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| L-r: Lorenzo
Harris, Dameka Asbery, Ashanta Randolph, Ja’Shay Baker Brumfield, Greg
Martinez, and John Guitierrez, III
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[Baton
Rouge, La]. Above the Influence (ATI) week came to a close on Wednesday night
at the Southern University Ag Center studio. The three-day “Above the
Influence” summit was the result of a partnership between Southern University
Ag Center and 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, Ltd.
On
Monday, October 15, ATI participants from Capital High Academy took part in a closed
door “Influence discussion” where the teens engaged in an intimate conversation
about their thoughts and perspectives on the topic of influence. On Tuesday,
the ATI participants took part in “Tag it” at Cortana Mall in Baton Rouge, La.
“Tag it,” an official ATI activity designed to increase teens’ awareness of
influence in their environment and how they may prompt them to make
decisions.
On the
final day of ATI week, an open panel discussion was held on the influences that
affect teenagers and how they play a role in their daily lives. The teenagers
gave everyone in attendance a glimpse of their personal lives and how they
handle positive and negative influences everyday.
“It’s okay
to be above the influence,” said Lorenzo Harris. “It’s okay to talk to your
peers because they’re going through the same thing.” The majority of the
teenagers in attendance echoed that same sentiment. “What I learned from ATI is
that I’m not the only one going through problems,” said Antonio Davis.
Shaquille Dillon, President of the Collegiate 100 Black Men Southern University
Chapter, expressed that there is pressure in college as well. “There’s peer
pressure in college too, you have to look at it from a broad standpoint,” he
said.
Because
of ATI, the participants said they feel more empowered and better equipped to
be young leaders in their communities. “After today I’ll be a great leader
because of ATI,” said Keandra Thomas. “The experience has changed me and now I
can be better.” ATI has given Capital High Academy students an opportunity to
voice their opinions and concerns, about important issues that are often
overlooked by adults according to the teenagers.
Parents
and adults in the audience expressed their concerns as well. “Maybe your
parents have that same mentality and want the best for you because they know
your full potential, “said Jana Snowden, in response to panelist John
Brumfield’s comment about how he is protective of his younger sister and tries
to steer her away from the negative influences of being in high school.
ATI gave
the participants an arena to express themselves openly and freely, without
judgment or punishment, something that many of them have never experienced
before.
“Sometimes
we need someone to talk to or someone to just listen, said Sundae Brumfield.
“Look at it from our point of view.”
The
National Above the Influence campaign aims to provide new ways to engage youth
in dialogue about both positive and negative influence in their lives and to
empower them to make healthy decisions.
Charisma
Deberry, research associate and Kelli Palmer, graduate research associate
coordinated the ATI activities and wrote the story; photo taken by Palmer.
###
Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
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