By being a freedom fellow last year, and being a coordinator/office manager this year, I can really say, this year and this group of fellows were the best. This year all 30 youth bonded, no fights, or bad arguments occurred within or outside the space between the fellows. All the fellows loved and become real close to one another, all forming a family like atmosphere simultaneously making life long friendships.
The first day they walked in, there was homophobia, sexism, racism, and a whole bunch of more -isms, that was going on inside the minds of the freedom fellows. But I can successfully say that is not the case after the six week program. Some youth did a complete 360 in the way the ate, thought, and basically lived there lives. As being a mentor, I am very proud of them and will continue to be there for them whenever and however I can. Each one of those youth has a special place in my soul that will never go away. And I do feel very proud of the fact that some of them has told me that they do look up to me as a mentor, a leader and a friend. By me being only 17, that really touched me. And it is also uplifting of the fact that they come to me, trusting me enough to talk to me, to tell me whats going on, asking me for advice, and sometimes coming out to me. I love working at CFS!!!
I am going to continue working with the Chicago Freeodm School for the rest of my life. This is the place where I learned about myself, and this was the place where I found myself. Chicago Freedom School was my outlet of expression, my outlet of growing, my out let of creating things that society says that we as oyuth can't. And I am so pround that the freedom fellows this year defines the CFS in there own ways, but when it comes down to it, all the principles of what they say are the same.
This was a great summer, and pics of this fantastic summer would be soon to come. I love my freedom fellows, and I promise I will always be there for them love they need, the support they need, and the mini guidance role model they need for defining themselves, who they are, and what it is that they are looking forward to changing...
Ace 