Wink - Youth Office Editorial
Goodbyes from Youth Ministry Associates and Synapse Editors
by Marissa
Gutiérrez
Youth Ministry
Associate
Hola, amigos!
As I type this to you all, I am sitting in the middle of Mexico City, which according to 2000 statistics, has a population of about 8,605,239.* Making it the 10th largest city in the world, right after Beijing....it´s pretty amazing. It´s actually the second largest urban agglomeration in the world, with 19,013,000, surpassed only by Tokyo, Japan (with 35,327,000).** Wow!
"Why am I telling you this," you´re probably wondering. If there´s one thing I want to leave Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU) with, it’s perspective. There are a LOT of people in this world. Although this sounds obvious, I think we often forget this, as we get tangled in our own lives: wrapped up in the challenges and opportunities that are presented to us, I know I do this. But, one of the many things I have learned while working in the Youth Office is that we really are an inter-connected web of life. We are constantly learning and growing from each other, every single day.
One of my favorite examples of this was my work with the Chrysalis Training Program (which you should all become a part of...this year the Youth Office will be accepting applications for Leadership Development and Groundwork: Anti-Racism Trainers!). I helped coordinate trainings for districts I will never visit and for folks I will never have the chance to meet. But I know that they are doing good GRASSROOTS work. This is important to mention, because it´s from the roots—youth training other youth, who in turn teach others, and so forth. Imagine how many people receive trainings each year! We all learn and grow from one another...we are all a part of one huge chain, thus we must always remember to fight for the justice of those within our chain.
I hope that you will continue doing good work in your own communities and also remember to stand in solidarity with people whom you will never meet, in places you may never visit. Whether it is helping folks in Darfur, fighting against sweatshops in the Dominican Republic, or demanding that Mexico City gas station attendants get a salary!
In closing, I will miss the Youth Office and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Make sure you send Kat Manker-Seale an email now and then—she and the rest of the team are pretty amazing. May you grow as much and even more than I have and may you always stand up for what you believe in, with as much passion as possible.
Life continues on...what are you going to do with yours?
*Wikipedia.org
**Infoplease.com
Adios,
Marissa A.
Gutiérrez
2005-2006 Youth Ministry Associate
by Joo
Young Choi
YRUU Programs Specialist
What a year this has been, I am so honored to have had the chance to work in the Youth Office and work with so many truly amazing, talented, inspiring, and awesome young people.
This has been of those experiences you never forget. Through out this year I have learned more about the importance of social justice, spirituality, anti-racism, classism, and of course, youth empowerment!
What can I say? To the youth I have met, please continue to stay fabulous and continue to be agents of change in a world that definitely needs a lot of big changes. Please don't give up your passion and the truth of your words and feelings.
To the youth of color who have blessed me with their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and hearts, thank you for everything. The wisdom you hold is more than I will ever know, keep up the struggle and stay strong, you are worth it. Stay close to your community, support and love one another, learn as much as you can about who you are and the oppressions you will face, know that you do not fight alone but you have other friends of color and white allies to support you.
To the young white allies I met this year. You turned things I saw as fact into fiction and fears into hopes. Watching many of you blossom from youth who didn't understand the importance of anti-racism to young people who have made anti-racism a part of your life, has been so inspiring. Stay strong and keep up the fight, you have and will continue to change the way the people around you see world.
And to YRUU as an organization, an experience, and a family, I want to say thank you. Never have I ever worked a job that has brought me to know the map of my own heart. YRUU has changed my life, it brought me a sense of self-confidence I never thought I would ever believe I could have, it has brought me friends and introduced me to people I call my 'chosen family', it has brought me mentors, free education, free life lessons, and more love and support I could've ever imagined.
Again, thank you and good- bye.
Stay Safe, Stay Focused, and Maintain…
Love,
Jooyoung Choi
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
