- Zahra Chowdhury
Student Perspective: PVS Advocacy Groups Going Virtual
High schoolers created advocacy groups to work with community partners and discuss various issues in the city.
With the help of English teacher and college counselor, Jennifer Alejo, students have been participating in discussions on city issues.
The advocacy groups cover education, immigration reform, criminal justice reform, Green Memphis, food deserts and Fight for Fifteen.
Zahra Chowdhury talks about the virtual advocacy group meetings:
Since spring break, Pleasant View School has been closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Just as the school administration has ensured that its students’ education will not be interrupted by this pandemic, the school’s youth advocates and organizers are making sure that their peers still have a safe space to voice their concerns and continue the work of their advocacy groups.
While the students may not be able to meet in person, they have started meeting on Zoom every other week, updating one another on possible opportunities to help out others in the Memphis community.
Students have supported and led a wide range of different causes including organizing and facilitating a Youth Virtual Summit with BRIDGES USA, getting involved with a Youth Justice Letter Writing Campaign and collaborating with organizers all across the nation through the Funders’ Collaborative on Youth Organizing (FCYO).
While we may not be able to gather together and support one another physically, there are several ways to support the causes we care about without leaving your home! Here’s how:
Want to help stop the detaining of youth in Shelby County?
Participate in this letter writing campaign with Just City, one of the Criminal Justice Advocacy Group’s community partners and send the letter to Mayor Lee Harris at lh@shelbycountytn.gov
Want to help support supports undocumented families and workers who are eligible for little to no government aid during this pandemice?
Visit Undocufund
Want to become a virtual reading tutor volunteer with Book Nook?
Contact Ben Koshland about becoming a volunteer! Email: ben@booknooklearning.com