by Jennifer Hernandez While during this pandemic, I am trying to remain as calm as possible and only think positive thoughts. I can’t help and notice the people around me. Many are losing their jobs, xenophobia on trains, people fighting over hand sanitizer and toilet paper. This pandemic isn’t bringing the best out in people, […]
Read more "Pandemic Mayhem By: Jennifer Hernandez"There has been a lot of panic due to the coronavirus. There are no longer any in-person classes and schools have been closed. People are no longer traveling to work if it is not necessary. Personally, I am now working from home and my college classes are now all online. I am supposed to graduate […]
Read more "Change, Fear, and Self-Care By: Rachel Bai"It is March 15th, 2020. Earlier today, while sitting in the car, my family and I heard Governor Cuomo announce on the radio that NYC public schools would be closing, possibly until April 20th, meaning more than a month without school. Upon hearing the announcement, I felt strange, not particularly happy or sad, just in […]
Read more "Optimistic By: Anjali Temal"Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you just want to stop thinking about all the things that are bothering you? Being quarantined may seem like a good idea but all the thoughts you were trying to get away from by going to school, work, gym, etc., is all rushing back to you. Now you’re thinking about […]
Read more "Quarantine Self-Care By: Monia Begum"The lessons I’ve learned at YASI are lessons that I have taken with me into my life and spread through my communities, at school, and at home. At school, I am the co-president of a club called History for Action. In this club, we facilitate conversations on current issues and their historic parallels. Learning about […]
Read more "My Passion for Advocacy"In the short time passed upon completing the Youth Advocacy Summer Institute program, also known as YASI, I have really grown and excelled both professionally and personally. YASI allowed me to gain experience in the field of social services and opened pathways for me to further excel. During my time with YASI, I attended an […]
Read more "My Life After YASI"At 9 years old, I was told I would be moving in with my grandparents. I was upset, confused, and grieving for my old home upstate in the mountains, regardless of how unsafe and unstable it was. I resented my grandparents for not being my biological parents. My grandparent’s old school parenting style where emotions […]
Read more "Opening to Love"Life after YASI is unreal. I have had lots of accomplishments and breakthroughs as I headed back to school at the High School of Economics and Finance. I’ve been busy with clubs, preparation for college, competitions, and getting to figure out what to do with the knowledge I’ve obtained with my time at the Youth […]
Read more "Isael’s reflections on life after YASI"By Sonia Gurcharran, YASI ’18 S.W.I.T.C.H. Something. We. Intend. To. Change. Here. For our externship this summer, my group – Tahirih (Branch), Omar (Martir), Mamadou (Yattassaye) and I – started a code-switching awareness campaign. We were looking to find out if people know what code-switching is and how it affects people, in any way, regardless if they […]
Read more "YASI 2018’s Code-Switching Externship & Campaign"As we approach the start of YASI ’18 we hope you’ll join us in looking back at some of last summer’s exciting activities, including an impressive spoken word piece by Ricky Strahan (YASI ’17). This amazing poem was performed at YASI’s youth summit entitled Brooklyn’s Health: An Unseen Priority on August 9, 2017. Enjoy the […]
Read more "Rickey: I Am A Doctor"