We believe that the ability to tell our own story, in our own words is powerful. It’s so powerful that it can lead to other powerful things like changing our schools, our neighborhood, our community and the world. We know this because we know our history. We have seen the ability of people who know how to shape and share their stories, shape the world. We have seen communities, who discovered the power of their own voice, become communities who change the world.

This book is the work of 11 young New Orleanians and our desire to bring their voices - the black youth perspective - and the voices of other young people into the discussions about our city.

Rethink’s 2015 summer leadership institute was designed to develop the political education of participants while exploring the deep connections between art, agency, and justice through mapping New Orleans with a focus on (1) the Prison Industrial Complex; (2) 2015 Jim Crow segregation; and (3) Education for Liberation. 

We interviewed 60 young people in 20 hours. Our youngest interviewee was 8 years old and our eldest was 23 years old. We decided to pick three broad geographic areas in which to explore and learn from our peers; the Treme, Central City and New Orleans East. As the summer progressed we added the Freret Street Corridor based on our desire to better understand the realities of gentrification. The people we ended up interviewing came from all over the city. We meet them in parks, on the street, at events and at work and they told us a little about what it was like to live in their skin. 

The final result is a beautifully designed, 50 page report that combines qualitative research, analysis, stories, photgraphy and original poetry. We are asking for your donation of $20 to help us cover the cost of printing and shipping these reports. 

We are currently sold out on our first printing! Click here to check out a digital copy.