In a climate of increasing racial, religious and ethnic tensions, the capacities to listen compassionately, dialogue thoughtfully, and create safe spaces for conversation and collaboration have become absolutely essential. How do we foster such skills? How can we help to create a world in which these abilities are ubiquitous?

 This is exactly what Youth LEAD has been doing for almost two decades! A non-profit organization based in Sharon, MA, Youth LEAD has trained high school students to transform angry rhetoric into thoughtful questions and new understanding. The organization has been recognized by the Pluralism Project at Harvard University as a national best practice.

 Youth LEAD invites high school students to attend its annual teen-led conference, Teenage Identity & Diversity Education (TIDE), which will take place at Emerson College from May 27-29, 2016. For three-days, teens lead experiential workshops and train their peers to lean into and lead difficult conversations around identity. Participants will leave with new skills and understanding about themselves and others, along with the confidence to continue these conversations in their own communities, all over the country. 

 The teens at Youth LEAD also invite their peer participants to present their own workshops at TIDE – on the intercultural and interfaith work they do in their own communities, or other issues of identity, diversity, and conflict resolution. In the coming weeks, our team will be reaching out to solicit proposals for these workshops. This is an aspect of the conference that the youth all look forward to every year, and all participants are encouraged to apply!

 Please see the poster , and feel free to email the conference director Divya Chandramouli if this event interests you, or with any questions (divya@youthleadonline.org, 617-306-8822). You can also visit Youth LEAD at youthleadonline.org.

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