[maria]

I’ve had the privilege of working with YouthREX for the past four years, and during this time, I’ve learned so much from young people. One of the most important lessons they’ve taught me is that one of our greatest superpowers is the courage to speak up.

A moment that deeply resonated with me was during the YouthREX Teach-in, Resisting Burnout and Vicarious Trauma: Collective Care and Solidarity. Together with Vikki Reynolds, a consultant, facilitator, and community worker, we explored how solidarity and justice-doing must be central to collective care, particularly in youth work.

Shahaddah Jack, a spoken word poet, performer, human rights activist, and young person herself, was invited to perform her piece, “It’s Time to Wake Up.” She delivered a performance that was more than just poetry…it was a call to consciousness.

One line in particular stayed with me:
“Shattering the glass of our window of feigned ignorance, we lie still… while those who are tired of suffering turn their pain into action…”

Her words were a powerful reminder that healing and resistance are not opposites…they coexist. And young people like Shahaddah are showing us what that looks like in real time: how grief can become fuel, and how in “moments of hopelessness, our voices remain our greatest superpower”.

Through her poem, and through my ongoing work with YouthREX, I’ve come to understand especially from young people, that vulnerability IS strength. That storytelling is a form of activism. That choosing to stay awake — to confront discomfort, to speak up, to hope, and to disrupt the status quo — is a radical act of resistance and collective care.

And above all, I’ve learned that we must continue to build spaces where young people feel safe to speak, where their voices are not only heard but amplified…and where our role is not just to support them, but to stand with them.

youthrex.com

Shahaddah Jack – "It's Time to Wake Up" - Youth Research and Evaluation eXchange

This video was produced by YouthREX. HERE’S HOW THE CREATORS DESCRIBE THIS VIDEO: Shahaddah Jack shared the timely and stimulating piece, “It’s Time to Wake Up,” during an online Teach-In hosted by YouthREX on December 7, 2023. Born and raised … Continue reading

[Kathe]

I love these reflections, Maria, and I love revisiting this incredible piece ❤

And, yes, vulnerability is absolutely a strength!