Youth Forum to Reimagine New York City

A citywide network of young artists, community organizers, and culturally-minded creative thinkers came together on Saturday, November 12 for our Youth Forum to Reimagine New York City.

Hosted at El Puente, the convening was an opportunity for youth to design and lead their own process in an effort to rebuild after a challenging couple of years of COVID-19 and in response to the important social movements of our time. It was our goal for youth to self-determine, participate, engage in deep learning that is relevant to them, build leadership, and expand their peer networks. The event was co-presented and organized with El Puente, Arts & Democracy, THE POINT CDC, and young artists and cultural organizers. Additional groups that participated and hosted workshops included Groundswell, High Line Teens, Recess Assembly, Urban Bush Women, and others.

The Youth Forum included:

• Meeting up and networking over lunch

• Discussing the idea of cultural organizing and how it is an important, healthy and sustainable way to engage

• Discussing issues that are important to youth and how arts and culture can help address them (racial and social justice, environmental justice, mental health and resilience, to name a few)

• Breaking out for visual artmaking, dance, and community safety workshops

• Reflecting on the experience as a group, making recommendations, and figuring out ways to connect in the future.

This event was part of Reimagining New York City, a broader citywide series of visioning sessions and exchanges to incorporate the wisdom, imagination, and creative practices of community cultural organizations, artists, and neighborhood residents in decision making and transformative change.

Reimagining New York City is supported by The New York Community Trust, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.