We Are the Change Candidate Forum Recap

Greetings!

Six young leaders from Lansing and Flint, Michigan led the We Are the Change Candidate Forum on October 22, 2020, and asked the tough questions of local candidates running for office. The event was part of a series of Youth Civic Engagement programs for young people with disabilities to create their vision, lead conversations about policy, and build powerful networks to make change happen.

Topics addressed at the Candidate Forum included:
  • Preparing for a second wave of COVID-19
  • Assisting young mothers with resources
  • Communities gaining access to sex education
  • Addressing issues in the Child Protective Services system
  • Defunding the police and realigning the budget to non-police public safety and community support
  • Addressing law enforcement’s lack of sensitivity for survivors of sexual abuse and assault
  • Accessing to affordable support programs for survivors of sexual abuse and assault
  • Supporting young people through the mental health epidemic

The recorded event is available to you here https://tinyurl.com/yy5afplr.

The We Are the Change Candidate Forum was co-sponsored by Michigan’s Children, Peckham Youth Services, Capitol Area College Access Network, and the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL). The Youth Civic Engagement program is led by IEL with funding support from the Ford Foundation and JustFund. Please contact us at CWD@iel.org to learn how you can join our partnership to promote youth voice and youth leadership through civic engagement.