Engaging African American Youth in Community Change Work

Too often, when communities set out to improve local conditions, African American youth are viewed as renegades and troublemakers, cited among the problems that need to be "fixed." This is especially true for young African American males. In this episode, we talk with Liji Hanny of the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor Michigan, where African American youth have defied the stereotype by becoming active participants in the community change effort. Hanny and his youth colleagues will discuss how youth-adult partnerships and collective leadership principles are transforming the way their Boys & Girls Club works with local youth and the community at large.