The annual Social Justice Beyond the Classroom conference took place on April 9, 2015 and was a success once again! This conference engages students with an opportunity to explore social and environmental justice, develop an aptitude for activism, and connect with fellow youth. Students from across high schools in the Lower Mainland experienced a fun day of interactive learning through attending various workshops of their choice. The event encompassed a wide-range of topics and speakers, including Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Mayor Derek Corrigan, Omar Khadr's lawyer Dennis Edney, and Indigenous Hip Hop artist JB the First Lady. Next Up was represented at the conference, as alumna Anjali Appadurai spoke on a Youth Environmental Justice discussion panel, and Spencer Lindsay from this year’s cohort 8 facilitated a decolonization workshop. The day concluded with an uplifting slam poem by Jacqueline Lee-Tam accompanying a musical chant led by Vanessa Richards. The space illuminated as students stood and joined together in singing "We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For", making beautifully loud and clear the voice of youth!
Next Up and Social Justice Beyond the Classroom
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