rockyourworld

Youth Spotlight: Jasper Eliot

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:19:16 GMT

Rock Your Rights is excited to shine a light on youth activists! Rock Your World intern, Jasper Eliot, is studying theater at UCLA. We are so grateful to work with him! Check out his interview below.

What school are you attending and what are you majoring in? What made you decide to major in that area?

"I am attending UCLA and I am majoring in theater specifically integrated studies and this means I can take any class that relates to theater like writing, designing, and acting. I chose it because I am interested in different things and I couldn't exactly decide what I want to do. So, this was perfect so I can try different things.”

What are some of your passions outside of school and your Creative Visions Foundation internship?

“Well my main passion is actually in school (with theater and acting). But, I love music and I've been teaching myself piano and guitar so music would be my side passion.”

How did you become interested in social activism? Is there a specific cause you are currently pursuing or hope to pursue?

“I went to New Roads in high school and they are a socially conscious school. I found out about Creative Visions and started last summer with them but again, I hadn’t really done activism before Creative Visions, but New Roads opened the way to me being interested in social activism. A specific area that got me interested in social activism is propaganda because it’s such a powerful tool and it’s cool that it can be used to change or even control people’s minds. So i think propaganda and using art is cool because you can use it for good.”

Who has had a major impact in your life and why?

“That’s a good question. My dad because when I was little i didn't go to preschool and he would take me to museums all the time in Los Angeles and he would show me a bunch of art and that really inspired me to appreciate art at such a young age.” *

*My favorite museum in Los Angeles is either the Getty Center or LACMA (he took me there the most). In New York, it would be their MOMA.

What is one accomplishment you are most proud of?
“In 11th grade, New Roads had a program that lets you choose a subject and you study it for a year with a mentor. So, I chose to direct a short play and I was in charge of lots of things like I built 10 foot puppets, designed the lighting, the characters, and costumes.”

If you could be any animal, which would it be and why?
“I love this question. 100% is a wandering albatross and has the biggest wings like more than 10 feet and they can glide over oceans for such a long time without ever needing to flap or go back down on land. And once they are done gliding over oceans, they go back to one island where there are other albatrosses and they find their mate (they mate for life) and have children.”

What is your role at the Creative Visions Foundation? What do you hope to accomplish during the time of your internship?
“My official title is social media intern. What I'm doing is lots of graphic design work for Creative Visions and my goal for the rest of the internship is to learn about getting involved more in social activism and getting better at my skills as a graphic designer.”

Our Team's Artistic Responses to BLM

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 15:58:12 GMT

This summer, the uprising of Black Lives Matter protests prompted creative responses from some of Rock Your World's very own team members.

Thinking About Lines

The panes of windows--thin reach of the horizon.

Bars of a cage for wing-clipped birds or a prison.

Dotted and dashed Morse code on a well traveled road,

there are water lines and those of fire too.

How some stand tall and refuse to budge

while others are raised hands toward the sky.

How some become instruments of harm,

how some hold the notes of a song.

Maybe that song belongs to you, or

perhaps you can anticipate the chorus.

Maybe that song means nothing to you

yet you hum along and begin to guess

at words you didn’t write on a path

you didn’t know you helped to build.

Some lines are drawn apart

near not far, almost

it would seem, at war.

But they are meant to merge

Weave like fingers into a curved

embrace. To whirl in a circular

connection, an orbit, round

as a lens, as a mother’s belly.

Round as the luminous moon

in a children’s book

promising love.

Poem by Rock Your World Director, Jessica Burnquist.

Photo by Creative Visions' Impact Media Coordinator, Georgia Rodger, Oakland, CA 2020.

Youth Spotlight: Amy Tinoco

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 20:00:15 GMT

Rock Your Rights is excited to shine a light on youth activists! Rock Your World intern, Amy Tinoco, is studying psychology with a minor in education studies at UCLA. We are so grateful to work with her! Check out her interview below, conducted by fellow intern Jasper Eliot.

What school are you at and what’s your major? Why did you choose that school?

“I’m attending UCLA and I’m majoring in psychology with a minor in education studies. I went to UCLA because it has such a great psychology department and also in the PHD sector.”

What is your dream career?

“I want to work in the nonprofit sector. I’m hoping to combine education and psychology and development so tying in all those aspects and working with children would be my dream career.”

If you could talk to any animal what would it be and why?

“Lets see, that’s a good question. So I'm obsessed with hedgehogs. I really want one so bad but you can’t buy them or have them as a pet in California. But I would like to speak to a hedgehog because I just want to know what they're thinking and they’re spiky so I just want to ask “Is it ok if I hold you, can I pet you?” And they seem sweet but you never know, so I think speaking to a Hedgehog would be pretty cool.”

How did you find out about Creative Visions and what is your role at the foundation?

“I found out about Creative Visions Foundation through a platform that UCLA partners with called Handshake. I found the internship opening on that site so I applied and my official title is Social Media and Programming Intern.”

How did you become interested in social activism and do you have any advice for a young person who wants to get involved?

“For the past few years of college I’ve gotten to know lots of students for varying backgrounds and of course they have different opinions, viewpoints and concerns, so in a way I didn’t want to be a bystander you know, I wanted to take a stance on things that mean a lot to me and to the friends I’ve made. So I became more interested in social activism by reading more articles and looking at more social media content relating to activism. I think my advice for a young person who wants to get involved would be not to be afraid to speak up and voice out your concerns. We have social media for a reason, we can use it for good. So my advice would be, start using your social media, start talking to your friends and family about these issues that should be talked about.”

Do you have any hobbies outside of your work at Creative Visions and UCLA?

“Some of my passions or hobbies would be those coloring books for adults, the very mature, detailed ones; I like coloring those. I also like reading fiction and playing video games.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“The best piece of advice I’ve ever received is to “not sweat out the small stuff.” I’ve always had the difficulty of stressing over small things so after hearing that advice I try to focus on the bigger picture and not stress over things I can’t control.”

Youth Spotlight: Rachel Stenz

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:59:11 GMT

What are you majoring in? Why did you choose this major?

“I’m studying history with a minor in multimedia design. I originally started with a history major because I was interested in learning about different people and cultures and how they have shaped the world we know today. Through the addition of a multi-media design minor I hope to be able to use digital media to tell those stories I learn about through history.”

What are some of your favorite hobbies inside and outside of school?

“I love reading. I think whatever genre of book you like to read there’s always an important message or just an escape from reality that a book can provide. I’m also training for a triathlon right now which is keeping my body and my mind healthy!”

If you could have one superpower what would it be and why?

“First of all, I love this question. I think if I could be a superhero I’d be Violet from The Incredibles. She has powers of invisibility and forcefield and whenever watching that movie while growing up I loved her character so much and I thought she was super sassy and a cool figure to look up to as a young girl.”

When did you realize your passions for social activism? Do you have a specific area that you are most passionate about?

“Coming into college is a time where you’re exposed to more than you have been previously, at least in my case, and through some of the different classes I took and the different people that I came into contact with I realized that I wasn’t satisfied with my contribution to making change and that I really want to not be a bystander in my lifetime. I want to be a changemaker and help people in the best way that I can and I think one thing that I am trying to focus my energy towards is through sustainability and helping the planet because those are changes that I can make quite easily to my lifestyle. I know it’s not helping other people directly but I know it is manageable that I think everyone can partake in not using plastic water bottles, maybe changing some foods that you eat. It’s something that I can do personally.”

Who is the most influential woman in your life and why?

“I’m gonna go with my mom because she has always been unconditionally loving but she is also been able to call me out in different areas as needed when growing up. I love that she is able to call me out because it is a way of her saying you’re better than this, you can do better, treat other people better and I think that goes to show that the greatest way to show love is to be super candid with those that you love. I think that’s been a great way that has helped shape how I see myself and the potential I have to treat others with the same kindness.”

What are your favorite ways to show creativity?

“I really love editing videos and photos, more specifically videos. I’ve been very very fortunate to have traveled this last year abroad, I lived in Switzerland and as I traveled I thought it was really important to document it in a way that I’d be able to share with others and remind me of how grateful I am for this experience and how privileged I am to have been able to travel and learn from that. Videos and photos are definitely my side-passion for creativity.”

What is your role at the Creative Visions Foundation? How do you feel your work has been impactful during the digital time of COVID-19?

“I am a Social Media Intern for Rock Your Rights and Rock Your World. During COVID-19, because people are less connected in real life they are paying more attention to social media which allows us to influence people and reach a greater audience because it’s less word of mouth. With more people checking on their platforms to stay connected it’s been helpful to get people’s attention easier because of how accessible everything is on social media.”

Youth Spotlight: Leila Baadarani

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 23:42:18 GMT

For this week’s spotlight, Creative Visions taps into the life of Leila! Rock Your World intern Leila Baadarani is a rising junior at Barnard College in Manhattan, NY, studying Anthropology and Human Rights. Check out her interview below! Note: answers have been paraphrased for clarity and polish. Leila was interviewed by fellow intern, Tina Xia.

You can also read an article Leila wrote for HerCampus here .

What are your favorite hobbies and involvements?

Leila: I love being a member of Amnesty International, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to writing letters, leading rallies, signing petitions, and more—and it’s always been my favorite club. Her Campus is also something I’m involved with (article linked below!). In addition, I work with UCapture, which is a Google Chrome extension that you can add to your search bar to help reduce your carbon footprint when shopping online.

As you know, we’re both working for Creative Visions, and as the name implies, a large portion of our work is creative. How do you express your creativity?

Leila: I love to create art. I love painting, and recently in quarantine, I’ve started embroidering, which is really fun. I also just enjoy being spontaneous and going on adventures with my friends.

Speaking of friends, how would your best friend describe you?

Leila: Hm… Bubbly, a little quirky, fun, adventurous and super caring. At least I’d like to think that’s how they describe me!

Who inspires you the most?

Leila:. I can’t think of specific individuals, but there are many “people on the ground,” or smaller networks of people that’ve inspired me. And by these smaller networks, I mean the people like you and me: everyday citizens… like the people who dedicate time out of their day to attend rallies. Through this, I’ve realized that the smaller communities have been the ones pushing change forward.

Why is your work important to you?

Leila: I think despite the size of the team you have, it’s important to have people who care. Even though I’m in New York, I still care just as much about the youth in LA as I do about kids in my own backyard. It doesn’t matter where the people are that we’re helping—it’s just that we are.

We’re making an impact, and that’s important.

Leila: Exactly.

If you could pick a character from any movie or TV show that best resembles you, who would you pick?

Leila: Okay, so Spies in Disguise is a really good movie—would recommend. The main character Walter Beckett is super kind, motivated, and selfless. I admire him a lot and see similarities there. The movie has a great soundtrack too!

RYR/RYW is all about empowering the youth through creative activism—why do you think creativity is a powerful way to evoke change?

Leila: Whenever I was little, if I wasn’t in school, I was always in programs that my parents placed me into, and they were all focused on creative change. Being in programs where I could express myself gave me the opportunity to choose my own path. Safe, structured freedom is really important. My teachers have also been really caring. I remember asking my film teacher, “Oh, can I stay after class and use the film room?” He always replied, “Of course! No problem.” That was really kind and supportive of him.

Let’s end our interview on a serious note: if you could be any plant in the world, what plant would you be and why?

Leila: I would be a succulent, because I love succulents very much! They can easily adapt to new environments. Just like me, my succulents have traveled the world, and they’ve thrived in all situations. I’d like to think there are some commonalities there!

Youth Spotlight: Sophie Bautista

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 17:13:04 GMT

Rock Your Rights is excited to shine a light on youth activists! Sophia Bautista, a former Rock Your World Visionary Intern, had the opportunity to attend the Global Institute for Human Rights hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. Students tackled the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on human rights, resulting in a mock shadow report presented to Generation Equality at the United Nations. Click below to read her essay!

COVID-19 and Domestic Violence: The Tale of Two Pandemics

We are at the beginning of a new approach to human rights. COVID-19 has peeled back and laid bare the deep fault lines of inequality governments have enabled for years. It is apparent that all nine treaty bodies — the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination amongst the few of them — are not separate, but linked together. Suddenly, it’s easy to see that the rights of women and, say, the rights of migrants are connected.

For example, domestic violence rates right now are skyrocketing due to the stay-at-home order, locking women and girls in with their abusers. Domestic violence is already an epidemic, but the violence is worsening because the services available for gender-based violence have been diverted to the health response, de-prioritizing domestic violence. Governments aren’t investing in safe and secure spaces like shelters as an essential part of their COVID-19 response. There’s a cost associated with absenteeism and missed work hours because of domestic violence, stunting women’s economic growth and the potential to leave their abusive relationship. COVID-19 deepened the epidemic of domestic violence to horrifying levels, but there is a possibility to transform the paradigm of human rights law to be one that’s intersectional.

What is intersectionality? International women’s rights expert, Rangita de Silva de Alwis, pointed out, “Language has no innocence. We lack authority to articulate and give name to issues. There was a time when sexual harassment had no vernacular, until Anita Hill. There was once no language in law for domestic violence.” Luckily, the definition of intersectional, coined by Kimberly Crenshawe, is brief: race, class, gender, and other individual characteristics intersect with one another and overlap (like a circle road!) In a non-intersectional approach, domestic violence hotlines in the United States would only speak English, severely limiting access to shelters from immigrant or indigeneous women. It would only be helping one type of woman: English-speaking ones.

COVID-19 tackles the right to health. That includes the virus of domestic violence. Although the CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women) doesn’t explicitly talk about domestic violence, its reason for existence is to stop discrimination against women in any form. UN Special Rappoteur Rashida Manjoo says, “States must acknowledge that violence against women is not the root problem, but that violence occurs because other forms of discrimination are allowed to flourish.” Domestic violence exists because some governmental systems don’t have adequate laws in place protecting women.

Intersectionality, especially in light of this pandemic, says that we’re not all on the “same boat.” Instead, we’re weathering the same storm — and some people need a little extra help to get through it.

Youth Spotlight: Tina Xia

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 19:35:32 GMT

Introducing Rock Your World Visionary Intern, Tina Xia! Tina is a rising sophomore at Duke University, currently pursuing a double major in Statistics and English with a minor in Finance.Check out Tina's interview, conducted by fellow intern, Stella Nguyen, and read her poem "Stages of Sinking" below.

What are you most passionate about?
That’s really hard to narrow down… I’m really, really passionate about poetry. I started writing poetry during my freshman year of high school, but it’s something that I kept with me throughout the years. For example, this past semester I took a poetry seminar at Duke and it was amazing! By the end of the semester, we had to submit an anthology - so mine was 15 pages long, and it was so cool to create that and get to compile together all the poems that I’ve written throughout the years. Besides that, I’m also interested in philosophy. Recently, I’ve started picking up on reading different philosophical works. I really like reading Laozi. There’s this book called A World of Ideas, which compiles all of these esteemed thinkers, and I’ve really enjoyed reading that. Since my school year has ended, I’m still trying to keep those brain juices flowing.

How have you engaged in creative activism?
I have written a couple poetry pieces that basically had an activist undertone to them. For example, I wrote a poem about the power of diversity for a local contest about two years ago.

Why did you decide to join Creative Visions/Rock Your Rights/Rock Your World and how has your experience with this internship been so far?
A little backstory: I was originally enrolled in Duke Engage, which is a fully funded service project that Duke puts on each summer, which is funded by alum Melinda Gates. I was planning on going to Guatemala to do consulting and entrepreneurship with local communities, but was cancelled due to Covid-19. Instead, I was given the option to pick my own virtual independent project instead - you write a proposal, have to get approval, and then afterwards, you have full creative freedom to do what you want. So I thought, why not do something involved in marketing but is also creative? I’m really interested in business, as you can probably tell from my extracurriculars. So I wanted something that would have a business focus. So I feel like a lot of the work I’m doing now is business related - we focus on copyrighting, marketing, social media, etc. At the same time, I also really like graphic design. I really like making these graphics because I get to refine my skills with Adobe Illustrator.

Why do you think the work that you’ve done in this internship has been important?
I think creative activism is always important. It’s one thing to create art for yourself - that’s all fine and dandy - but it’s another thing to create it for a larger audience. Art is especially powerful when it has a specific purpose. If art has an activist spark or edge to it, that makes it ten times more appealing and genuinely powerful to the masses. A lot of what we do, curriculum wise, is focused on rights - like the UDHR - I think is super important, especially now. It’s important for every person to have a general idea of what these rights are. I remember when I was in middle school, I had no idea. Just a general education on different subjects is really important in maintaining educational literacy in our generation.

Stages of Sinking

by Tina Xia

The relationship experts online say this ‘no-contact’ rule works.
And I say Okay because we’re apart now and nothing will be easier.

So I etch out the scribbles of past fights and forget how I would wince
each time I saw your name appear on my phone, remembering

the hearts you put beside mine. No one remembers the fireflies
when it’s bright out. Only in darkness do we look for light.

There is so much I want to tell you. How I memorized
the fifty states yesterday, how I started liking cherry tomatoes,

how Ohio keeps popping up in every news article I read.
How I am now living like water, each day seeping into the next.

You can feel it but it’s barely there. They say this is part of the process,
that I can still love red. But my gut is a faded canvas now, dripping paint

with each crossed-out lover. A broken song plays in my bathroom.
I hum the melody until the sink overflows.

Youth Spotlight: Clementine Hopkinson

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:27:02 GMT

Clementine shows us what creative activism is all about with her custom stickers she created to raise awareness of and give to the Black Lives Matter movement.

1. What motivated you to use your creativity to draw attention to Black Lives Matter?

As a person of privilege, I wanted to use my artist platform to speak up, show support for victims of systemic racism, and raise funds to donate to the Black Lives Matter movement. As a teenager living on my own in Salt Lake City, I don’t have a lot of extra money I can send, so this is a way I could contribute more and use my voice as an ally to spread awareness about the dark reality of our police, court, and incarceration systems that aren’t built for people of color. According to MappingPoliceViolence.org there were only 27 days in 2019 where police did not kill someone, and of those, Black people are three times more likely to be killed than white people.

2. Do you think it’s important for young people to have an awareness of current events? Why?

Young adults and youth are the future! The more they are aware of current events, the more motivated they will be to engage in activism and the political process. We need everyone 18 and over to vote—that too is a privilege. I remember being only seventeen and frustrated that my friends only a year older could vote when I could not. If you are 18 and not registered to vote, it only takes a few minutes to register online at Vote.org.

3. Tell us about your creative process:

I usually spend a lot more time thinking about a concept and coming up with the idea of how to best express the emotion I’m trying to portray, than actually getting it on paper. I mostly draw and paint portraits and self-portrait comics with minimalistic aesthetics to give the impression of innocence, reminiscent of my own childhood or children’s story books, but the ideas behind them are usually much more cynical and mature.

You can view art and learn more about Clementine below.
https://artbyclementine.bigcartel.com/

Youth Spotlight: Stella Nguyen

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:12:37 GMT

Rock Your World intern, Stella Nguyen, is a sophomore at UCLA and is studying international development with two minors in theater and film. She has a passion for music evidenced through her years of piano lessons and amazing songwriting skills. We are so grateful to work with her! Check out her interview below, conducted by fellow intern, Rachel Stenz.

Rachel: Where do you go to school and what year are you?

Stella: I am a Sophomore at UCLA.

Rachel: What are you majoring in?

Stella: I am majoring in international development. I have two minors. One is in film and the other is theater.

Rachel: What are your hobbies (clubs, volunteering, etc)?

Stella: I am in a Pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta and am a member of the film and photography society.

Rachel: What is your role as an intern with Rock Your World?

Stella: Social media intern

Rachel: In what ways do you enjoy expressing creativity?

Stella: I love music and have grown up with it my whole life. My parents began taking me to piano when I was four which later led to musical theater in middle school. I use music to express myself.

Rachel: What area of social activism do you feel most passionate about?

Stella: Education. I grew up very privileged and it's something I think about a lot. I live in Vietnam, which is a developing country, so not everyone has the opportunities I do. I think that a lot of this stems from education and I wish that everyone has the same experience I did so they would have more equal opportunities in life.

Rachel: Who or what has inspired you to take action and stand up for what you believe in?

Stella: My parents have done so much for me. They did not have as much growing up but have given me so much that I can not only focus on myself but on other people. I also have a memory of a time that I was at a gas station and an old woman was selling lottery tickets. She looked so much like my grandma and it made me recognize my privilege. I realized I could not do much to help her but sometimes the people you can’t help are the ones that inspire you the most.

Rachel: Why do you think the work you are doing with RYW and RYR is important?

Stella: I am really excited to learn from Rock Your World because they work in education through art which is really important to me.

Rachel: RYR/RYW is all about empowering the youth through creative activism, why do you think creativity is such a powerful way to evoke change?

Stella: It gets under your skin and creativity and media makes an impact that we don't even recognise. It shaped our morals and world view. When someone tells their story or makes an argument though the media it is much more convincing than writing it down. It is more captivating.

Youth Spotlight: Lee Patel

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:03:18 GMT

Lee Patel is a talented artist who uses his creativity as a form of activism.

My process in creating art depends on what my intentions are. When my intentions are to destress or practice, I often drift towards fan artwork of my favorite media. It is oftentimes an escape from whatever reality I am facing and allows me to lose myself in the joy of creating art. However, when my intention is to make a statement or use it as a form of activism (especially amid COVID-19 restrictions), I am very conscious of what I am creating. It is less about my enjoyment and much more about being able to voice not only my concerns, but my peers' and community's concerns as well. With my art, I aspire to give voices to people who aren't heard and to give people a moment to enjoy themselves!

Check him out on Instagram !

Arizona Student Courtney reflects on racial justice

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:45:42 GMT

My name is Courtney and I am a student at Northern Arizona University. For years I have remained silent about injustice happening around me because I was afraid of losing my friends and family. But, I've realized enough is enough and it's time to speak up!

You say that if we just protest peacefully, we’ll get exactly what we want. Colin Kaepernick did protest peacefully. You called him a son of a b**ch and demanded that the NFL fire him and every other NFL team blacklist him. Well known celebrities such as Will Smith, Snoop Dogg, and Viola Davis peacefully protested the racial bias of the Oscars and you called them whiney babies who never contribute to society anyway. The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior did protest peacefully. He was still murdered.

If peaceful protests were as effective as you claim them to be, Dr. King would still be alive today. If peaceful protests were as effective as you claim them to be, we wouldn’t be going through the same circus of bulls**t multiple times a year. But, for those of us who are capable of actually learning from history, we learned from Dr. King’s death that peace means absolutely nothing when your adversary never hesitates to kill you.

We are seeing events unfold around us like it’s the 60’s, because we’re still trying to take advice from a man who died in the 60’s. Instead of listening to the people who are at your feet right now, pleading for your help, you’d rather turn around and listen to the words of a ghost. You demand that we repeat the same pattern of behavior that got Dr. King killed. History is about not repeating things. If we want to be more effective, we can’t just copy what he did to the letter. Historically, and this is also backed by the scientific method, repeating the same action will end with the same result: we’ll get bullets in our heads too. So, we need to stop trying to emulate Dr. King or even mention his name anymore. He’s gone. This isn’t his fight anymore. He’s turning in his grave because people won’t let him rest. So, let the dead be at peace and listen to those who are alive.

You say that we need to have the second amendment to protect us if and when the government and the police become too forceful over the American people. But the moment we actually do, we’re savages? Oh, that’s right! Only white people are allowed to storm their state capitals armed to the teeth threatening law enforcement and government officials that they will shoot if they don’t get what they want just because they feel that the government is abusing its power. That wasn’t peaceful was it?

Wait, what did they want? A… a haircut? Are you sure? Oh, I see you have pictures… They also don’t want to wear masks? Why?! Because they’re itchy?

...

You know what, scratch out everything I just said above. It’s been made clear to me. I think… I’m wrong... Being able to go to work in the middle of a pandemic is a constitutional right when you’re white. But defending your life is punishable by death when you’re black. It all makes sense now... Thank god I'm half white! Right? Is that enough? Is... is my life safe now? No? Is it because cops will always see me as black? Oh..

RYW Mentee Lili Burrows creative response to recent #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd protests

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 18:06:27 GMT

You can follow Lili at @liliburrowz

From the Classroom to the Festival by Kelly Salerno

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 18:04:14 GMT

High school students awarded in national climate change film festival!

Elizabeth Leto and Grace Farinella were 8th grade students in 2019. Both girls were passionate about climate science and have a wonderfully artistic eye. They worked diligently for months on their PSA assignment: researching, storyboarding, choosing images, creating images, and editing all the elements.

I came across the announcement for the Climate Changemaker Teen Film Festival because Rock Your World shared it on social media. Even though Elly and Grace were freshman in high school, I still wanted to submit their incredible work. I reached out to the festival coordinator and got the green light. The girls and their families were very excited. We were delighted to learn that their film, PSA Climate Change was selected to be screened on Earth Day 2020, one of 23 films selected from over 300 submissions! Grace and Elly won 2nd place in the Middle School Short category. They also won 1st Place in the Audience Choice category!

Youth Spotlight: Elizabeth Grubb

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 17:58:45 GMT

Rock Your Rights is excited to shine a light on youth activists! Our first spotlight is Elizabeth Grubb. Known for her organizing work with March for Our Lives, at age seventeen she organized a march that drew over a thousand people, led to a congressional town hall, and helped organize multiple demonstrations to advocate for gun violence prevention in her community of Fresno, California.

Rock Your Rights and Creative Visions intern, Sophia Bautista caught up with Elizabeth this week for an interview about her activism:

Sophia: Could you pinpoint the moment you wanted to make a change?

Elizabeth: I think the origins of my political activism are probably rooted in the 2016 election night. It was such a devastating loss and I regretted not doing more, but going forward I knew I couldn’t live with myself unless I got involved. I didn’t want to be sad about the direction of the country, I wanted to help change the direction of the country.

Sophia: Activism, while rewarding, can sometimes lead to burnout and disillusionment because we’re definitely playing “the long game” in terms of seeing visible progress. What has kept you going?

Elizabeth: I’ve definitely been so exhausted and disappointed by politics that I’ve wanted to quit it all. At the end of the day, I feel so much better knowing that I’ve done something positive. If you’re not doing anything to change the status quo, and you keep up with the news, it’s really disheartening. If you can do something with the knowledge you have, it’s empowering and uplifting.

Sophia: Why do you think young people throughout history have been poised to be effective changemakers?

Elizabeth: I think historically young people have been changemakers because we feel a lot of empathy and we’re more willing to take risks.

Thank you for rocking your rights, Elizabeth! We appreciate you!

If you or someone you know is a young changemaker rocking the world who deserves to be in the spotlight, let us know!

~ The Team at Rock Your Rights

Poetry Presents Adventure

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 17:50:19 GMT

April 2020 was National Poetry Month! Check out our instagram for the archive of prompts.

To view our Instagram page with Poetic prompts, click here .

Who Cares I Do Challenge

Fri, 19 Apr 2019 21:58:39 GMT

The #WhoCaresIDo Challenge is a global call for young people age 5-18 to stand up to bullying and to stand for a more caring and inclusive culture.

Ready to help end bullying?

Women & Girls Curriculum

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 21:52:15 GMT

Rock Your World is pleased to begin to roll out a series of lessons designed to help students identify the challenges of Women & Girls and to discover an array of actions that can be taken toward solving such challenges.

To view the curriculum, click here .

Planet 911

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 21:27:27 GMT

Planet911 is an international call to action to youth across the world using film, arts, music and media, as a way to protect the planet.

By empowering our youth and creating a strong coalition of organizations and individuals, we can make dramatic reductions in our carbon footprint and change the current direction of climate change.

To learn more, please visit planet911.org .

Help Heal Humanity

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 00:03:15 GMT

Rock Your World is pleased to be partnering with Help Heal Humanity, an internationally registered charity mindfully designed to provide the world’s most at-risk populations with access to education, food, community, and love...

Through unconditional giving, Help Heal Humanity achieves its mission of empowering, inspiring and loving those in need in a compassionate and sustainable way. Their vision is to awaken hearts, inspire humans and heal humanity in three core areas: Education for Humanity, Art for Humanity, and Yoga for Humanity. In each area Help Heal Humanity provides education, nourishment, connection and respect for local cultures.

Melanin, an Experimental Film directed by Kiki Finley

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 19:42:01 GMT

A poem visual written by 13 year old, Xai Finley.

This is a message told from this young lady’s perspective. She has been taught to appreciate her skin tone no matter what and pass the wisdom to her friends at a time when skin tone and gender can actually be an offense.

To view the full video, click here.

ThisisZeroHour.org

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 18:25:19 GMT

"We are the ones we have been waiting for": a youth-led climate movement and organization.

An excellent inspiration for youth and students who want to make a difference.

"The Zero Hour movement started with our founder, 16-year-old Jamie Margolin, a fierce climate justice advocate, who has been working tirelessly for the last few years to move her home state of Washington to adopt common sense climate change laws."

To view their website, click here .

Families Belong Together Los Angeles 2

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 17:52:54 GMT

Saturday, July 21 10:00am MacArthur Park

On July 21st a demonstration will be held in downtown LA to protest against the separation of immigrant families.

To view the Facebook event, click here .

KCET: Screening of documentary, BEYOND BORDERS

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 17:44:19 GMT

Thursday, September 27th 7:00pm at LA Plaza de Culturas y Artes

On September 27th a screening of the documentary "Beyond Borders" at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Beyond Borders discusses why million of Mexican workers have settled in the U.S. and illuminates the networks that connect people with their families back home.

To view the Facebook event, click here .

To learn more about the film, click here .

Youth Climate March: This is Zero Hour LA

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 17:15:37 GMT

Saturday, July 21 at 10:00am at Los Angeles City Hall

On July 21st there a march in downtown LA led by young environmental activists standing up against Climate Change.

"Leaders have failed their children on climate change. Since older generations will not act, young people will stand up on July 21st to take ownership of our future, and march for climate justice. Join the national movement! This is Zero Hour!"

To view the Facebook event, click here .

Families Belong Together: Lunchtime for Change

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 17:03:27 GMT

Take action on June 14th at noon EST.

"The atrocity of tearing apart families seeking refuge and asylum must end. If you want to participate in the June 14 th day of action but can’t come to an event in person, join us for a virtual event to aid families who are being detained and psychologically tortured with separation by ICE. Between 12 and 1 PM on June 14 th (or whenever your lunch break is), take as many of the actions on this list as possible. Tweet and share your actions – and a link to this page -- on your social media networks with the hashtag #FamiliesBelongTogether to make a greater impact."

To read the full details and action steps for the event, click here.

These high schoolers were tired of lawmakers' inaction. So, they wrote their own gun control legislation

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 18 May 2018 17:22:53 GMT

Teacher Jose Sanchez spent a lot of time helping students work through these questions during class. Ultimately, he says, the students got tired of waiting for their legislators to introduce a gun control bill. So they decided to write their own.

To read the full article, click here.

UNA / USA

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 17 May 2018 19:13:40 GMT

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Next UP!

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 14 May 2018 19:19:04 GMT

Meet the Los Angeles based student led group who is tackling issues that its youth care about.

Next UP is a nonprofit advocacy group working with high school and community college students throughout the 25th District and Los Angeles. The student-led group has worked on issues of improving gun regulation and immigration and plans to expand into other areas. Next UP has held in the past a Town Hall at College of the Canyons with over 120 attendees and our congressional candidates. The students helped organize districts walkouts, brought kids out to community service events, city halls, and marches and have a voter registration drive planned for May 16th. Their goal is to expand into individual teams/clubs at each high school that can work on local and national activism efforts.

The group meets every other Tuesday at the Groundworks office in Santa Clarita at 24458 Lyons Ave . If you would like more information or how to join/start a club at their school, contact Mariah Lima or Sebastian Cazares at studentsnextup@gmail.com .

Follow Next UP on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @studentsnextup.

NY Times: How to Make the World a Better Place

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 10 May 2018 20:27:51 GMT

Read this NY Times article, a part of their series "A Year of Living Better", to find out simple steps for everyone to create meaningful change in the world. Click here to read the full article.

Samantha McMillian

Thu, 10 May 2018 17:29:36 GMT

Middle School Teacher, Leonard Herman Intermediate, CA

I like using Rock Your World curriculum because I can pick specific lesson plans to integrate into whatever project we are working on. A recent project asked students to identify a cause that is important to them and develop a campaign to spread awareness. I combined a few lessons from RYW curriculum with two other projects, our annual Charity Fair and KQED’s Stepping Up Challenge. To start, I would recommend that teachers find a couple of RYW lessons that could be incorporated into existing projects or assignments. My students loved how many RYW elements can be personalized and modified to fit multiple projects.

While brainstorming campaign themes, one student shared, “ The example on the RYW website helped my team create a more focused campaign .”

Another student added, “ It helps to see real-life campaigns to see how they are put together .”

If you don’t know where to start or want to see more ideas, check out my “Create a Campaign” presentation that incorporates RYW lessons.

The Green Wave

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:26:55 GMT

http://greenwave.cbd.int/en/home

" The Green Wave campaign is an excellent opportunity to involve your students in a fun international environmental campaign. It’s a way to encourage students to learn about trees and biodiversity, to acquire event planning skills, and to work with members of the community, including government, business and media representatives. It’s also an opportunity to tell the world about your school’s biodiversity initiatives and to connect with like-minded teachers around the world.”

Charity Water

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:34:50 GMT

https://www.charitywater.org/

This is a wonderful resource to learn about how access to clean water is essential and in many ways a root human rights issue. The site also provides a platform where individuals can launch their own campaigns to support the water projects of Charity Water in 24 countries.

Teacher.org

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 20:07:40 GMT

https://www.teacher.org/lesson-plans/environmental/

Find a detailed and well organized collection of environmental lessons per grade level here.

A Plastic Ocean

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 20:05:41 GMT

https://plasticoceans.org/about-film/

This film explores how plastic are breaking down in our oceans and their toxic, longlasting impact on the food chain. It is available on Netflix!

Jeff Kirschner: TED Talk on Litterati

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:42:50 GMT

https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_kirschner_this_app_makes_it_fun_to_pick_up_litter

This Ted Talk is approximately 6 minutes long but will provide endless amounts of fun while cleaning up the planet. Kirschner has developed an app that makes it fun to pick up litter. Learn how to crowdsource-clean the planet!

Kehkashan Basu

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:37:56 GMT

http://www.kidsrightsyoungsters.org/author/kehkashanbasu/

Kehkashan Basu is the 2016 winner of the KidsRights International Children’s Peace Prize. She founded Green Hope Foundation in 2012. As a youth organization, Green Hope focuses on getting young people active in children’s rights and environmental protection, offering various ways to get involved, including:

environmental academy
ground level projects: Cleanups, habitat conservation , tree plantings, door-to-door community awareness, educational field trips
social uplifting campaigns
social media campaigns

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 17:02:39 GMT

http://www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/activism-2/kid-warrior/

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is establishing ways for youth of any age to take action toward protection the planet. As director of Earth Guardians , Xiuhtezcatl is one of 21 plaintiffs suing the federal government for the failure to take action in response to climate change. He is also an artist and author of the book We Rise: The Earth Guardians Guide To Building A Movement That Restores The Planet .

Find a National School Walkout near you!

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:54:35 GMT

To learn more about the national school walkout and to find one happening near you, click here.

iMatter: Youth are DOMINATING the convo around climate change and gun control

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:43:31 GMT

From the #MarchforOurLives to the fight for climate action, youth continue to push for change in powerful and unapologetic ways.

To read the full newsletter, click here.

National School Walkout

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 18:16:16 GMT

An informative site, including a comprehensive guide to the walkout and related events.

On Friday, April 20th, students will walk out of their classrooms at 10 am. There are over 2100 walkouts planned, at least one in every state. We are are walking out for those who lost their lives to gun violence, to talk about the real problems our country is facing, and to find solutions the problems that our leaders have failed to address.

The National School Walkout is the launch of a forward looking youth movement that has a strategy, a plan for action, and isn’t going away.

To visit the full site, click here.

Parkland High School Students Tweet Pictures of Their New Clear Backpacks With Political Messages

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 20:07:56 GMT

Parkland High School Students Tweet Pictures of Their New Clear Backpacks With Political Messages

On March 21, Broward County School District announced changes to school policies at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Among those changes was requiring students to use only clear backpacks. To read the full article and to see more student responses, click here .

Vox: "March for Our Lives’ Edna Chavez speaks for the kind of gun violence that doesn’t make front pages"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 20:20:53 GMT

America’s gun problem goes much, much further than mass shootings. To watch Los Angeles high schooler Edna Chavez' moving speech, click here .

NY Times: "At Rallies, Students With a Different View of Gun Violence: As Urban Reality"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 18:04:12 GMT

“It shouldn’t take a mass shooting in a predominantly white area like Parkland to start caring about gun violence,” Ms. Zaremba said.

To read the full NY Times article, click here .

Songs of Protest 2: Music that Changed the World

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 19:47:56 GMT

New York town arts festival will feature Parkland students' song on April 7

In the small town of Nyack, New York, ArtsRock, the thought-provoking Nyack-based arts presenter, is taking part in the "protest moment". On April 7, it presents "Songs of Protest 2: Music That Changed the World," the second annual salute to songs that moved the needle of social discourse.

To read the full article on the concert, click here .

The Journey is the Destination Activities

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:12:45 GMT

Rock Your World is proud to shine a light on portions of The Journey is the Destination and to provide accompanying activities to extend one’s learning about important issues that the film addresses.

#ActNow

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:11:02 GMT

Act Now celebrates young changemakers. Our online gallery showcases action being taken to amplify human rights issues. Submit your poetry, photos, videos, music and other innovative responses about current events. Be the change you wish to see in the world, Act Now.

What's Next for the March for Our Lives movement?

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:59:32 GMT

To read the full ABC article on what the March for Our Lives has planned next, click here .

The Guardian: "Our Manifesto to fix America's gun laws" Parkland students take over

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 22:19:43 GMT

The Guardian has invited student journalists from Parkland, Florida's high school newspaper, The Eagle Eye, to direct our coverage of the March for Our Lives gun violence protest. Throughout the weekend you’ll find exclusive features, interviews and live reports from the ground.

To read their published manifesto, click here .

Town Hall Project

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:31:17 GMT

April 7

The Town Hall Project supports change making and empowers constituents across the country to have face-to-face conversations with their elected representatives. This is the next step planned by the March for Our Lives to reform gun control in the US. To learn more about the Town Hall Project, click here .

March for Our Lives Voter Registration Toolkit

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:39:53 GMT

Click here to sign up for a March For Our Lives voter registration toolkit and they will send your state-specific toolkit!

NY Times: March for Our Lives: Maps of the More Than 800 Protests Around the World

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:53:57 GMT

To view the recap and map of the 800+ March for Our Lives-inspired protests that took place around the world on Saturday, March 24th, click here.

TIME: "How Parkland Students Are Using Their Moment to Help Minority Anti-Violence Groups"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:35:16 GMT

The Peace Warriors, a group of predominantly black high school students from Chicago, have been fighting gun violence for 10 years without garnering much attention from the outside world. The students from Parkland, Fla. brought the issue to national prominence in a matter of days.

“We found our voice in Parkland,” Arieyanna added. “We felt like we weren’t alone in this situation and we finally can use our voices on a bigger scale.”

To read the full TIME article, click here .

NY Times: "What Emma González Said Without Words at the March for Our Lives Rally"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:22:02 GMT

To read the NY Times article on Stoneman Douglas student Emma Gonzalez's moving speech at the DC March for Our Lives and to watch her speech, click here .

HuffPost: "11-Year-Old Activist Honors Black Girls Whose Stories Never Make The News"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 22:05:59 GMT

People were in awe of fifth grader Naomi Wadler’s speech at Saturday’s March For Our Lives.

11 year old Naomi Wadler of Alexandria, Virginia stood out among the speakers at the DC March for Our Lives. She made sure to bring specific awareness to young black women's stories and experiences of gun violence. To read the full article and to see Naomi's full speech, click here .

Vancouver, BC March for Our Lives

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:09:35 GMT

Thousands of Vancouverites marched from Jack Poole Plaza to the U.S. consulate Saturday morning, in support of the March for Our Lives demonstrations taking place across the United Sates.

To get a recap of the day’s events, click here .

Teen Vogue highlights young activists who are working to end gun violence

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 18:28:54 GMT

These are the faces of the #NeverAgain movement from Parkland, Ferguson, Newtown, and beyond

Meet nine young activists that are working to end gun violence in their communities. They are bright and bold students, alumni and citizens who are using their voice to create change. To read the full Teen Vogue article and see their photographs, click here .

Medium: Rock the Vote provides resources on how you can work to prevent gun violence.

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 18:22:35 GMT

"On Saturday, March 24th, Americans across the country will join together and March for Our Lives . As we take to the streets and demand an end to gun violence in our schools and communities, Rock the Vote worked with The Brady Campaign, The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Giffords, and Sandy Hook Promise to develop three ways you can make a difference on gun violence today and after the March." To check out Medium's resources and the rest of the article, click here .

Amplifier: "An Art Machine for Social Change"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 17:02:00 GMT

An amazing resource for creative activists!

Check out Amplifier! They are "a design lab dedicated to reimagining and amplifying the voices of social change movements through art...by facilitating and funding...media experiments between movements and contemporary artists..." To learn more about the work Amplifier does and to see some of the art they have commissioned that you can download and use for your movements, click here !

Sandy Hook Promise

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 02:57:07 GMT

The non-profit organization aims to prevent gun-related deaths due to crime, suicide and accidental discharge.

To learn more about the non-profit and their initiative and to sign up for their "Know the Signs" guide on gun violence prevention, click here .

The Student Walkout against Gun Violence, in photos

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:53:41 GMT

Organizers said as many as 3,000 walkouts were planned, as young people gathered outside their schools, gave speeches, or took to the streets, increasing pressure on lawmakers to tighten gun control and increase school safety.

The Atlantic put together a beautiful recollection of photographs from the nationwide school walkouts today. To view the photographs and read the full article, click here.

Student speaks out at march for gun reform in DC

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:49:01 GMT

"We refuse to learn in fear."

To view the full video, click here.

NY Times: What Makes #NeverAgain Different?

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:40:40 GMT

All across the country, students have been walking out of their schools and demonstrating their voice and strength with the goal of creating stricter gun laws. To read the full New York Times article, click here.

LA Students demonstrate during the National School Walkout

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 21:48:50 GMT

Students lie silently on a football field to spell out 'Enough'

Students at Granada Hills Charter High School in Los Angeles County walked out of class and to the football field, where they laid down to spell out "#Enough."

Except for the occasional ringing of a gong, there was silence.

"We're tired of being scared to come to school and we're tired of worrying about what if someone comes into our classroom right now while we're trying to learn," student Ben Ramirez, 18, told HLN. "This should be a place of safety and a place to explore ourselves. Not a place to worry about are we going to come home at the end of the day."

To read the rest of the CNN article, click here .

National School Walkout: Live Updates

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:54:03 GMT

Here is what to know about the National School Walkout events

"Thousands of students, emboldened by a growing protest movement over gun violence, stood up in their classrooms on Wednesday and walked out of their schools in a nationwide demonstration, one month after a gunman killed 17 people at a high school in Florida." To read the full NY Times article, click here .

Youth in Front

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 20:51:31 GMT

Advice on Leading Change from Experienced Youth Activists and Allies

Harvard School of Education and Usable Knowledge present 'Youth in Front', a youth facing portal on activism. The site features resources to learn the ins and outs of protesting, including how to safely protest, how to get adults on their sides and how to truly create a movement.

To visit the full site, click here .

Image Source: Getty / Zach Gibson

#WhatIf Video Campaign

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 23:04:24 GMT

Check out the videos from the #WHATIF campaign. These students are pressuring lawmakers to act.

Parkland student Delaney Tarr speaks out to lawmakers

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 22:53:30 GMT

Click to watch Tarr's full speech

Florida students announce 'March for Our Lives'

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 20:32:33 GMT

The students of Stoneman Douglas High School speak out on the shooting and the planned march.

Read the Washington Post article here and view below the students speak out on the shooting and their planned next steps of action.

National School Walkout

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 20:18:16 GMT

April 20th at 10:00 am

Join the National School Walkout on April 20th at 10:00 am to protest the recent gun violence in schools and the lack of action to stop it. To learn more about the Walkout, click here .

Harvard: Resiliency After Violence

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 20:00:47 GMT

In the wake of the latest school shooting in Parkland, Florida, ideas for supporting and strengthening your family and school communities

Useable Knowledge at the Harvard School of Education has created an extensive toolkit to help teachers and families cope in the aftermath of tragedy. Click here for the full article.

Catalyst Creativ Blog: "Brand Strategy for the New Generation Z"

Ella.charon@creativevisions.org (Ella Charon) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 19:47:20 GMT

Catalyst Creativ Blog

"Figuring out a brand strategy for the new generation begins with understanding who the new generation is." Read more on engagement and activism for Gen Z at the blog here .

The TAKE ON MLK Day Youth Summit

jay@northeastkingdomonline.com (jay@northeastkingdomonline.com ) — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 21:44:37 GMT

This MLK Day, teens from California and the Southwest attended Rock Your World's inaugural youth summit, TAKE ON and the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. The day was spent engaging various ways to Take On issues of concern via narrative, creativity, and through connection. We challenge you to connect to the issues that concern you most and to use Rock Your World curriculum to Take On action for change!

Stay tuned for information regarding the next RYW summit as well as an upcoming educators training on March 11th &12th at the Museum of Tolerance.