Next Generation Now Information

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Next Generation Now

6 min readMay 2, 2017

“Thank you to all who made this event possible: the speakers, musicians, MCs, marshals, tablers, and participating organizations, as well as those who braved the rain to attend. It was so inspiring to hear so much passion and commitment from so many young voices, and we feel lucky to have been able to share the day with all of you.” — Next Generation Organizers

Our children don’t get to vote, but they do have a voice — and they want and need to use it. This rally and march on May 13, 2017 in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn will be an opportunity for all of our children to learn to stand up and speak out on the issues they care about — on their own terms and in their own words.

Let’s get our children together, from toddlers to teens, and let them lead a celebration of independent thought, community, inclusivity, and their future.

Below is some additional information about our event:

DETAILS

Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 11:00 AM — 2:00 PM EDT

Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York, 11201

SOCIAL MEDIA

Use #NextGenerationNow (across all social media platforms)

Facebook Events Page

Twitter (@NextGenNowNYC)

Instagram (NextGenerationNow)

SUPPORT US

GoFundMe Page

T-Shirt Campaign

E-MAIL

volunteer.childrensmarch@gmail.com

FLYER

Next Generation Flyer PDF

MARCH ROUTE

General Schedule

11 a.m. — Rally kickoff with a set from several students from the Blue Balloon Songwriting School

11:40 — Speeches from Janice Nixon and Melvin Todd followed by Congressman Paul Tonko

12:30 — Melt The Band performance followed by six more youth speakers and a moment of silence in the name of unity

1:35 — March will begin as Hopalong Andrew takes main stage

PARTICIPANTS

Performers

Hopalong Andrew (Hopalong Andrew is an award-winning musician and former NYC Urban Park Ranger, teaching history and nature in Central Park (where he was known as “The Singing Ranger”). He is a fixture of the Brooklyn family music scene and has appeared at events for Summerstage, Bryant Park, Fort Greene Park, Hudson Park, The Brooklyn Public Library, and many more.)
Young Songwriters from Blue Balloon Songwriting (Songwriters from Blue Balloon’s young songwriters — all under the age of 14 (some as young as 5) — will be playing original songs about things that are important to them.)
Melt (Melt is a 7 piece pop/RnB band created by a group of NYC high school seniors. They just released their first single “Sour Candy,” which, after being featured at the top of Reddit’s Listen To This, now has over 75 thousand views on YouTube.)

Speakers

Zainab Abdullah (Abdullah is a local 16-year-old student who has traveled back and forth from the U.S to Yemen over the course of her life, but moved here permanently a year and half ago while fleeing the war in Yemen. Zainab and her peers run a weekly radio podcast show called “Radio Hakayat” where she dicusses culture, politics, and feminism. She supports justice for immigrants and refugees and believes in standing up for human rights. She hopes she can shine light on the current situation in Yemen.)
Janice Nixon and Melvin Todd (Nixon and Todd will speak at the rally about their inspiring activism as young people. Both participated in the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, one of the turning points in the Civil Rights Movement. Four years later, Ms. Nixon and four of her friends joined together and integrated their local, previously all-white school, enduring taunts and abuse to stand up for their rights. Mr. Todd also went on to a lifetime of activism, including as a participant in the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.)
Ajani Stella (Stella is a 10-year-old who has had the good fortune to see some of Earth’s most valuable natural treasures in the rainforests and jungles of Central America, the Amazon, and India as well as the Serengeti in Africa. He is deeply concerned regarding the effect of climate change in these areas, as well as his hometown, NYC. This concern and his love of science has led him to his desire to be an inventor to help affordably address renewable energy sources.)
Janay Pegues (Pegues is a local student and a member of the NYCLU’s Teen Activist Project. She has a strong passion for social activism and volunteerism. She hopes to inspire others to be more involved in their communities and to express their passionate beliefs about a specific issue that they deeply care about. Lastly, she intends to continue being an advocate in hopes of a better future for all generations.)
Lily Gordon (Gordon is a local student who is is a part of a group of high schoolers called NYC Youth Stands with Standing Rock, and she work with Sierra Club and recently started working with 350NYC. NYC Youth Stands with Standing Rock is a NYC-based group that stands in solidarity with the people of Standing Rock and the water protectors all across the continent; they advocate for clean water and energy, and they fight against fossil fuels and climate change.)
Janay Pegues (Pegues is a local student and member of the NYCLU’s Teen Activist Project. She has a strong passion for social activism and volunteerism. She hopes to inspire others to be more involved in their communities and to express their passionate beliefs about a specific issue that they deeply care about. Lastly, she intends to continue being an advocate in hopes of a better future for all generations.)
Angelica Solis (Sols a local high school student and member of the NYCLU’s Teen Activist Project. Angelica is very enthusiastic about social justice and hopes to work with her fellow TAP members to make a difference in New York City. In the future, Angelica would like to pursue a career in law. Angelica likes to play soccer in her free time.)
Sherell Farmer (Farmer is a local high school student and member of the NYCLU’s Teen Activist Project. She is especially passionate about comprehensive sex ed, solitary confinement, farmworkers rights and various other social justice issues. She hopes to use her passions and skills to take action towards those issues.)
Sonia Zinkin-Meyers (Zinkin-Meyers is a local 6th grade student. While Sonia has always technically been a city kid, she has never felt that way. Her family’s close ties to Vermont have enabled Sonia to tap into a visceral love of the great outdoors, and an appreciation for wildlife and our shared environment. With nature playing such a big part in her life, Sonia feels that we have a strong responsibility to protect the environment and create more sustainable solutions and communities. Sonia is eager for all kids to have a voice regarding the importance of protecting our environment for future generations.)

Supporting Organizations

These organizations have provided activities and/or tables:

Activities

BKC Booth

Calling all future photographers and journalists! Do you have a story to tell? Come to the BKC booth, where professional photographers and instructors will be teaching the fundamentals of documentary storytelling for all young photographers 18 and under. Learn about photography’s impact on social movements and change, and how it shapes our lives in the age of Snapchat and Instagram. Gain important skills for capturing the moment, and making your voice heard. Today’s youth rally is the perfect opportunity to tell a story from your perspective, using just your iphone or android phone. Join BKC now and get empowered.

BKC is a Brooklyn-based photo and media learning center that believes we all have the power to create positive change. Their headquarters is located just down the road at Washington and Water streets in Dumbo. For more information, check out www.bkc.nyc

Two Soapboxes

We want to hear from the kids! Sign up at one of the two soapbox stations — run by students from the International School of Brooklyn and by students from MS8 — to speak your mind for everyone to hear (and post everywhere with #NextGenerationNow)!

Last Updated: 5/19/2017