Jesus Alma, 18, Long Beach
Even if he loses, Obama will leave with a victory [because] his story is an example that we can follow.
If Obama is victorious, then we people of color will expect change. I think that is the message that will be sent out because he made it possible for immigrant students that came to this country before the age of 16 to have a two-year work permit that will allow them to help their families with home expenses. That was a very good change for this country. I think that we can expect more change for the better of this country if Obama wins.
Patrick Moreno, 24, Long Beach
People in this country are being fooled by the media surrounding the election. The polarity of this election has prevented the issues from being addressed. If Obama is defeated, it will be because the oligarchy in this country doesn’t trust him, not because Mitt Romney is a better candidate.
To me, an Obama victory is also a scary idea. Obama has been deceptive about his policies. If he makes it back into office, I believe the compromises he will make (and be forced to make by Congress and other lobbyists) may render him a figurehead in this country. I believe more rich white men will use the image of Obama as a way of maintaining the trust of people of color while they imprison us and continue to cut our education.
I believe white people in this country are terrified of becoming the minority.
Diana Cardenas, 22, Long Beach
[Obama’s election in 2008] should not be romanticized or idolized and we should not expect more from a man of color than a white one in the White House, especially when he is up against an uncooperative legislative body.Whether Obama loses or wins, young people should not be content with the lack of in-depth analysis of issues… When did we hear anything about poverty or, say, about global warming during the campaign season from either candidate? According to the mainstream media, the same one that refuses to raise these and other issues, the race is tight. But when all they support and talk about is the two-party system, this becomes numbing and disillusioning. Young people should not conform to this.
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
