'Looking to the Future' at Planet Youth

In June, PLANet Youth — the fourth annual Young Planners Network conference — opened its doors at the University of Illinois at Chicago campus. For four days, young people and their adult allies involved in urban planning processes across the United States gathered to discuss what's going on in each city, and how to make our communities better. Inspired by youth involvement in Chicago's 2040 planning process, the theme of this year's conference was to "Look to the Future" of our cities, and who's in charge of planning them. From mobile workshops on the south side of Chicago to a bike tour in Obamaland, the conference was an exciting venue to imagine a brighter future for everyone on this planet.

In order to help participants get accustomed to Chicago, conference organizers put together an opening reception with Chicago-style pizza, and a short presentation on the mission and history of the Young Planner's Network (YPN). Even though the conference had a light feel to it, there was a certain level of expectation on our part because we had worked so hard to plan it. Rather than simply showing people a good time, we wanted attendees to learn tangible skills and build relationships that they could take back to their homes. The opening reception served as a way to convey the overall goals of the conference for the next few days.

The following "Tour Day" promised a multitude of diverse activities for students. There were four mobile workshops to choose from — a 22-mile Obama Stimulus bike-tour through Hyde Park, a historic tour of South Side neighborhoods, a walking environmental justice and mural tour of Latino communities in Pilsen and Little Village, and an architectural tour of downtown Chicago.

At the end of the day, everyone came together to share experiences. Despite obvious fatigue (notably from bike tour participants!), just about everyone had something positive to say. Seeing the city up close and personal allowed everyone to get a taste of residents' life in Chicago. Even as outsiders looking in, it was advantageous.

The third day of the conference was the most eventful. We held youth-led workshops, a keynote lunch with two speakers, and a film festival/open mic performance at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

The variety of workshops provided great learning opportunities for everyone who attended. In "Creating a Green Pathway to Success," participants learned how to prepare themselves for the green economy. There were lively discussions in many of the workshops, and it was good to hear what other people thought about topics such as immigration, race, stereotypes, and internet safety.

One of the most controversial discussions took place in my workshop, on "Internet Safety, Rights, and Policy." It resulted in many participants thinking about what they post online, and whether it is safe. Several people went online right after to change their privacy settings on Facebook! Another interesting workshop discussion was in the "Why Don't We Talk about Race Anymore?" Everyone wanted to continue the workshop once it was over. Other popular workshops were "Spoken Word and the City," and "Working on Wellness, where planners had fun while getting some exercise.

Kevin Morrisette and I were the speakers for the keynote lunch. Our speeches were engaging and inspiring to many of the young Planners. Later, we went to the National Museum of Mexican Art for a film festival and open mic. The participants were able to see relevant, youth-made videos about their urban experiences. The one that I remember the most is the documentary about the immigration march here in Chicago. The open mic on Saturday night was one of the most fun times at the conference. People sang and there was even a spoken word battle.

On the last day of the conference, the remaining bunch went to the Willis Tower for our annual YPN planning meeting. Organizers discussed the conference, thanked everyone for attending, and participants were able to voice their feedback about what they learned in the few days in the city. The opinions varied but it was a general consensus that each person gained something valuable. Some people spoke about wanting to start small community organizations in their towns and cities and build greater urban planning chapters. Making a difference is just an idea away and this conference allowed the easy flow of ideas for a better future.