Opportunities for BIPOC community youth for playing, creating, learning, exploring, and working are at the core of Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Grand River Equity Framework. It’s the fifth goal fostering youth agency and leadership.
Reaching these outcomes includes the creation of a diverse River Youth Advisory Council. River events planned by, and for, local youth including 150 annual Grand River field trips for low-income and BIPOC communities. Each year during the summer months, 300 “river ambassador” or “river entrepreneur” internships will be extended to area youth. With a focus on education, a number of programs from STEM Greenhouse and the Grand Rapids Public Museum, to name a few, will be available along with implementing the Grand River as a case study. Every Kent County student will take a course on Environmental Studies. Finally, youth-preferred social media sites will drive 10,000 river posts per year and students will be involved in an “It’s my River” video competition.
For more information, log on at www.downtowngr.org/our-work/projects/grand-river-network.