TakingITGlobal is proud to announce the inaugural year of the Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards, a dynamic opportunity for youth around the globe to submit their most compelling work to an international media competition. The opportunities for participants are immense! Finalists will have their work judged by a panel of youth, educators, professional artists and prominent figures in the media world, and their work will be showcased online. Voting on an “audience choice” award ensures plenty of online viewers will visit and interact with the media on display. Awards include creative software, hardware, and cash donations to a charity or cause of your choice. The deadline for submitting your media to the competition is April 20th, 2012. Find out more by visiting: www.youthvoices.adobe.com/awards

Ever wonder what the world would be like if everyone was willing to share - information, expertise, and even failures? How would the processes of international development change if this were possible? Well, over the past few weeks working on the YouthMovements program at TIG, I’ve come to understand that the barrier to this ideal picture isn’t necessarily a willingness to share, but simply the ability to do so.

So far, we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from organizations and individuals whom we’ve approached to partner with us - and I bet you’re interested in hearing more about who we’ve been talking to...

 

But first, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Daphne, the new YouthMovements program assistant here at TIG. A recent university graduate, I’m very excited to be able to work in a diverse and internationally-engaged workplace - I love that I have to check which time zone our meetings are scheduled in!

 

 

 

 

 

This morning, Liam and I started the day with a call to Louisville, Kentucky to speak with Njideka from the Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF). Founded in Nigeria nearly 12 years ago, YTF works to sustainably integrate the use of technology into disadvantaged communities throughout Africa. In addition to providing programming for youths, YTF has responded to the desires and wishes of their participants’ mothers and friends by establishing an economic empowerment program for women. It was great to see such a significant overlap in the values and approaches of TIG and YTF, particularly on the nascent power of technology in social engagement amongst youth.

 

 

 

 

 

We then said ‘good evening’ to Philip in Accra, Ghana at 11am EST. Representing the Alliance For African Women Initiative (AFAWI), Philip explained the range of issues and ages that their programming addresses. In addition to women’s empowerment, AFAWI is heavily involved in HIV/AIDS awareness and youth development initiatives across Ghana. He mentioned that securing financial support was something that AFAWI sometimes struggles with - By mapping their various projects on YouthMovements.org, AFAWI will be able to increase their profile amongst international sponsors and establish new, financially sustainable partnerships.

 

 

 

 

 

Later this week, we’ll be meeting with Jacque from the Pacific Youth Council to find out more about the projects they operate in the South Pacific, as well as Judith from Leaders of Tomorrow in Lebanon. Its great to see so many organizations from all over the world willing to get on board, and be able to work together towards our common goals. Imagine how much more effective our sector could be if sharing became the normal way we operate...

 

 

Three of our amazing educators sent us some great photos from their exhibit event which took place a few weeks ago. Congratulations to Martín, Gabriel, and Dani fo doing an amazing job celebrating their program and showcasing youth media to their community!

Educators and youth artists!

The educators presenting to their audience.

A storybook about child abuse created by one of the youth artists.

 

How are young people engaging with COP 17 (the 17th Conference of the Parties) Conference, as world leaders and environment ministers meet to discuss Climate Change and the future of our planet?

In many ways: young people an important role to play because we have the most at stake in these negotiations, it is our future which is being decided, and we who will inherit the decisions made or the terribly implications of the decisions not made at these conferences.

There is also a wide variety of young people here and we all have different ideas about how to be most effective in the process itself.

Firstly, there is YOUNGO, the official group for youth which has the ability to make interventions (deliver speeches) in the plenary sessions. This youth group meets every morning in a spokes council to share information, decide how to effectively engage and plot strategy for the day to come.

Some government delegations have young people participating in the delegations themselves. These young people wear pink badges in the conference center and are involved in tracking the negotiations, help to shape national policy, and represent the voice of youth in the delegations.

Next up there are nationally organized youth delegations such as the SustainUS, the Indian Youth Climate Coalition, the United Kingdom Youth Climate Coalition and the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, These groups work to raise the profile of their countries policy stances, amplify the voices of communities which are not being heard in the negotiations and harness the power of traditional and social media to communicate the events at the conference to the world.

As a young person witnessing the process and the sometimes painful inaction on the part of those who hold power in the negotiations, each day is an incredibly fast paced and very very long roller-coaster. Each hour can bring new highs and lows and sometimes it is difficult to say exactly how effective our actions are at moving the negotiations themselves.

When I meet with other youth from around the world and learn about how climate change is effecting front line communitiies along with what they are doing to confront this immense challenge, I can’t help but be motivated to rise to the occasion, push through the exhaustion and fight with all I’ve got for a better, sustainable future.

In the spring of 2011, two TakingITGlobal team members (myself included!) had the opportunity to visit two of our partner sites in Mexico and Brazil. We facilitated media-making workshops, participated in film festivals, and spent a lot of time talking with youth artists about what it means to affect positive change in the world. When we returned, we had hours of footage and lots of great photos. We decided to put together a short video featuring many of the youth we met on our travels to tell the world about the impact that youth can have when they have the power to use their voices. Here it is! We hope you enjoy it.

Perspectives - Youth insights on global issues. from TakingITGlobal on Vimeo.

On November 9th, 2011 Kate Gatto, who facilitated this year's core training course and Francisco Pereira, TIG's Director of Community Programs, attended Nia Centre for the Arts' Annual General Meeting. 

Nia Centre for the Arts is a collaborative Art Centre that represents Afro-Diasporic arts and culture both locally and internationally, while working with young people through the arts to foster social change. They are based in Toronto and they partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to deliver the Adobe Youth Voices training program. Their final projects are a series of incredible photographs that explore and define notions of community and home while breaking stereotypes about poverty. 

Kate and Francisco were thrilled to meet Letecia Rose, the educator at Nia, and were really impressed by the beautiful gallery exhibit that was set up to display some of the final projects created in the program. Congratulations, Nia Centre for the Arts! Keep up the incredible work.

On November 9th, 2011 Kate Gatto, who facilitated this year's core training course and Francisco Pereira, TIG's Director of Community Programs, attended Nia Centre for the Arts' Annual General Meeting. 

Nia Centre for the Arts is a collaborative Art Centre that represents Afro-Diasporic arts and culture both locally and internationally, while working with young people through the arts to foster social change. They are based in Toronto and they partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to deliver the Adobe Youth Voices training program. Their final projects are a series of incredible photographs that explore and define notions of community and home while breaking stereotypes about poverty. 

Kate and Francisco were thrilled to meet Letecia Rose, the educator at Nia, and were really impressed by the beautiful gallery exhibit that was set up to display some of the final projects created in the program. Congratulations, Nia Centre for the Arts! Keep up the incredible work.

Youthmovements.org held our first inquiry group meeting earlier this week. This collaborative online session brought representatives together from across the youth development sector to discuss, share and investigate the issues and challenges facing our movements.

"There is a positive feedback loop happening. As students and young people see others creating change, they try becoming involved, even in small bits at a time, and as they realize they have a voice, the voice gets louder." Nikos Theodasakis - OliveUS Education Network

 

• Ali Perrotto, National Sexual Violence Resource Center
• Hassanatu Blake, Focal Point Global
• Danielle Miranda, Youth Service America
• Larry Mah, Youth in Motion
• Julie Caldwell, Emerging Futures Youth Network 
• Nikos Theodosakis OliveUS Education Network
• Nicolo Wojewoda, Peace Child International, Road to Rio+20 
• Razwan Nabin, Bangladesh Youth Movement for Climate
• Rini Banerjee, Overbrook
• Monique Leger, Canadian Heritage  
• Sabrina Veser, Servicestelle Jugendbeteiligung

 

• We have hired a new web developer to add more technical capacity to our team.
• We have also completed scopping data requirements for the database structure for our Open Access Map.
• We have explored our TIGed classroom infrastructure and begun updating for our project pages revamp.

• AIESEC
• Learn 360
• Freedom house
• Our American Generation
• Center for International Virtual schooling 
• World Association of Girl guides, Girl Scouts
• Canada World Youth
• YouthService America
• Youth in Motion

Last week I had the opportunity to represent TakingITGlobal and feature Adobe Youth Voices at the UNESCO Youth Forum. The forum took took place between October 17-20, 2011 in Paris, France. It brought together 200 youth delegates and 150 observers from around the world to discuss, debate, and exchange ideas on the Forum’s themes and have the opportunity to present their recommendations to the representatives of Member States during the 36th UNESCO General Conference.

The main theme of the event was "How Youth Drive Change" and delegates were responsible for working alongside key partners and members of civil society to draft a Final Report containing recommendations on themes such as youth in public/political life, youth unemployment and countering youth exclusion.

During the opening ceremony, a special message from renowned Brazilian writer Paolo Coelho to the forum participants was screened. This was an incredibly inspiring moment for everyone in the room, and a beautiful way to start the week. As an observer, I spent most of my time hosting the booth assigned to TakingITGlobal in the Citizen Cafe, which was a centre of activity teeming with excited youth and amazing organizations showing their work. I decorated our space with print photos and posters created by our youth participants as well as our amazing banner, featuring work from the "Perspectives" series.

Every day, young people from all parts of the world would visit the booth and marvel at the Adobe Youth Voices artwork that was displayed. I had countless requests from youth and observers about how they might get involved and I was happy to tell them that we will be looking to recruit new partners and educators to deliver the program in the coming months. It was incredibly energizing to see participants' reactions to the artwork and to have the opportunity to tell them stories about the youth who worked so hard on the photos and images we exhibited. I distributed hundreds of copies of the magazine - some people took handfuls to share with their communities back home! - hundreds of bookmarks and fliers about TIG, and a hundred of the Adobe Youth Voices DVD compilations.

The week was a definite success. Besides having the opportunity to share the incredible work of our youth participants, it was an excellent opportunity to connect with many potential partners. The event provided a perfect forum and audience to share the work of our Adobe Youth Voices participants. I look forward to continuing to share the messages expressed through youth media through exciting exhibition opportunities to come!

The most common feedback we received from youth during the 2010 program cycle was a request for opportunities to interact with and learn about other youth artists around the world. In an effort to begin to address this, we launched an exciting video exchange project involving youth artists in Argentina and Canada.

We asked each group to create a video as a group to showcase their respective cultures and communities. Once the videos were made, each group sent their finished project to the other group.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of visiting Río Tercero, Argentina where our local partner Fundación Tierra Vida has been working to deliver the Adobe Youth Voices program. at Colegio Superior de Comercio, a public school in Río Tercero.

Alongside our educators, we facilitated a media workshop with a group of 60 young artists. To start the workshop we screened the video that Toronto-based Friends in Trouble created through the Adobe Youth Voices program. Their video shares their vision, goals, and love for Toronto, and it poses questions to the youth in Argentina about what they community is like.

It was amazing to see the kids reactions after watching the video, I could see how happy they were, they couldn't believe that youth artists from Canada wanted to know more about them and their country. 

As part of the planning for the workshop we had asked every participant to bring an object that represents their culture or something that is important to them. We wanted to generate ideas around the the elements that are unique about their community and what it means to be a youth living in Argentina.  Based on that framework we split the artist into small groups where they could talk about their object and make quick videos snippets, that later would be use to edit a video to send back to the youth artists in Canada.

Bellow you view the videos that we produced as well as some photos from the visit to Argentina.

Friends in Trouble, Toronto:

Friends in Trouble ~ Adobe, Project You(th) from Friends inTrouble on Vimeo.

Kids and teens at 'Friends in Trouble', learning how to use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere to share their visions, goals and love for Toronto, Ontario. F.i.T. is a non-profit organization dedicated to support and empower youngsters living in the area of Jane & Finch. This clip was made to be shared with the Adobe Project youngsters in Argentina.

Fundacion TierraVida, Cordoba:

http://vimeo.com/32932235           

I really want to thank everyone that participated in the project, for all of us that were lucky enough to be a part of it this has been a really enriching experience and my hope is that in the future we will be able to to do more events that offer our program participants opportunities to learn, share and be part of our global network. 

Each time I attend a gathering with fellow Young Global Leaders, I can't help but feel like I am in a scene of one of those Superhero movies, where they bring together individuals with special powers and abilities who, together, join forces for a better world.

Here we are together in our group photo, wearing brightly coloured t-shirts that we were provided based on random selection. In our small groups, we had reflective discussion circles and were also given a unique martial arts lesson where we learned the power of a soft and open hand.

This year was especially unique, as I had a lot to share with the group in my role as a newly designated YGL Alumni! On our first day together, I was asked to speak and close a session on mentorship and how to gain the most from the YGL experience. My key message was about the importance of contribution to the community, and how we need to both be generous, while also being open to the generosity of others.

Our program also included an interactive dramatic arts presentation and workshop, where teams were challenged to address a conflict from the perspective of one of the characters.

Our Purple Group explored the character of a woman who was living alone in the United States, child and parents in Eastern Europe, and working without a legitimate visa. She was contemplating employment options and in a moment of deep isolation and rejection.

Our task was to create a series of three freeze-frame snapshots, illustrating the problem, solution, and the process to getting there. Here we see a woman who is faced with rejection, yet looking at an offer that would likely compromise her values and integrity.

What was fun about this excersize was the immediate bonding and team-building that took place in the process. It was also interesting to observe how other groups interpreted the challenges of the various other characters in the skit.

A critical milestone for me in Dalian was having an opportunity to showcase the Youth Effect publication, created by 21 Young Global Leaders since Davos 2010. This book and blog (www.youtheffect.org), is aimed at supporting decision-makers at more effectively engaging youth. The Youth Effect played an instrumental role in supporting World Economic Forum founder Professor Klaus Schwab in creating Global Shapers, a new community within the World Economic Forum to engage youth in their 20s. The Global Shapers are based in over 100 cities, as part of local hubs that are recruited through YGL curators.

While making a short presentation to our group about the importance of engaging youth, I could not help but feel as though I was part of an important milestone in history, as I truly believe that many other institutions will follow the lead of the World Economic Forum, prioritizing their own youth engagement strategies. I look forward to keeping track of this evolution and would also like to thank YGL supporters as well as one of my mentors, Kim Samuel-Johnson, who played an instrumental role in championing our effort.

Collaborating with fellow Young Global Leaders throughout the year contributes to growing excitement for the times when we come together in person. Over the past year, I've been working very actively as the Country Chair for Global Dignity Day in Canada. During our group session, we had a chance to encourage many others to facilitate the Dignity Day lesson plan in as many classrooms as possible on October 20th. In Canada, we have incorporated the Dignity principles as part of TakingITGlobal's national Defining Moments program. We have also registered over 56 people, including 30 schools, and expect to reach over 5,000 students this year.

We will be conducting a live video conference as part of our Canadian activities, in partnership with the Centre for Global Education, based in Edmonton, Alberta.

An unexpected surprise was being invited to co-facilitate a session on Managing Hyperconnectivity. I chose the breakout group on health and our discussions looked both at the issues of global pandemics and mental health. We imagined future scenarios where a new immunity drug could be created to protect people from any kind of virus, building a stronger resiliency to disease. We also spoke about how Social Media and digital connectivity can often leave people feeling a strong sense of isolation - or addiction to instant feedback and response. The emergence of the "hive brain" could result in a loss of individuality, memory and creativity while increasing stress and anxiety.  That said, the benefits could lead to greater efficiency, empathy and less reliance on central government control.  It was rewarding for me to be part of such a vibrant debate that allowed us to take a deeper look at the implications of hyperconnectivity on health.  Overall, I believe it is critical that we do not allow ourselves to lose our sense of self, in the midst of the non-stop stimulation and interactions our digital worlds provide access to.   

[breathe]

The theme of technology carried forward on the last day of the Annual Meeting of New Champions, where I joined the closing plenary session entitled "Mastering Quality Growth: Passing the Test of Technology". My session was moderated by Nik Gowling from the BBC, who offered us punchy questions with a great flow, allowing us to discuss how to foster new innovations, managing risks, privacy implications, and the evolution of cultural norms online.

For a full viewing of our session, you can check it out on YouTube!

Each time I attend a gathering with fellow Young Global Leaders, I can't help but feel like I am in a scene of one of those Superhero movies, where they bring together individuals with special powers and abilities who, together, join forces for a better world.

Here we are together in our group photo, wearing brightly coloured t-shirts that we were provided based on random selection. In our small groups, we had reflective discussion circles and were also given a unique martial arts lesson where we learned the power of a soft and open hand.

This year was especially unique, as I had a lot to share with the group in my role as a newly designated YGL Alumni! On our first day together, I was asked to speak and close a session on mentorship and how to gain the most from the YGL experience. My key message was about the importance of contribution to the community, and how we need to both be generous, while also being open to the generosity of others.

Our program also included an interactive dramatic arts presentation and workshop, where teams were challenged to address a conflict from the perspective of one of the characters.

Our Purple Group explored the character of a woman who was living alone in the United States, child and parents in Eastern Europe, and working without a legitimate visa. She was contemplating employment options and in a moment of deep isolation and rejection.

Our task was to create a series of three freeze-frame snapshots, illustrating the problem, solution, and the process to getting there. Here we see a woman who is faced with rejection, yet looking at an offer that would likely compromise her values and integrity.

What was fun about this excersize was the immediate bonding and team-building that took place in the process. It was also interesting to observe how other groups interpreted the challenges of the various other characters in the skit.

A critical milestone for me in Dalian was having an opportunity to showcase the Youth Effect publication, created by 21 Young Global Leaders since Davos 2010. This book and blog (www.youtheffect.org), is aimed at supporting decision-makers at more effectively engaging youth. The Youth Effect played an instrumental role in supporting World Economic Forum founder Professor Klaus Schwab in creating Global Shapers, a new community within the World Economic Forum to engage youth in their 20s. The Global Shapers are based in over 100 cities, as part of local hubs that are recruited through YGL curators.

While making a short presentation to our group about the importance of engaging youth, I could not help but feel as though I was part of an important milestone in history, as I truly believe that many other institutions will follow the lead of the World Economic Forum, prioritizing their own youth engagement strategies. I look forward to keeping track of this evolution and would also like to thank YGL supporters as well as one of my mentors, Kim Samuel-Johnson, who played an instrumental role in championing our effort.

Collaborating with fellow Young Global Leaders throughout the year contributes to growing excitement for the times when we come together in person. Over the past year, I've been working very actively as the Country Chair for Global Dignity Day in Canada. During our group session, we had a chance to encourage many others to facilitate the Dignity Day lesson plan in as many classrooms as possible on October 20th. In Canada, we have incorporated the Dignity principles as part of TakingITGlobal's national Defining Moments program. We have also registered over 56 people, including 30 schools, and expect to reach over 5,000 students this year.

We will be conducting a live video conference as part of our Canadian activities, in partnership with the Centre for Global Education, based in Edmonton, Alberta.

An unexpected surprise was being invited to co-facilitate a session on Managing Hyperconnectivity. I chose the breakout group on health and our discussions looked both at the issues of global pandemics and mental health. We imagined future scenarios where a new immunity drug could be created to protect people from any kind of virus, building a stronger resiliency to disease. We also spoke about how Social Media and digital connectivity can often leave people feeling a strong sense of isolation - or addiction to instant feedback and response. The emergence of the "hive brain" could result in a loss of individuality, memory and creativity while increasing stress and anxiety.  That said, the benefits could lead to greater efficiency, empathy and less reliance on central government control.  It was rewarding for me to be part of such a vibrant debate that allowed us to take a deeper look at the implications of hyperconnectivity on health.  Overall, I believe it is critical that we do not allow ourselves to lose our sense of self, in the midst of the non-stop stimulation and interactions our digital worlds provide access to.   

[breathe]

The theme of technology carried forward on the last day of the Annual Meeting of New Champions, where I joined the closing plenary session entitled "Mastering Quality Growth: Passing the Test of Technology". My session was moderated by Nik Gowling from the BBC, who offered us punchy questions with a great flow, allowing us to discuss how to foster new innovations, managing risks, privacy implications, and the evolution of cultural norms online.

For a full viewing of our session, you can check it out on YouTube!

The CIVICUS World Assembly is an international event that brings together members of civil society - governments, donors, businesses, and youth - to discuss and take action on the world's biggest challenges. This year, the CIVICUS World Assembly took place in Montréal between September 7th-12th. We identified this great event as an ideal international platform for our Adobe Youth Voices "Perspectives: Youth Insights on Global Issues" print exhibit.

TakingITGlobal hosted a Youth Hub where conference participants had the opportunity to engage with each other, discuss the kind of work they were doing in their respective communities, and have a look at the excellent youth artwork we exhibited. All of the pieces that were included in the exhibit were created by Adobe Youth Voices participants from TakingITGlobal's first cycle of the program. We featured the photography, posters, graphic images, and mixed media of youth from Egypt, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, India and Nepal. Each piece expressed a unique youth perspective on themes such as water conservation, human rights, climate change, gender issues, and education. 

The exhibit was a great fit for the four programme tracks that framed the sessions and conversations taking place at CIVICUS. These were: Development Effectiveness, Climate Justice, Connecting People Through Technology, and Civil Society & Democratic Space. In this context, our gallery exhibit gave visibility to youth perspectives and positioned youth voices as central to the conversations taking place. 

It was incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to receive feedback on the artwork that our youth participants produced. The response from gallery visitors was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone wanted to learn more about the program, hear stories about the youth, and find out how they might get involved. Liam and I were more than thrilled to inform people about TakingITGlobal and Adobe Youth Voices. The artwork we showcased prompted fascinating discussions about the crucial role youth have in addressing global challenges. Through this exhibit, youth voices were heard and young people from underserved communities worldwide were effectively positioned as key stakeholders in affecting social change.

The CIVICUS World Assembly is an international event that brings together members of civil society - governments, donors, businesses, and youth - to discuss and take action on the world's biggest challenges. This year, the CIVICUS World Assembly took place in Montréal between September 7th-12th. We identified this great event as an ideal international platform for our Adobe Youth Voices "Perspectives: Youth Insights on Global Issues" print exhibit.

TakingITGlobal hosted a Youth Hub where conference participants had the opportunity to engage with each other, discuss the kind of work they were doing in their respective communities, and have a look at the excellent youth artwork we exhibited. All of the pieces that were included in the exhibit were created by Adobe Youth Voices participants from TakingITGlobal's first cycle of the program. We featured the photography, posters, graphic images, and mixed media of youth from Egypt, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, India and Nepal. Each piece expressed a unique youth perspective on themes such as water conservation, human rights, climate change, gender issues, and education. 

The exhibit was a great fit for the four programme tracks that framed the sessions and conversations taking place at CIVICUS. These were: Development Effectiveness, Climate Justice, Connecting People Through Technology, and Civil Society & Democratic Space. In this context, our gallery exhibit gave visibility to youth perspectives and positioned youth voices as central to the conversations taking place. 

It was incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to receive feedback on the artwork that our youth participants produced. The response from gallery visitors was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone wanted to learn more about the program, hear stories about the youth, and find out how they might get involved. Liam and I were more than thrilled to inform people about TakingITGlobal and Adobe Youth Voices. The artwork we showcased prompted fascinating discussions about the crucial role youth have in addressing global challenges. Through this exhibit, youth voices were heard and young people from underserved communities worldwide were effectively positioned as key stakeholders in affecting social change.

The CIVICUS World Assembly is an international event that brings together members of civil society - governments, donors, businesses, and youth - to discuss and take action on the world's biggest challenges. This year, the CIVICUS World Assembly took place in Montréal between September 7th-12th. We identified this great event as an ideal international platform for our Adobe Youth Voices "Perspectives: Youth Insights on Global Issues" print exhibit.

TakingITGlobal hosted a Youth Hub where conference participants had the opportunity to engage with each other, discuss the kind of work they were doing in their respective communities, and have a look at the excellent youth artwork we exhibited. All of the pieces that were included in the exhibit were created by Adobe Youth Voices participants from TakingITGlobal's first cycle of the program. We featured the photography, posters, graphic images, and mixed media of youth from Egypt, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, India and Nepal. Each piece expressed a unique youth perspective on themes such as water conservation, human rights, climate change, gender issues, and education. 

The exhibit was a great fit for the four programme tracks that framed the sessions and conversations taking place at CIVICUS. These were: Development Effectiveness, Climate Justice, Connecting People Through Technology, and Civil Society & Democratic Space. In this context, our gallery exhibit gave visibility to youth perspectives and positioned youth voices as central to the conversations taking place. 

It was incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to receive feedback on the artwork that our youth participants produced. The response from gallery visitors was overwhelmingly positive. Everyone wanted to learn more about the program, hear stories about the youth, and find out how they might get involved. Liam and I were more than thrilled to inform people about TakingITGlobal and Adobe Youth Voices. The artwork we showcased prompted fascinating discussions about the crucial role youth have in addressing global challenges. Through this exhibit, youth voices were heard and young people from underserved communities worldwide were effectively positioned as key stakeholders in affecting social change.