Chicago Youth Advisory Council promotes youth voice in Chicago

Of the many Chicago task forces that cater to different demographics, the Chicago Youth Advisory Council was created to mobilize and serve the youth of Chicago. This youth task force is under the umbrella of the Chicago Commission for Human Relations, which promotes diversity and strives to eliminate prejudice and discrimination. The goal of this task force is to provide guidance for the youth through programs and policies.

To raise awareness about the organization, the Youth Advisory Council has participated in a variety of Chicago events that promote diversity. In 2009 Consul General Huang Ping of the Chicago Chinese Consulate invited the council for a private viewing of their pictorial gallery of past Sino-American relations. The reception showcased the importance of countries' interdependence and ultimately highlighted the importance of interdependence among the different people in Chicago. In 2010 the council helped to host the Women's Advisory Council event for Women's History Month, as well as the Asian American Heritage Month that was hosted by the Advisory Council for Asian Affairs. Although there are a number of events that promote the different parts that make up Chicago, it is important to the members of the Youth Advisory Council that a youth representation exists at all times.

Young students, from the ages of 15 to 25, make up the Youth Advisory Council. These individuals dedicate themselves to the creation of myriad programs that target key issues concerning Chicago youth, from curbing youth violence to increasing youth participation in creating a "greener" Chicago.

The current chair, Victoria Yan, graduated from Northwestern University this past spring and is entering her first year at John Marshall Law School. She had a previous internship at the Chicago Commission for Human Relations where she discovered her passion for human rights. "During my internship I went to observe a hate-crime case in Chinatown," Yan said. "It was when I saw this man's anxiety from his neighbor's threats that I knew I wanted to be involved in creating a more prejudice-free atmosphere in Chicago." Along with fellow intern, Joseph Serafin, Yan pieced together a new youth task force and assembled a team of accomplished young individuals.

There have been previous attempts at creating a task force to cater to the youth, but until recently none of them have come to fruition and lasted. Resurrected from the pieces of the old youth task force, the new Chicago Commission on Human Relations Youth Advisory Council spent the past year organizing the council's infrastructure, increasing membership, and revising bylaws. The council is now at the point in its growth where programs are starting to be developed.

The Youth Advisory Council Programs Committee Chair, Anabelle Doulas, has a number of ideas for youth programs. According to Doulas, her passion in life is "to give a voice to those who have been silenced by society; whether it be racial or ethnic minorities to those with special needs." Doulas is very active in a variety of organizations, from Tree House Humane Society for animal rights to Best Buddies to being a leader at the High Ridge YMCA. She is dedicated to assisting Chicago youth in the "discovery of their passion and purpose in life."

The Youth Advisory Council Programs Committee is currently in the process of drawing up plans for the upcoming academic year. The committee wants to start hosting workshops for resumé-building and interview skills in efforts to encourage career development. To facilitate "green-thinking" in Chicago youth, the committee has also been working on creating a community garden, which can only take place with the involvement of Chicago youth.

Although it is a new organization with only around 20 members, the Youth Advisory Council's team of dedicated young minds is already on its way to engaging the youth of Chicago to promote diversity and self-improvement. The council is always looking for motivated new members. For more information go to www.chicagoyouthhrc.org or send questions about the organization to info@chicagoyouthhrc.org.