Who better to reimagine justice than THOSE who have experienced life without it?
I Am Why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists’ individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work.
Why I Am Why?
Too often, girls, young women and gender expansive people—especially of color—are ignored or oppressed for demonstrating the very qualities they need to become healthy, powerful adults. Equitable systems and a just society must take a different course, celebrating and supporting qualities such as leadership, loyalty, courage and curiosity, and giving young people meaningful power over their own lives.
I Am Why is a movement for self-determination and justice that centers young women and gender expansive activists. Through individual stories, artwork, research and action, I Am Why’s young activists are reclaiming and re-creating their narrative. We are developing a collective vision of policies, practices and programs that center our humanity and power. We invite you to partner with us as we reimagine justice.
Why I Am Why?
Too often, girls, young women and gender expansive people—especially of color—are ignored or oppressed for demonstrating the very qualities they need to become healthy, powerful adults. Equitable systems and a just society must take a different course, celebrating and supporting qualities such as leadership, loyalty, courage and curiosity, and giving young people meaningful power over their own lives.
I Am Why is a movement for self-determination and justice that centers young women and gender expansive activists. Through individual stories, artwork, research and action, I Am Why’s young activists are reclaiming and re-creating their narrative. We are developing a collective vision of policies, practices and programs that center our humanity and power. We invite you to partner with us as we reimagine justice.
The I Am Why Blog
Youth Leadership in Practice
Hi I AM WHY COMMUNITY! Wow has it been a while! In the past 6 months IAW has gone through a transformative transition! We are currently embarking on a strategic planning journey! On October 9-11, 2024, I Am Why gathered staff, consultants, board...
I believe that the “I am why” cohort found me just in time.
Reposted from Destination Innovation. I believe that the "I Am Why" cohort found me just in time. I truly believe it changed my life. I was kind of spiraling in a bad way right before I found out about the cohort, dealing with alot of depression, and hardships. But...
67208
Oh, how I love 67208, 12th and Dellrose. Norfside. Wichita, KS. Home of the Pimps, Players and Hustlers. A hood. My hood. My people. Real Go-Getters. Oh, 67208! You don’t know how much I love you! I wanna give you your flowers while I still can…....
I Am Why centers transition-age youth, but also firmly believes in meeting young people where they’re at, understanding that young people grow and change at their own individual pace and are impacted by systems differently. Youth generally enter I Am Why between 17 and 26, and may continue in I Am Why programming beyond age 26. While I Am Why is an intergenerational organization, we are youth-led, with young people shaping the organization and programming as emerging leaders. We intentionally create conditions in which youth leadership is felt, seen, adapted, adopted, influential, and growing. All decisions related to programming, organizational structure, and the overall vision of the organization are made in intergenerational spaces where young people hold power.
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