Hob Snobbing: Detroit Future Youth take control of their own story

I don’t know where your teens were last Saturday night, but I’m willing to bet they weren’t in an art gallery, scarfing down vegan food and discussing how they can collaborate to improve the economic conditions of their city. Just sayin’.

Meet Detroit Future Youth, a group of mostly teens and 20-somethings, who meet monthly around the city. They are learning how use technology to weave their separate passions (urban farming, environmental justice, human rights) into a unified network.

I know. At that age, I was just worried about my latest pimple outbreak.



I thought I’d be out of place at Detroit’s 5e Gallery last Saturday when muralist Halima Cassells, invited me to attend a Detroit Future Youth meeting. Instead, I found a welcoming, all-ages convocation where little elementary schoolers grabbed the mic to offer socially conscious hip hop alongside more accomplished adult artists. Parents were there with their young adults. Aspiring musicians offered their CDs next to notable Kresge Artist Fellow choreographer, Haleem Ar-Rasheed, with his hot Hardcore Detroit gear. But all of that great creative energy came AFTER a lengthy rap session about how they can work together to support the city’s economic life.



Learning to use a beat box.


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Kresge Artist Fellow Haleem Ar-Rasheed

 

The event was co-sponsored by: 5egallery.org; the Heru Organization, Halima’s other enterprise, the Detroit Mural Factory; and the city-wide collaboration effort, Detroit Future.

I wondered where the media were – good kids doing good things in the middle of the city, and there was no one to bear witness. I suppose that only proves their point: They have to use technology to tell their own stories.



Piper Carter and Halima Cassells



Halima, 30, is a new mom collaborator with 5e, a hip hop art space and gallery, with fashion photographer Piper Carter, 40. They are part of a coalition of 13 groups who are trying to help young activists in Detroit demystify technology, and use it to lift the community.

“There’s an assumption that everyone under 20 can get online, but that’s not true,” said Piper. “Everyone doesn’t have a smart phone. Some of these youth can’t even send an email.”

Alia Harvey-Quinn talks to a participant.

Alia Harvey-Quinn, 29, agrees. “The overwhelming narrative about Detroit is violence, poverty and disenfranchisement,” she said. “You’d never know that events like these exist. We are teaching them how to use Facebook, Twitter and other social media to spread their own messages and to connect with each other.”

News flash: Detroit youth care about the city and are striving to take control of their own bright future. Tweet that.

Thanks, Detroit Future Youth, for an amazing night out. The evening capped with a fashion show that included Detroit Snob tees. We even debuted a new look. What do you think?