Black Youth Want More than Voting

About 200 high school and college students from 20 different states came together in April for the fifth annual Black Youth Vote (BYV) Civic Leadership conference held in Washington D.C. This year’s theme, “Hip Hop Activism: Revolutionizing Black Power,” focused on strategic political action leaving young black leaders from all over the country energized and full of hope.

With all the grassroots activity around election time, why did BYV conference took place months after the 2004 presidential election? “It’s not just about getting out the vote among black youth,” explains Melanie Campbell, executive director and CEO of BYV. Campbell wants young leaders to think, “How do you utilize the vote in civic engagement?”

Given that many crucial state elections are coming up next November, the three-day conference participants discussed specific issues that directly affect the lives of black youth: affirmative action, the impact of HIV/AIDS, corporate media and the long-term consequences of war. The panelists emphasized the importance of building strong national coalitions and provided practical tools necessary for effective organizing.

BYV is a national grassroots coalition of youth organizations that works to increase political engagement of black youth under age of 30. This demographic now represents 50 percent of black electorate in the U.S. BYV identifies and trains youth organizers in colleges and local communities around the country.

Many BYV participants agreed that the election itself seemed to foster divisiveness rather than unity, said Campbell. But despite that the overwhelming attitude among the conference participants was full of optimism and hope.

On the first day, the young leaders met and discussed legislative goals with representatives of the Congressional Black Caucus. They later split up into smaller groups and spoke with their congress representatives. The next two days of the conference included discussions with world-renowned civil rights speakers followed by practical workshops on message development, coalition building, fundraising, and more.

The last day of the conference on April 9, attracted most participants. Despite the early start at 8 a.m., the rooms were crowded with highly energetic partakers. Hip hop music played as people shuffled in. The BYV members had become connected and grew closer by discovering that many share similar experiences and struggles, even though they all came from different generations, communities, and backgrounds. The wide range of ages from 13 to 35 didn’t prevent connections, as it became evident through the rising cloud of noise from impassionate conversations and laughter.

The interactive sessions were especially effective in fostering youth-driven discussions. “The Politics of Hip Hop Media,” revolved around issues of corporate exploitation of black identity. The presentation charged that corporations thrive on their use of the “urban mindset” to market products to a young audience. Advertisements for everything from soft drinks to cell phones portray negative common perceptions of what it means to be “urban,” largely brought to you by hip hop artists and other black celebrities.

Conference participants urged their peers to put pressure on corporations to be more socially responsible in their marketing and advertising. “Things like hip hop are used to sell everything other than the positive black image,” Illai Kenny, a 16-year-old from Georgia said. She thinks this can only change if “we maximize our own gain from relationships with corporations.” She suggested making group demands from certain corporations since many products are targeted to black urban youth.