Mayor’s Youth Summit gets thousands of teens connected

Vidya Rao

“Who wants to make money? Where are the ballers at?” asked George “Chip” Greenidge of the 2,500 or so teens at the 12th Annual Mayor’s Youth Summit on Friday. When teens clapped and roared in response, Greenidge, the executive director of the National Black College Alliance, replied, “Well then, it’s time to start studying ... come see me and I’ll give you a scholarship!”

The Mayor’s Youth Summit was held at the Bank of America Pavilion Friday evening, bringing out teens, mentors, youth workers, teachers and parents. The well-planned event provided free food and drinks to attendees, as well as entertainment ranging from dance troupe EnMotion’s riveting performance that had teens standing up and crowding in front of the stage to Miguel Andjuar crooning a Frank Sinatra classic.

“The performances were about giving teens the chance to showcase their talent,” explained Patty McMahon, who works with the Mayor’s Youth Council. “Teens can celebrate each other in a positive light.”

Besides the entertainment, the big draw of the event was the 110 organizations that were present with resource tables. Some of the organizations included Artists for Humanity, Teen Voices and Hyde Square Task Force. Virtually every organization that serves teens in the Boston area was able to provide program information as well as network with each other to be able to share services in the future.

“It was good to have the opportunity to learn about all the resources out there,” said 16-year-old Chavonne Dunbar, who attended the conference for the first time. “I would definitely come back again next year.”

“We want teens to know the resources, so as school starts, they can enroll in after-school programs,” said McMahon.

The theme of this year’s event was “Bigger Than Your Block,” connecting the dots between what happens on one street to the neighborhood, city and community at-large.

“We decided on [that theme] because Boston has such a separation based on neighborhoods,” said 17-year-old Amity Paye, a member of the Mayor’s Youth Council and host of the event. “If we want the city to work on issues like more jobs for teens, higher pay and ending violence, we have to be united.”

The summit, which is organized by the Mayor’s Youth Council, along with Boston Centers for Youth and Families and the Parks Department, stemmed from the idea that teens need a positive environment in which to network with each other and connect with community leaders such as the Boston Police and the Mayor. In the late 1980s and early ’90s, Boston Community Centers (now Boston Centers for Youth and Families) held annual Youth Congress meetings, which allowed for youth to voice their concerns to city officials.

“Times were changing and we realized there needed to be a more positive opportunity for teens to be engaged with the city,” said Sandy Holden of Boston Centers for Youth and Families. “So the Mayor’s Youth Council and the summit were born.”

It’s difficult to imagine that the summit used to be held in high school gyms and in college auditoriums, due to the number of participants that it has attracted over the last couple of years.

“There are not many outlets like these that get this many young people in the same place and highlight their achievements,” said Greenidge. “Things like this should happen weekly.”

Paye explained an interaction she had with an adult at the event that, for her, encapsulated the purpose of the summit.

“A woman that I talked to said that she has never seen Boston teens in a good light. With this many teens in one place, she said she thought people would be shooting each other,” Paye laughed. “She was in awe, and that was the whole point — to change that perception about the city’s teens.”

Tanasia Barboza-White contributed to this article.