Being the Change in Houston

Empowering teens affected by racial injustice

By Sarah Grizzle Today’s young people find themselves caught at the intersection of several huge fault lines on top of the normal stressors involved in growing up, including climate change, economic upheaval and stark political division. Another is the social and race-based injustice that has dominated headlines for much of 2020. For many young people, we know these headlines reinforce everyday experiences they have with discrimination, racism and injustice. While stories of African American men and women being killed by police and other racially motivated acts of violence are tragically all too common, this year has seen increased motivation in demands for social, political and economic change, with youth at the center of it all.

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, this work isn’t new, though it has taken on increased urgency. Following the high-profile killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks in a short time span -- combined with more stories that made headlines and even more that didn’t -- Club staff knew they needed to do something for their youth. “We know the young people we serve and the communities we are in,” says Zenae Campbell, vice president of program services. “We have a special focus on young boys of color because the data tells us how they experience the world. It is literally our every day. There’s no turning our head from that.” With membership made up of largely African American and Latino youth, race-based injustice is an issue Club leadership has considered deeply.

We as a Club look at how it all fits together: racial inequity, health disparities, the criminal justice system, distribution of wealth,” says Campbell. “Understanding the lived experience of our youth is embedded in how we approach programming, the opportunities we give and how we focus on our impact. We know it’s about life and what that trajectory could look like for them.” Framing their theory of change explicitly as social justice youth development informs every aspect of the organization. Policies and procedures, staff training, even the kinds of data collection and research the team focuses on is informed by this lens. Knowing what’s happening among local families is another way the Club helps serve their community in times of crisis, such as when Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area in 2017.

“We are resilient because we know how to pivot in the face of something happening in our community and continuing to serve our kids, even when we are in the midst of our own very real pain,” says Campbell. That experience proved invaluable as they once again drew on their resilience, innovation, creativity and responsiveness to adapt to changes demanded by the COVID-19 pandemic and, at the same time, address the racial injustice dominating the news.

Unexpected Opportunities

Interestingly, the pandemic created opportunities for connections that may not have occurred otherwise. At the beginning of the pandemic, the organization facilitated virtual programming across their 23 Club sites, which stretch across a large footprint and don’t often get to connect.

We have urban to rural to island Clubs. Being virtual helped youth from different parts of the community dialogue with each other,” says Campbell. Informed by youth voice at every step, staff created, Be the Change You Want 2 See, a program that uses a trauma-informed approach that focuses on hope, healing and helping youth explore how they improve their communities. Through a series of activities using artistic expression, research, writing, service learning and moderated conversation, staff and youth work together to acknowledge difficult times past and present and explore how they can be a part of what is to come.

“We had a lot of youth asking, ‘Why now? These things have been happening to me and my people for so long, so why does this suddenly matter now?’” Campbell recalls. “We spent a lot of time unpacking anger and then moving into what we can to do rise up and figure out what protest and activism means for each person.” Powerful changes facilitated by Be the Change You Want 2 See led the organization to look beyond Houston. When they learned George Floyd grew up in Houston, staff reached out to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities in Minneapolis-St. Paul. “It was powerful to connect on something that had an impact on both of us,” says Campbell. Leadership teams from both organizations spent time with each other sharing how their Club families and operations were affected by the protests and exploring how they could do something meaningful to honor both of their communities. Greater Houston invited Twin Cities youth to participate in their programming and youth from both Clubs connected on a weekly basis. “It created an even more impactful experience for our young people here in Houston, to begin to see beyond our local area, and how the impact of their voices can matter on a larger scale,” says Campbell. Transparency and vulnerability on the part of Club staff and volunteers is key. Staff are encouraged to share their experiences and speak about their varied identities with each other and youth. One powerful moment came not long after the protests began, when BGCGH Board Chair Julius Young , a Black man and Club alum, held a meeting with Club staff and shared his own experiences with police brutality. Following his example, staff shared their own personal stories and feelings with the youth they serve, engendering trust and allowing discussions with youth to reach deeper levels.

Mentoring

Added to this overall work is a renewed focus on mentorship. “We know this because the work we do in Clubs is social justice work, but it’s important for young folks to know they can get burnt out,” Campbell says. “We have to help them understand that just because you spoke out today doesn’t mean it will automatically change tomorrow. Mentorship with the right experienced and caring adults will help them to keep progressing and not give up.” Now, more so than ever, youth are the key ingredient to healing wounds, transforming policies, upending unjust practices and holding institutions accountable for much needed change. As a result, they are creating a country and global community where all people thrive. In Houston, Club members have poured their energy into a myriad of projects and topics. Some have expressed their feelings and hopes through artistic expression including writing songs, creating visual art, even developing a TV show for broadcast to the Greater Houston community. One group of teens dug into learning more about health disparities Black Americans face, particularly in light of COVID-19. The Club has engaged local attorneys and judges to speak to youth who are passionate about criminal justice reform. Another group is investigating how gaps in technology access affect education. Through it all, Club youth continue to provide Campbell with hope.

There’s not a quick fix or easy answer for any of this. These are the kinds of issues that take a long time to learn and work through. But young people are ready and are already change-agents.”

Boys & Girls Club staff can learn more about our Movement’s approach, available resources, and training opportunities to address systemic racism and increase equity at BGCA.net/RacialEquity.