FOR MORE INFORMATION:
CONTACT: JOSH PRUDOWSKY
PHONE: 773.771.2849
EMAIL: joshua@mikvachallenge.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 27, 2017
Alderman gives power to young people for Dia del Niño (Day of the Youth)
35th ward youth to introduce ordinance and take over Alderman’s Twitter
Chicago IL – Dia del Niño has been celebrated annually in Mexico since 1925 to recognize youth, pay homage to their importance in society, and endorse their well being. In Chicago, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa of the 35th ward is honoring this day by hosting 12 high school students of his Aldermanic Youth Council, to live a day in the life of an alderman and implement a piece of policy. The Aldermanic Youth council, in partnership with Mikva Challenge, is a group of young people living in the ward, who explore issues that youth have identified as being barriers for them in their community. The main goal of the group is to create policy solutions to these barriers in order to build support and capacity for youth voice and governance in the ward.
On this day, Alderman Ramirez-Rosa will be granting power to his council to act as alderman for the day. Accompanying him on visits to local schools, and on a panel discussion promoting the importance of sanctuary schools. Students will host a town hall discussion at his Hermosa office, inviting all youth living in the ward to have a conversation with the alderman on issues that young people are facing. The students will also present a piece of policy they created that require new developers to allocate a percentage of development costs to go into youth development work happening in the 35th ward.
Throughout the day students will be taking over the wards twitter account @35thward.
Photo, Film and Interview Opportunities:
4:00 – 5:30pm Policy Recommendation 2959 N Milwaukee: Aldermanic Youth Council students will present an ordinance to Alderman Rosa for developers to invest in youth development opportunities in the 35th Ward.
5:30 – 6:30pm TownHall 2959 N Milwaukee: 25 youth will have an open conversation with Alderman Rosa about how to improve the lives of young people in the 25th ward.
####
8,000 young people from 110 schools across Chicagoland participate in Mikva Challenge programs annually. Named after Abner and Zoe Mikva, the Mikva Challenge is a non-partisan, nonprofit that develops youth to be informed, and active citizens and community leaders. We do this by engaging youth in action civics, an authentic and transformative learning process built on youth voice and youth expertise. https://www.mikvachallenge.org