Jamie’s mother and grandmother got her involved in community activism -- but most people who know Jamie claim she was not an outspoken activist at first. In fact, the quiet youth from the Midwest (Cudell) neighborhood never spoke up.
Her grandmother was co-chair of the area’s block group since its inception, and served on the board of directors for Cudell Improvement, Inc. Her mother was a familiar face at community gatherings and meetings. Soon, Jamie’s family members started taking her along, hoping she would have opportunities to participate in community development from a youth perspective. Then the MyCom movement came to Midwest. Jamie got involved, and started to speak for her community.
“At meetings before I started with MyCom, I would just sit there and listen to what people were saying. If I had something in my head that I wanted to say, I wouldn’t say it. Now, I’ll wait until some person is done talking, and if I have any feedback I want to share, I’ll share it.”
She and her peers on her neighborhood’s MyCom youth council attend large meetings where people make decisions about the future of their neighborhood.
“We all sit at a table together, so everyone in the community will notice us. We all speak up about things. Everyone then realizes that the youth have a big impact on the community.”
She noticed that in the beginning, when youth spoke up, adults would interrupt them or not fully listen. Her group’s presence is changing that.
Her advice to other young people who have not yet found their voice: “Get involved in your community as much as you can, because the youth are the future. I don’t think a lot of youth understand that. One day, they’ll be the ones living in the houses, they’ll be the adults, they’ll be taking over and will have to be the ones motivating other young people to get involved.”
Recently, Jamie received the Peer Leadership Award from the Domestic Violence Center (DVC) of Greater Cleveland for her leadership in MyCom. Teens throughout Cuyahoga County were nominated based on the positive impact they have on their community, as well as their exemplary leadership skills. Alicia Petrella of Partnership for a Safer Cleveland nominated Jamie and wrote about her strengths and achievements as a positive teen role model. |
