A few weeks ago, a group of DRUM youth members marked an important step in their journey for social justice at the start of our 23rd annual youth summer organizing program! These working class South Asian and Indo Caribbean young people will spend six weeks learning about critical issues that impact our immigrant communities and how we can take action to transform society and make lasting change. We invite you to support the leadership of young people and support DRUM to raise $15,000.
This year we mark 23 years of developing youth leaders! That’s more than 500 leaders developed over the years who have gone on to become organizers, activists, teachers, city employees, lawyers, artists, and politically engaged leaders wherever they plant their feet. The intensive programming is only possible because of the many organizing fellows, organizers, allies, and other people who take the time to make the summer internship a success. This year's fellows all previously went through the program themselves and are excited to lead interns through the summer.
Over the years, young people have accomplished: winning restorative justice funding through the Dignity in Schools Coalition; saving student metrocards funding; launching the groundbreaking Education, not Deportation campaign and report; pushing back against institutionalized bullying; passing the Student Safety Act and the Right to Know Act; stopping Amazon from building a headquarters in Queens; developing and leading Gender Justice and Arts programming; and protecting our communities through the Power and Safety through Solidarity Campaign at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The connections that working class young people build through this program are invaluable! Working class, undocumented, and immigrant youth see the world in whole new ways, and develop relationships with other young people and adults that help them to engage in this work for the long term. They will explore their place in this movement and critically look at how they want to grow.
Help us to keep building youth power!
