are, and the advantages of their differences are just as important as every other aspect of them. Instead of trying to change or mold neurodivergent people to our way of thinking, it's important to adapt our environment to their needs so that they can thrive. This quote by Alexander Den Heijer applies to neurodivergence beautifully: "When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." Sources Brown, Shawn. “Neurodiversity: An Untapped Resource for Future Inventors.” TED, Dec 2017, https://youtu.be/uecEdkEoY4E . Lito Leaf Art, The Japanese Artist that Carves Tree Leaves to Create Magnificent Scenes. Design Boom. Retrieved 9 March 2022, from https://www.designboom.com/art/lito-leaf-art-cutout-09-15-2020/ . Myers, D., & DeWall, C. N. (2020). Psychology (6th ed.). Soomo Learning. https://www.webtexts.com Sparx. (2020). Four Ways to Support Neurodiversity in the Classroom. The Education and Development Forum (UKFIET). Retrieved 9 March 2022, from https://www.ukfiet.org/2020/four-ways-to-support-neurodiversity-in-the-classroom/ . Strengths and Abilities in Autism. Altogether Autism. (2018). Retrieved 9 March 2022, from https://www.altogetherautism.org.nz/strengths-and-abilities-in-autism/ . Worthington, M. (2021). How This Artist Transformed Found Heads-up Lucky Pennies Into 400 Pieces Of Art. The Art of Autism. Retrieved 9 March 2022, from https://the-art-of-autism.com/how-this-artist-transformed-found-heads-up-lucky-pennies-into-400-pieces-of-art/ . Previous Next

Our Toxic Relationship with Diet Culture Written By: Areionna Anthony Publishing Date: June 3, 2023 If you want to lose weight, you go on a diet. At least, that's the case for 45 million Americans each year , and while consuming healthier food choices is a worthy goal, that's not what diet culture is always about. The reality is that most ideologies surrounding diet culture can become toxic if they weren't to start. The Alliance for Eating Disorders defines toxic diet culture as “any programs that encourage extreme weight loss, require restricting yourself, and suggest cutting calories […] as well as programs that advertise weight loss pills and shakes.” These programs can advertise removing entire food groups from your diet, which denies your body the sustenance it requires, and heavy restriction can lead to an unhealthy mindset and obsessive thoughts. Weight loss pills and shakes are especially harmful to teens with their addicting, powerful stimulant effects. As for meal replacement shakes, they just don't compare nutritionally to wholesome foods since most don't have the enzymes and antioxidants our bodies require. Trends like the baby food diet have come into play, which replaces one to two meals or snacks a day with baby food jars. This dieting trend ranges from around 20 to 100 calories— not nearly enough to sustain anyone other than infants. The Hollywood diet is another one that requires heavy restriction by allowing normal eating for five days out of the week and fasting for the remaining two days. There are also water diets, which deprive you of food entirely or allow only specific foods at specific times. This is more akin to starvation than fasting. The dangers include nutrient deficiencies, dizziness, fatigue, binge eating, risk of developing eating disorders, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes, which can develop due to severe fasting. Youth especially are at risk. The age of onset for most eating disorders is between 12-25 . This can stem from the pressure to emulate the figures praised by social media and the media in general. When talking about the impact of social media on youth, Mental Health America noted, "it has also been shown to heighten the exposure of messages that promote eating disorders. Images of skinny legs, thin stomachs, and jutting ribs are posted to social media sites, along with “thinspirational” messages such as “Pretty girls don’t eat” and “Skip dinner, be thinner.” There are also plenty of messages shaming people with larger body sizes on these platforms, and dieting becomes more about what you look like rather than health. Overall, social media can harm more than it helps as it reinforces comparisons, disorders, and obsessive thoughts for many. Diet culture then capitalizes on these insecurities. This is where programs that cut corners and promote massive weight loss in a short period come in, and the people that peddle these diets don't tell you about the dangers. Instead, they push the idea that these risky routes to a slim figure are worth harm to your health and wellbeing, something they claim to benefit. That's why it's essential when considering dieting to look at why you want to and the goals you want to achieve. Quick weight loss is not the way to go, and it's important to research the risks that come with some of these diets. If you choose to diet, don't cut out entire food groups or focus too heavily on restriction because this may lead to binge eating tendencies forming later and nutrient deficiencies. Don't take away entire food groups but choose healthier alternatives within them when you can. Fruits, vegetables, proteins (eggs, nuts, seafood, lean meats, etc.), whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products are generally good meal options. Exercise also helps—a ten-minute walk around the neighborhood can boost health and our overall mood. As for the mental aspect that comes with dieting, it's often overlooked. Many communities can become toxic about dieting, and yet support is important. Having someone you can confide in about your insecurities and who you can check in with can make a huge difference. The best support is a medical professional or therapist who can give useful tips and assess how your mental health is doing when it comes to dieting, body image, and whatever else you may be battling. Society also needs to be put under the microscope. We need to examine our views surrounding dieting, change how we speak about body image and the "ideal figure," and change what we put out for youth to consume. Being critical of people's bodies and uplifting one figure as the ideal is a part of fueling insecurities and toxicity within diet culture—this needs to be thin at any cost. Instead, let's shift the conversation to physical and mental health and promote positive ways to approach dietary changes. Sources Capritto, A. (2022, September 21). Why you should (or shouldn't) try a water fast. Verywell Fit. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.verywellfit.com/is-water-fasting-safe-4588873#toc-cons-of-water-fasting Compton, C. (2020, June 9). Breaking up with diet culture . National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/breaking-up-with-diet-culture/ Diet Pills Are Dangerous . what you can do as a parent. Children's Hospital Los Angeles. (2015, July 7). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.chla.org/blog/rn-remedies/diet-pills-are-dangerous-what-you-can-do-parent Eating Disorders and Youth . Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://mhanational.org/eating-disorders-and-youth Mennitto, D. (2020, November 12). Frequently asked questions about eating disorders - Johns Hopkins Hospital. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/specialty_areas/eating_disorders/faq.html Weight management . Boston Medical Center. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.bmc.org/nutrition-and-weight-management/weight-management#:~:text=Nutrition%20and%20Weight%20Management&text=An%20estimated%2045%20million%20Americans,year%20on%20weight%20loss%20products . Previous Next

< Back Celebrating Black Art in America Written By: Kaitlin Nguyen Publishing Date: February 7, 2022 The impact of visual arts should not be underestimated - art is a powerful medium to convey expressions, communications, and emotions, helping to shape culture, discourse, and representations in ways that can be both influential and accessible. From its roots, its movements, its artists, and its stories, Black art in America is engaging and provoking. With Black History Month as our backdrop, this article highlights only a small portion of the many works and perspectives in Black art. There are many examples of Black artists throughout American history who have and will continue to make their mark on art and culture as we experience it, through their strengths of expression and fights against adversity. Names such as Moses Williams, famous for his cut-paper profiles, and David Drake, known for his inscribed storage pottery, were artists that were born into slavery (Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 8-11). Landscape painter Robert S. Duncan, recognized as the first internationally known African-American artist, was self-taught without formal training (Robinson, 2018). Henry Osawa Tanner, the first internationally acclaimed African-American painter, grew up in hardship, and is widely known for his depictions of African Americans in realist tradition (“African American Art,” n.d.; Robinson, 2018). He immortalized his mother, Sarah, who escaped slavery and helped found one of the first black women societies in the U.S., in his work Portrait of the Artist’s Mother (Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 12-13). The links between race and visual culture are continually established, developed, and reworked. And art has always provided a space to amplify expression and commentary. The Harlem Renaissance (1918-1937) is widely considered the most significant explosion of Black art in American history, featuring waves of new Black artists, notable works, and varieties of Black expression that would have a powerful impact on black aesthetics, the artistic expression of racial identity, and the African American experience for decades to come (Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 14; Robinson, 2018). Influential artists from this period included Aaron Douglas, a leading figure in Harlem and in inspiration for geometrical modern art and design, William Henry Johnson, a blind artist who mastered a colorful, rhythmic, and strikingly simple style, Hale Woodruff, acclaimed for his poignant and stirring murals, etc., artists whom both made themselves in and made Harlem a cultural center of art (Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 14-16; Robinson, 2018; Hale Woodruff, n.d.). The Harlem Renaissance would go on to drive the art of following Black artists such Horace Pippin, a former soldier that used art as a statement about racial injustice, Jacob Lawrence, a painter and storyteller whose depictions of everyday life, both the fun and the ugly, such as in his Harlem Series, struck a cord with African American communities and the working class, Gordon Parks, a photojournalist that overcame poverty and discrimination and used photography to fight social and economic injustice, and Romare Bearden, Charles Alston, and James Wells, notable practitioners of Abstract Expressionism and realism (“African American Art,” n.d.; Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 18-23; Robinson, 2018). Early African American movements, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, led to the proliferation of museums dedicated to the preservation and celebration of African American art and culture, such as the currently named African American Museum in Cleveland, African American Museum and Library in Oakland, and DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago (Robinson, 2018). From the Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s to 1970s, a symbol of black revitalization and liberation that pervaded and fueled the Black Power Movement and Civil Rights Movement of the time, rose artists such as Charles White, Jeff Donaldson, and Elizabeth Catlett, whose works highlighted African-Americans as individuals, workers, and liberators, producing powerful displays of Black pride and empowerment (Foster, 2014; Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 24-25; Robinson, 2018; Robinson, 2020). The Black Expressionism style that rose to prominence during this time in response to the post-war era, was popularized by abstract artists such as Sam Gilliam and Martin Puryear (“African American Art,” n.d.). The exploration of race, ethnicity, and identity has, and continues to be, a prominent force that shakes the art world, and Black art has and continues to shine in both the conceptual and figurative. It is through the effort, talent, and consciousness of every one of these artists and many others, that have inspired and paved the way for contemporary Black artists. African American visual art has historically developed in parallel, often in isolation, to the white-dominated, mainstream culture in the U.S. Despite its enduring presence and rich history since the country’s conception, and the consistent creation of stylistically impressive and thought-provoking works, Black art has only recently found attention and recognition with America’s mainstream art scene, as demonstrated by the recent upticks in Black-centric exhibitions, shows, sales, and attention from critics (Cotter, 2021; LaRocca, n.d.; Robinson, 2018). The 1990s postmodern art era saw the notable emergence and establishment of marginalized artists in the mainstream, including black female artists such as Faith Ringgold, well-known for her story quilts whose protagonists have provided role models for young girls of color, Carrie Mae Weems, a photographer that explores the individual, family, and power dynamics, as seen in her Kitchen Table Series, and Lorna Simpson, whose works prominently feature African American woman and challenged perceptions of gender, identity, and history (Mitchell, et al., n.d., pp. 30-35; Robinson, 2018). For example, the unveiling of the National Portrait Gallery portraits of the Obamas, painted by artists Sherald and Kehinde Wiley, achieved record-breaking attendance at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (LaRocca, n.d.). Black Art: In the Absence of Light, an HBO documentary directed by Sam Pollard, spotlights the contributions of Black artists in the contemporary art world, and discusses the long history of the “shutting out” of Black art from the mainstream art scene (Pollard, 2021). The documentary features the voices of painter and teacher David Driskell, Spelman College president Mary Schmidt, art historian and curator Maurice Berger, and other contemporary artists, dealers, and curators, that in the documentary, share their perspectives on the history of neglect and gatekeeping of Black art, and of the recent ongoing corrections in the art world (Cotter, 2021; Pollard, 2021). Today’s contemporary artists, such as Kara Walker, Fred Wilson, Radcliffe Bailey, Jordan Casteel, Kerry James Marshall, Kehinde Wiley, Amy Sherland, Paul Rucker, and Theaster Gates, and many, many others, including various youth artists, continue the tradition of their predecessors in pushing the frontiers of art, of capturing distinctly African-American experiences, and of exploring social, cultural, economic, and identity issues through visual art, rising quickly in the art world from the groundwork that has been laid by a couple centuries of struggles and successes of African-American artists, gallerists, dealers, and scholars (LaRocca, n.d.; Pollard, 2021; “African American Art,” n.d.). Although the mainstream art world is now finally now digging through the treasure trove that is Black art, Black artists and the art world in general, continue to deal with issues of representation, cultural marginalization, and financial inequities, among many other things, as Black artists continue to fight for control over their art and how they are seen and represented. (Cotter, 2021; Pollard, 2021). Even with its growing successes in the mainstream, black galleries, dealers, and artists - the black communities - have yet to reap their fair share of financial benefits from their art. For the most part, the art world is still disproportionately dominated by white galleries (LaRocca, n.d.). For Black History Month and all throughout the year, youth can show support for Black artists and the communities and places that provide spaces for Black artists to be heard. Check out some more contemporary Black artists: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-influential-living-african-american-arThe Aesthetics of the Black Arts Movementtists https://www.marylynnbuchanan.com/blog/contemporary-black-artists-you-need-to-know-2020 Discover the history and tradition of Black art: https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/black-art-in-the-absence-of-light “Some of the most important work being made right now—abstract and figurative—is by black Americans… Great art is bred where the artist is closest to their core humanity, and I think sometimes adversity breeds that” - Christopher Bedford. “This is Black art. And it matters. And it’s been going on for two hundred years. Deal with it” - Maurice Berger in Black Art: In the Absence of Light. Sources African American Art. (n.d.) Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordartonline.com/page/african-american-art Cotter, Holland. (2021). ‘Black Art: In the Absence of Light’ Reveals a History of Neglect and Triumph. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/arts/design/black-art-hbo-review.html LaRocca, Lauren. (n.d.) The Color Line. Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/black-artists-finally-receiving-recognition-in-mainstream-art-world/ Foster, Hannah. (2014). The Black Arts Movement (1965-1975). BlackPast. Retrieved from https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/black-arts-movement-1965-1975/ Hale Woodruff. (n.d.). Smithsonian. Retrieved from https://americanart.si.edu/artist/hale-woodruff-5477 Mitchell, Rebecca, et al. (n.d.) Represent: 200 Years of African American Art - A Resource for Students and Teachers. Philadelphia Museum of Art. https://philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/ex_resources/Represent.pdf Pollard, Sam. (Director). (2021). Black Art: In the Absence of Light [Documentary]. HBO. Robinson, Shantay. (2018). A Very Abbreviated Version of Black Art History. BLACK ART IN AMERICA™. Retrieved from https://www.blackartinamerica.com/index.php/2018/11/20/a-very-abbreviated-version-of-black-art-history/#:~:text=While%20the%2019th%20century,obtain%20degrees%20in%20the%20arts Robinson, Shantay. (2020). The Aesthetics of the Black Arts Movement. BLACK ART IN AMERICA™. Retrieved from https://www.blackartinamerica.com/index.php/2020/08/24/the-aesthetics-of-the-black-arts-movement/ Previous Next

World Teen Mental Wellness Day - Let’s Break Down Stigmatization Written By: Jessica Dearing Publishing Date: March 16, 2022 No matter how often mental health is being discussed today, there are still many signs that the conversation should not slow down. About 20% of youth struggle with mental illness, and many do not seek treatment or support due to stigma. Inaccurate representation through media and lack of understanding or fear from the general public contributes to this issue. Stigma and discrimination can come from others, or an internalized stigma surrounding their own condition. Self-stigma can also lead to lower self-esteem and difficulties maintaining relationships and reaching out to support systems. Reluctance to seek professional help or stay in treatment can lead to worsening symptoms. One way to fight stigma is to fight misinformation. Some of the most common mental health disorders that affect teens include anxiety disorders, mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder), posttraumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders. By name alone, some of these disorders can be met with stigma from others. “You don’t have depression, you aren’t sad all the time!” or “Just don’t worry or be sad so much!” are things people with anxiety and depression may unfortunately hear. This general lack of understanding from friends and family is very discouraging and may contribute to self-stigma. People who suffer from anxiety and/or depression may think their case is not bad enough to seek help or support, or they may try to hide it out of embarrassment. In actuality, depression and anxiety are some of the highest diagnosed mental disorders, with the prevalence in U.S. adults being 21 million and 48 million respectively. Someone with depression is also highly likely to have anxiety as well. Not all instances of depression or anxiety lead to sadness or panic. Cases vary heavily, so it is always beneficial to speak to a professional even if minimal signs of either disorder (or both) are present. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is often diagnosed in adolescence and affects about 7 million U.S. adults . Bipolar disorder can easily be confused with depression. The biggest difference is that someone with bipolar disorder also has periods of high energy and happiness , called mania. There are several types of bipolar disorder, and even those of the same type may look very different from one another. Apart from extreme high and low moods, someone living with bipolar disorder can also struggle with focusing, irritability, compulsive activities like binge shopping, or either trouble sleeping or sleeping too much. The term “bipolar” is often used inappropriately to describe someone who is “overly emotional” or “crazy”. The media representation of this disorder often plays into that stereotype as well, showing people with this condition to be dangerous. Stigma like this can easily cause fear and discrimination despite these representations being extremely inaccurate. For posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , many people are unaware that many types of traumatic events can cause it. PTSD is mostly associated with military combat, but events like natural disasters and major injuries or assault are other common causes. Public perception has also produced awful stereotypes, including labels like “crazy”, “weak”, or “dramatic” becoming associated with this disorder. Some who suffer from this disorder may not realize they suffer from it due to these factors, or realize their symptoms are more than nervousness. Some may be afraid of considering themselves to be among the stereotypes, and refuse to consider that they may be suffering from a disorder that can be managed or treated by a professional. Eating disorders are another group of commonly diagnosed disorders among teenagers, affecting about 28.8 million people worldwide . While eating disorders are one of the most stigmatized and misunderstood mental disorders, they are also one of the deadliest. People often assume only teenaged women get eating disorders, but every age, race, size, gender, and background can be affected. Many groups including adolescents, blacks, gay men, transgender people and nonbinary people, autistic people, people with disabilities, athletes, and veterans are massively affected by eating disorders and the stigma that surrounds them. As for the “skinny teen girl” stereotype, less than 6% of people diagnosed with eating disorders are also medically underweight. Just like disorders, specific symptoms have their own stigma. Many disorders can cause people to have trouble functioning day-to-day in different ways, many are affected by the thought that they are just “lazy”. Even people who are familiar with depression but not familiar with the struggle may not understand that poor hygiene or house maintenance, and compulsive phone use can also be a huge issue for someone with depression. This specific symptom is a major cause of self-shame and public stigma with mental illness, unfortunately amplified by the prioritization of productivity in our society . So even while the public is understanding disorders like depression a lot more recently, it is important that these symptoms are also destigmatized. The good news is that the vast majority of mental illness cases are treatable , either with medicine or therapy. There are many types of clinical help and assistance, each can depend on the symptoms one is experiencing. It is important to know that anyone who is experiencing symptoms that are affecting them negatively, it is worthy of speaking about to a professional. Mental illness is very complex, cases of the same disorder can look vastly different from one another. This is why it is best to sort out symptoms with a qualified professional, so the best treatment can be found. Along with knowledge and education, compassion regarding mental health can go a very long way in the battle against stigma. Discussing mental illness like it is a physical illness should be the norm, as well as seeking treatment. There should be no shame or blame. Sources Previous Next