Briana Elliot

REP Assignment
24 July 2014

OPEN MIC NIGHT presented by LOUD Youth Group (LGBTQ)

(Part of The Pacific Center for Human Growth, Berkeley, Ca)

Program Inputs:

Tasks:

-Young adultsLOUD Youth Group

-Youth from The Pacific Center & adult staff
-Family/friends of LOUD Youth Group
-Additional community members
-Library staff, TAGs, Board Representative
-UC Berkeley CalSLAM group & students
-The Berkeley Daily Planet staff (Reporter
Carol Polsgrove, writes on local youth issues)
-Local elected officials (interests in youth)
-Local bookstore (Moes, Pegasus) for five $10 gift
cards.
-LOUD Youth Group & TAG members post event
Youth participation pieces
announcement/invites on Facebook pages
-LOUD youth create slideshow showcasing group,
other events, workshops, LGBTQ awareness.
-YAs organize & attend meeting(s): event planning
-Word-of-mouth/Flyers: bulletin boards at The
Pacific Center, all library branches (esp. Teen
Centers/spaces), YMCA Rec. Teen Center &
Berkeley High School, participating local bookstores.
-YAs create/write: poetry, 2-3 min. performance
pieces or slam poetry, original artwork,
blogs/websites,
zines,
etc.
(LGBTQ-themes
suggested, but not required)
-Organize potluck participation & number slam
poetry sign-ups/entries
-LOUD teens & TAG volunteers: greet guests; set
up; monitor snack table; time-keep & announce
performers; introduce youth-produced displays in
library space; thank guests, clean up, & close event.
Contact: LOUD Youth Group coordinator;
What data or information do you need?
Downtown branch librarian/administrative staff; TAG
(who do you need to talk with, what do you members/coordinator; CalSLAM representative;
need to read or find out?)
Daily Planet reporter: cover event; contact local
officials; principal of Berkeley High (for tech support
if needed); Local book stores.
Audience/institutional or community partner
connections:
(who will attend the event?)

Investigate: successful local poetry slams, CalSLAM

coordination for inspiration, current LOUD projects
YP Program Design Elements,
Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012

(determine event scheduling) & previous public

experiences.
Content: (what will happen?)

Delivery modes: (demonstration, tech, social,

performance, exhibit, etc)

Space: (where, how, and who arranged?)

Promotion: (what social network channels, for

instance?)
Incentives/hospitality

Logistics: (budget, keys, set-up/breakdown,

transportation, greeting guests, thank you
notes, etc.)

YP Program Design Elements,

Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012

1. YAs set up 1-2 hrs. before event: tables (snacks,

youth-produced pieces displayed), chairs &
technology (microphone, computer displays,
screen, projector)
2. Library TAGs/librarians: Display of relevant YA
poetry,
LGBTQ-themed
materials/authors;
Pacific Center library staff to display
specialized, LGBTQ books, resources, etc. from
their own librarys collection.
3. Run LOUD slideshow while greeting guests;
recommend looking at youth-produced items.
4. Announce start of poetry slam, name 3 volunteer
judges, and begin the slam!
5. Judges give score, designated YAs record scores
6. After last slam poet/performance: announcement
to visit snack and display tables & computers.
7. Encourage socializing, meeting new faces,
asking about LOUD and TAG youth, etc.
8. Announce top scoring winners, hand out gift
cards (donated)
9. Thank guests, performers, public supporters &
clean up!
YA performances; exhibit display of youthproduced works; tech displays of LOUD
informational/fun slideshow & tech-based youthproduced materials; socializing of diff.
community members w/ LOUD & TAGs youth.
Held in downtown librarys Teen Center.
Arranged by LOUD & Public Library
(coordinated) representatives, for free access open
to the public after (evening) library hours.
LOUD will utilize pre-established Facebook
page; TAGs use Library Website & individual
Facebook/Twitter accounts; Flyers (described
above); Newsletters: Library & Pacific Center
Gift cards to local bookstores for winners;
performance
experience;
snacks:
chips,
beverages, & community/donated potluck;
community youth empowerment.
Budget: $150 for snacks & beverages, and $50 for
local bookstore gift cards (if not donated).
Transportation: LOUD/TAG members coordinate
carpool, bus/public transit, meet at library space.
Keys: TAG members meet librarian/staff to open
Tech. Transport: Borrow microphone & projector
from Berkeley High and/or YAs, if library lacks.
2

Thank You Notes: Written by LOUD/TAG

members in a timely fashion, to all
institutional/community supporters.

Program Outcomes:
Assets/developmental attributes emphasized:
(see New Directions, Appendix B or at
http://www.search-institute.org/content/40developmental-assets-adolescents-ages-12-18 )

Literacy
behaviors/tasks/acts:
(broadly
defined: reading, writing, youth produced,
research, drawing, etc.)
Patron/Library connections: (to collections, to
staff, to services, etc)

Relationship-building: (between staff and YAs,

between Library and institution, other)

Documentation collected: (data, stories,

photos, etc.) and plan for presentation
Program outcomes evaluation steps

YP Program Design Elements,

Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012

Tasks:
-Youth in Action: Opportunities for direct
community
involvement;
marketable
organizational/event planning skills.
-Leadership: YAs host and present whole event.
-Community Values Youth: YAs given useful,
responsible roles in community.
-Collaboration of YA groups/participants w/ local
businesses & institutions.
-Constructive Use of Time: YAs involved in
creative activities, youth-produced materials &
participate in youth programs.
-Social Competencies: planning & decision
making; interpersonal & cultural competence.
-Positive Identity: LOUDs LGBTQ youth &
communitys YAs express/develop personal
power, self-esteem, sense of purpose.
-Design of event promotion
-Original, youth-produced writing, poetry,
performance pieces, zines, blogs, artwork, etc.
-LOUD/TAGs: Research/contact community
organizations/business (as listed above).
-Youth-produced
work
performed
and/or
displayed alongside public librarys relevant
YA/youth-produced/LGBTQ-themed
materials
(may inspire library/TAG staff to design/change
services/programs/displays)
-YA community members & families able to
connect to collections & youth-produced items.
-Library staff & TAG members collaborate &
socialize/social-network with LOUD/community
members.
-LOUDs reputation for community outreach may
compliment librarys/TAGs YA service models;
future collaboration opportunities?
-Elect
several
LOUD/TAG
YAs
to
photograph/video tape event; adult library &
Pacific Center staff also welcome to document;
invite local reporter to cover event also.
-Have several LOUD or TAG YAs approximate #
of community attendees, during event: data
(was the event successful? Well-attended?)
-Organize separate wrap-up meetings after event
(LOUD/TAG YA members, respectively):
3

Institution-building/promotional steps (what to do

with the outcome data)

generate stories, reflection on youth-produced

materials & content, feedback on event as whole;
Was the event successful in their eyes?
Improvements/changes
for
next
time?
Collaboration ideas? Reflection on working with
YAs outside of their group?
-Collect feedback from library & Pacific Center
staff that attended (survey, letters, thank yous)
-Collect community feedback & ask for
comments/favorite moments: via Facebook pages,
library/LOUD/TAGs newsletters, library/Pacific
Center websites, feedback request in thank you
letters, etc.
-Generate & document YA assets/skills gained
from event (fugitive literacies, community
involvement, tech support skills, etc.) (see also
Assets/Developmental Attributes above).
-Use collected data to promote LOUD and TAG
group youth successes (websites, social media)
-Use YA reflections & community feedback/input
to promote similar YA future events (Repeat event
or plan one annually?)
-Have YAs from LOUD and TAG stay connected
with one another via Facebook and/or informal
social events/meetings.
-Have one LOUD and one TAG representative
write a short report describing the events success,
send to library administration & Pacific Center
leadership (post on both websites)
-Have TAG/library staff participants share/present
summary of event at a library staff meeting.

References
LOUD Youth Group. (2014). [Facebook page]. Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Loud-Youth-Group/165995705845.
Pacific Center for Human Growth. (2014). [Website]. Retrieved from
http://pacificcenter.org.
Pacific Center for Human Growth. (2014). [Website]. Loud Youth Group Program.
http://pacificcenter.org/community-programs/youth-program.
Pacific Center for Human Growth. (2014). [Website]. Resources & Community
Library. Retrieved from http://pacificcenter.org/resources/library.

Brief Literature Review on LGBTQ Teen Realities

YP Program Design Elements,
Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012

Published teen testimony can be a rich, and powerful, first-hand resource that
describes the reality and experience of contemporary LGBTQ youth, as seen with
Taylors (2010) account of John, a gay fifteen-year-old:
You wonder why I am not drinking or jumping off a bridge onto cold, hard concrete at
this very moment like so many gay teenagers do today?... Booksbooks with characters
who are gay, who live life honestly, who breathe through the pages like they are realhave
gotten me through (219).

Stringer-Stanback (2011) indicates that censorship of gay-themed books and restricted

intellectual freedom within school libraries nationwide might merely be a reflection of
larger social environments that are non-accepting of the LGBTQ community in general.
Recent statistics confirm that the reality of many LGBTQ teens can be troubling,
as 4 in 10 LGBT youth (42%) say the community in which they live is not accepting of
LGBT people (HRC, 2013), as well as the reported LGBT youth are twice as likely as
their peers to say they have been physically assaulted, kicked or shoved at school (HRC,
2013). One particularly disconcerting statistic concerning Bay Area LGBTQ youth
confirms that one out of every three gay, lesbian or bisexual students in the San
Francisco Unified School District reportedly attempts suicide every year (Sankin, 2013).
The national term bullycide is now used in many cases where LGBTQ youth have
successfully committed suicide, unable to cope with hostile and homophobic school [and
home] environments. (Bott, 2009, 367). Reviewing the literature on homophobia and
bullying in schools emphasizes the relevance that both Chikkatur (2012) and Kumasi
(2010) encourage, that of a social dialogue of inclusion and acceptance to take place
within the school environment, which can ultimately act as a potential antidote to these
[homophobic] forms of oppression (Chikkatur, 2012, 83).
*When asked about professional and/or scholarly experience in the context of a
youth services job interview, I could present this well-crafted REP idea to exemplify my
strengths in taking focused research, interest in youth groups, and leadership skills, and
applying this to innovative program/event development and execution, community
outreach and collaboration strategies. This REP idea would also be a great way to
illustrate my passion and devotion to working with youth, and LGBTQ/marginalized
youth in particular. My considerations (and priority) of promoting youth-produced
materials and recognizing youth assets represent my up-to-date scholarly knowledge
and training concerning youth advocacy in programs and services, something that would
be directly beneficial to my interviewers institution and community of youth patrons.

YP Program Design Elements,

Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012

References
Bott, C. J. (2009). Bullied to death: An interview with Julie Anne Peters and Jay
Asher. Voice Youth Advocates (VOYA), 32(5), 366-369.
Chikkatur, A. (2012). Difference matters: Embodiment of and discourse
on
difference at an urban public high school.
Anthropology & Education
Quarterly, 43(1), 82-100.
Haas, A. P. (2010). Suicide and suicide risk in lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and
transgender populations: Review and
recommendations. Journal of
Homosexuality,
58(1), 10-51.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2011.534038.
Kumasi, K. (2010). Cultural inquiry: A framework for engaging youth of
color
in the library. The Journal of Research on Libraries and
Young Adult,
1-8. Retrieved from
http://www.yalsa.ala.org/jrlya/2010/11/cultural-inquiry-aframework-for-engaging-youth-of-color-in-the-library/.
Sankin, A. (2013). Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Growing up LGBT in
America: View statistics. Retreived from http://www.hrc.org/youth/viewstatistics
Stringer-Stanback, K. (2011). Young adult lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender,
and questioning (LGBTQ) non-fiction collections and
countywide antidiscrimination policies. Urban Library
Journal,17(1), 1-28.
Taylor, B. (2010). Don't deny me the right to read. Voice Youth
Advocates, 33
(5), 219.
(Note: All research from The Journal of Research on Libraries and Young Adults are
published electronically and individually, and are not organized into volumes or issues.
Hence, the reference (above) from this source does not cite a volume or issue number.)

YP Program Design Elements,

Anthony Bernier, Ph.D., 2012