Youth Forward MKE Champions Youth Impact
On October 2, the Youth Forward MKE Coalition came together to celebrate how far we’ve come – and to lay the groundwork for what comes next. Under the theme Celebrating Today, Building Tomorrow, the meeting was a powerful reminder of what happens when young people and adults share decision-making power, learn from one another and lead side by side.
“Even in a time marked by uncertainty, erasure and social challenges, it's important to lift up the bright spots – which are our youth, their growth and the community that continues to support them,” said Maria Hamidu, the Youth Forward MKE project manager. “By prioritizing our young people, we are creating change and building a more hopeful community.”
Rising Leaders, Real Impact
Nowhere is that vision more evident than in the work of the Autonomous Youth Council (AYC), where young leaders are gaining real-world experience, influencing decisions and shaping the future alongside community partners. At eight organizations across the city, they’re championing youth-adult equity and driving changes that will impact Milwaukee for years to come.
At the African American Roundtable, Amir Williams is using his talents to canvass the community, gathering input on a $600,000 grant. At Lad Lake, Kaylee Marsh is helping girls campaign for office while pushing for policy revisions that will better cater to youth. At Arts @ Large, Lola Johnson is conducting interviews to bring other youth on board for their Streets with a Story project. And at Data You Can Use, Deh Nee is both sitting on the board and forming connections that will help him jumpstart his future career.
(Check out their stories - and more - in our new Q&A series!)
Altogether, 26 young people are making their mark – and growing as leaders in the process.
“I just feel more adultish, in a way, like I have somewhat of an authority because I’m helping to choose people to be part of this big project,” explained Lola. “I feel like I’m doing something to help the community in a way. … And Arts @ Large makes me feel very heard and included.”
During Data You Can Use’s annual Data Day, Deh used what he’s learned to be a powerful voice for change. “While reviewing the data, I noticed significant disparities across communities, especially among Black and Brown youth, which highlighted how class and household factors impact opportunities. I made individual decisions and encouraged others at my table to support organizations that best serve youth and families,” he said.
Learning from Youth
The impact of the AYC extends beyond the young people themselves. During the meeting, placement partners described how council members’ contributions are reshaping their organizations and inspiring new ways of thinking.
At Arts @ Large, Sam Kacala admires the way youth have tackled the interview process, asking pertinent questions while making the candidates feel comfortable and welcome. “I thought that was a really cool use of that power. But I think the whole project has pretty much been like that,” he shared. “And then even beyond that, they’ve been influencing how our organization views programmatic changes with youth-led voices and youth equity.”
Xela Garcia of Walker’s Point Center for the Arts highlighted how youth helped design and launch the Teen Artist in Residence program, shaping the structure, sequence, topics and even the guest artist lineup. “I think they really helped us understand that authentic youth partnership needs to be flexible, relational and rooted in trust,” she explained. “The partnership has reaffirmed that meaningful youth collaboration takes time and adaptability, but that the outcomes – whether that's structural or human – can really change an organization.”
Building Stronger Partnerships
Supporting the program from behind the scenes, consultant Clintel Hasan helps program staff and partners build authentic youth-adult partnerships, ensuring that every placement is a space where young leaders are seen, heard and valued.
“All of the AYC sites are already invested in building youth-adult equity,” Clintel said. “But figuring out how to actually do that – what it looks like day to day – requires dedicated time and capacity from both sides.”
She noted that sustaining strong placements means ensuring each organization has at least one staff member whose role focuses on youth leadership, and that the youth themselves have the space and support to fully engage. Extending the 12-month cycle and hours of participation, she added, could allow for deeper learning and impact.
Clintel’s thoughtful recommendations will help inform the next stage of the AYC. In 2026, an alumni program will engage this year’s young leaders in new ways, while a new cohort steps forward to shape the next chapter of youth-adult partnership in Milwaukee.
Coalition Projects in Progress
Outside of the AYC, the coalition’s Strategic Priority Workgroup has embarked on three bold projects that aim to expand opportunities, amplify youth voices and create lasting impact across Milwaukee.
“Milwaukee Succeeds has been thinking about how to actively teach youth how to make change in society by giving them the opportunity to actually do so,” explained Franz Meyer, Teach for America’s director of community programming and an active member of the Strategic Priority Workgroup.
Enter the Youth-Led Grantmaking Pilot. This exciting initiative will put real power in the hands of young people, giving them the opportunity to make meaningful decisions about where resources go in their community. Beginning next year, teams of youth representing local organizations will learn about grant writing and evaluation, develop proposals and – if funded – see their projects come to life. The program team has been busy connecting with local organizations, studying youth grantmaking models and planning the conference that will kick off the process next spring.
Taking youth empowerment in another direction, the Post-Secondary Pathways Project is opening doors to a wide range of career and education opportunities after high school. Through this initiative, young people will gain insight into trade programs, apprenticeships, technical colleges, higher education and service pathways – equipping them with the tools they need to find the path that’s right for them. The team is currently building partnerships and compiling a comprehensive guidebook to ensure that all youth, regardless of their background, have a clear pathway to post-secondary success.
Finally, the Community Voice Toolkit aims to help organizations harness youth and community input to guide meaningful change. Set to launch in 2026, the toolkit will provide schools, youth organizations and community groups with practical resources – like templates, planning guides and facilitation tools – to make listening sessions more effective and actionable. By studying existing tools, observing local listening sessions and gathering feedback from attendees, the team is discovering what authentic engagement looks like and what it takes to put this partnership into practice.
Looking Ahead
Youth Forward MKE is shaping a vision of youth leadership that is bold, inclusive and action-oriented. From Autonomous Youth Council members influencing decisions in real time to coalition projects opening doors to new opportunities, the work happening today is laying the groundwork for a stronger, more connected Milwaukee tomorrow.
