Activating our Autonomous Youth Council
At just 21, Erik Nelson sits on the board of directors at Data You Can Use, surrounded by established professionals and seasoned community leaders. It’s an experience he still finds surreal.
“I think it’s given me more confidence in myself,” Erik said. “I really appreciate being able to learn the process firsthand. It’s been very beneficial – not just for my own growth as a young professional, but also for helping me support my community.”
Erik is one of 26 young leaders who signed on to serve in the inaugural cohort of the Autonomous Youth Council (AYC) – a groundbreaking initiative giving Milwaukee youth real power to shape the city’s future. Designed by youth for youth, the AYC has placed members in decision-making roles across eight organizations, providing opportunities to influence policies, shape programs and ultimately drive change.
From Training to Transformation
The AYC began in July of 2024 with a bold vision: to elevate youth leadership and empower young people to make a meaningful impact. Born from the Design Your Future Fellowship and fueled by the insights of 300+ youth and community members, this paid program is equipping participants to influence the decisions that affect them and speak up for what they need.
Prior to their placements, members explored topics like leadership, systems thinking and advocacy, as well as life skills like budgeting and entrepreneurship. By February 2025, they were ready to begin the next phase of their journey. Youth were embedded within decision-making bodies across the city, stepping into the role of board members, program co-leads and project managers.
Each placement site received training on youth-adult equity and completed the revamped Youth-Adult Equity Ladder Assessment, helping them create meaningful opportunities for youth leadership.
“Throughout the year, partners made intentional shifts to deepen youth engagement and clarify expectations,” said Clintel Hasan, the AYC program consultant. “Many organizations moved from having youth ‘assist’ with tasks to creating meaningful roles where they could co-lead meetings, contribute to planning and take ownership of parts of projects.”
Youth Voices in Action
AYC members have now turned their training into tangible change. At Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, for instance, they’ve developed a youth-led teen internship program, while at Lad Lake they’ve used their influence to help make policies more youth-friendly. At Data You Can Use, they’ve lent their voices to strategic planning, and at Arts @ Large, they’ve designed “Streets With A Story,” a short-film project that will serve as one of two career development internship tracks.
“The experience so far with our AYC members has been phenomenal,” said Sam Kacala, Arts @ Large’s education manager. “When the program started, I wasn’t sure what the impact would be, but along the way there have been both direct and indirect influences on our organization.”
(Read more AYC stories in our Q&A series!)
Kacala’s reflection echoes what many partners have experienced: a real shift in how adults view youth leadership. Maria Hamidu, one of the AYC program leads, has seen that transformation firsthand. “Youth bring bold, creative and innovative solutions. When they’re part of the decision-making process from the start, the work becomes more grounded and relevant. They force us to think beyond traditional systems and make decisions that are truly responsive to the community’s needs.”
