Youth lead charge for change in Cleveland’s communities

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - As many adults are working to fix issues plaguing the city of Cleveland, young members of the community want to be part of the discussion.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Be the change you want to see.”

For members of Empowering Youth, Exploring Justice, or EYEJ, it’s not just a saying but a daily practice.

“It just takes boldness and strength and courage to speak up and to lead,” Shwetha Ramanchandran, a member of EYEJ.

EYEJ is committed to encouraging and nurturing the next generation of changemakers by giving them a space to not just talk about injustices and challenges in Cleveland, but to allow them a brainstorm solutions.

For these young leaders, what is is a changemaker?

“Somebody that is really bold and leads, no matter what people think because a lot of times change is hard to accept so for someone to continue to push forward for something,” Treyah Gray, college freshman.

James Carter, a member of EYEJ and a high school senior, says he considers himself a changemaker.

“Somebody who’s able to identify a problem within the society that they live in, despite the obstacles,” said Carter.

Peter Chmiel is a Cleveland State University student who’s originally from Chicago. He says his work with EYEJ has opened his eyes beyond CSU’s campus.

“I can see how neighborhoods are split up. I can see how that kind of shows up in digital issues and other things in Cleveland. So to me, a changemaker is someone who even if they didn’t experience these issues when growing up they can kind of take their experiences and help improve the lives and the experiences of other people,” said Chmiel.

While many young people are doing the latest TikTok challenge, EYEJ is challenging adults.

“There’s nowhere for us to all come together and feel safe and actually be productive together,” said EYEJ member Kyla Crutchfield.

“There needs to be real reinvestment into neighborhoods, into the youth, into the residents. A lot of the money that the city is awarded we don’t see at all,” said Carter.

EYEJ has been pushing hard to fix Cleveland’s major digital divide and ensure students in low-income neighborhoods have access to the internet. They’ve also voiced their concerns of lack of youth jobs or opportunities. They’ve taken those concerns straight to the politicians by hosting a town hall for mayoral candidates in the summer of 2021 and partnering with different organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Partnership Annual Equity Event.

“Working with other students at my local high school registering CMSD students to vote, speaking on the importance of voting. also as a lifelong resident of the city, going out to the neighborhoods and communities and speaking to people getting a chance to ask people what they think,” said Carter.

These changemakers are about action. They says they don’t just want to see changes happening in Cleveland, they want to help decide them.

“We need to be able to be brought to the table to make the decisions because it seems like they’re making decisions based off of times that we’re definitely not in anymore,” said Treyah Gray.

“We are the change. we’re the people that’s going to be actually taking the action and I feel like the youth is already eager to take action, we just don’t have the right opportunities or the right guidance,” said Clutchfield.

For more information about EYEJ, click here.

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