S.A.F.E. Winter Intensive Focuses on "Giving Back"

S.A.F.E.'s winter intensive, “Giving Back,” went very well. S.A.F.E. is a project of the AFSC Twin Cities Healing Justice Program. Fifteen youth from North Community High School in Minneapolis attentively participated.

One of the exercises asked youth to think about characteristics of their role models. Most youth named their fathers and said that love and support from their families is most important to them.

Youth then visited the Capri Theater to develop presentations and share their videos with their role models. They also produced letters and videos to their future selves. The young people loved that.

Youth had high praise for the intensive.

“This was an amazing experience -- I got to meet new people I would have never talked to before in school,” said one person. Another added, “I have a better understanding that peace is not a place but a mindset.”  A third said, “Winter Intensive was surprisingly fun -- I thought it would be like school, but they made it fun to learn.” 

Brynne Crockett, AFSC Program Director, said she knows there’s a place and time for youth to learn about activism and organizing skills. But in the heart of North Minneapolis, it’s important first to ask youth to think about what inspires them.

Prescott Jones and Maddie Foss of AFSC handled much of the facilitation for the intensive. Many thanks to Michael Roberts, a part of S.A.F.E., for their photography.