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Groups push for youth jobs

More than 700 activists march on State House, ask for funding increase

Yawu Miller
Yawu Miller is the former senior editor of the Bay State Banner. He has written for the Banner since 1988.... VIEW BIO
Groups push for youth jobs
Youth and youth advocates march toward the State House last week to call for more jobs funding.

More than 700 youth and youth organizers marched on the State House last week, calling on legislators to shore up funding for youth jobs programs and pressing for support of criminal justice reform.

Members of 40 youth groups from cities across the state gathered at the Old South Church for a rally before marching to the State House, where they fanned out to meet with local legislators to plead their cases.

The youth activists have been successful in their efforts to fund summer jobs since they began organizing statewide in 2009. For the current fiscal year, they were able to secure $10 million in funding, which goes to nonprofits to hire teens for summer and after-school jobs.

Youth jobs advocates gathered at Old South Church before heading to the State House.

But with the minimum wage rising from $8 to $9 an hour this year, the higher wages could cut into the nearly 5,000 jobs the State Youth Jobs Program funded. And the governor’s mid-year Chapter 9C cuts to the budget, which removed $675,000 from the program’s $10 million in funding, will result in even fewer job placements.

And when the minimum wage goes up again to $10 an hour in 2016, youth jobs will be cut again.

In 2010, youth jobs advocates succeeded in stopping cuts to youth jobs funding after 700 marched on the State House. In 2012, they pressured large corporate firms, including Fidelity and Putnam Investments, to hire teens for summer jobs.

The youth organizations have also supported other efforts, including current initiatives to reform sentencing guidelines, reduce the state’s prison population and pass the savings along to job training programs. The organizations also worked on the campaign to raise the minimum wage, helping to collect 190,000 signatures to place the wage increase on the statewide ballot last year.

A learning experience

Youth activist Angela Djimba said the coalition’s focus on broader issues reflects a growing awareness organizing around social movements in Massachusetts.

“We are people of color whose lives definitely matter,” she said, speaking to youth activists gathered at the Old South Church.

Youth organizer Roy Daily said his life turned around when he got his first summer job with the City School, after spending a previous summer playing video games with friends.

“I had such an amazing time learning about social justice issues, and I was getting paid,” he said. “That was when I found my voice.”

Legislators who spoke to the students expressed support for their campaign.

State Sen. Sal DiDomenico urged the teens to engage their representatives and senators.

“Make your voices heard,” he told the youth advocates at the Old South Church. “It’s a very easy issue for me, but sometimes you need to give people a push,” he said.

Speaking at Gardiner Auditorium at the State House, state Rep. Mary Keefe said she would support the teens, but stressed that they need to reach as many legislators as possible.

“We need to be ready, file an amendment for the funding and get as many legislators signed on as possible,” she said.