Thoughts From the Youth Council

Youth Council is a group of advanced interns at Urban Roots who amplify youth voice and bring their passions to life through unique projects. We asked Youth Council members two questions:

• What’s the most valuable seed that you and Urban Roots have planted, grown, and harvested in yourself or your community?
• What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

Yee Leng

The most valuable seed that me and Urban Roots has planted was instilling the leadership mindset into me and letting me experience it throughout my time in Urban Roots. It started by just watching how Moua ran things and sort of copying but putting it in my own way. It got to a point where I didn’t need to watch how Moua did it and only needed small pointers and I could completely lead it. The major effects and impacts was that it had changed how I acted on a general basis a lot more, like I’ve become more extroverted and I could be more conversational. 

My hopes and dreams for the future of Youth Council is to see it grow and become more known. I want the people to see what we do and what each intern learns by coming to Youth Council. My hopes and dreams for Urban Roots is to see it thrive even more than it has. From when I first started, Urban Roots felt small. It obviously has gotten bigger over time but I still want to see it grow even more, as if Urban Roots has an unlimited potential. My own hopes and dreams are to see myself become a dependable person. To become someone who can be looked upon, someone who someone else could come ask for help if they needed it.

Melany

The most valuable thing I’ve learned here at Urban Roots is how to take action, when I was a Seed Crew I would wait for someone to grab the tools from the shed because I was too nervous to take the first step. In my second year I got to get to know people and I got a bit more used to the space. I would observe how others would take the first step so I tried too and now I don’t have to wait for someone, I go into the shed if they ask for any tools and help. I learned a lot from Urban Roots but the biggest thing was taking the first step.

My hope for Youth Council is getting to go on more adventures and community events instead of staying inside. My hope for Urban Roots is having the process for new youth be more easier and accessible, because it’s a long process. My hopes and dreams for myself are going to Hennepin Tech for 2 years to get a baking degree and then once I get enough money go to a nice culinary school. I also hope to improve as a person and be more outgoing.

Liam

I believe that the most valuable seed that Urban Roots and I have planted is my ability to speak in front of others and mini-lead group conversations. In my Seed Crew year, I wasn’t talking to anyone other than my brother. But I had a transition and got comfortable with talking with the rest of Conservation and nearly Urban Roots youth as a whole in my second year. Making friends in Conservation and Market Garden, hopefully some Cook Fresh soon too! In my Harvest Crew year it definitely started showing, as I was able to stand-in for a Harvest Crew plus member, Touly, for small group conversations. I was able to speak out for myself and be myself as it was my third year here.

As for my hopes and dreams, I hope I end up in college and land somewhere in the art degree area within the next 5 years. If I can do that within 5 years or at least be in progress of getting an art degree, then I’ll definitely know I’m on track to achieve my dreams as an artist.

Samantha

My story started about almost 5 years ago when I was in the old Urban Roots building and was figuring out what was interesting to me about working in the Urban Roots program. So once I moved to the newer location on Payne Ave I was able to figure out what my interests were. It consists of baking and cooking for community events and learning the ropes of working in a kitchen. Overall I hope in my last year here that I can learn even more and be able to work with the community as much as possible.

My hopes and dreams for Youth Council are to be able to work with the community more and get out as much as possible. For Urban Roots is to make being able to work here easier and learn more about food. For me is to go to college and potentially go into the culinary field and after work in the food industry.

David

My most valuable seed that I have planted was connecting and involving myself with nature. Before I joined Urban Roots, I was an indoors kid. I rarely went outside and barely saw any sun. Urban Roots brought nature into my life and now I enjoy going outside every single day.

My hopes and dreams for myself in the future are to make a lot of money, find a loved one and eventually get married, and to make my parents proud. I want to live a happy, healthy, and peaceful life. I want to explore the world and find the many beautiful things waiting for me.

Urban Roots brought nature into my life and now I enjoy going outside every single day.

Chi Nue

The most valuable thing that I did at Urban Roots was Conservation. My cousin Houa got me into Urban Roots because I was simply looking for something to do and earn money and the Conservation team was nice because I really liked what we did. And I enjoyed what we did because during my first year at Urban Roots I really had no idea what we were doing and had no idea what the things and tools were called and I really was just following orders but now that it’s my second year I’m way more confident in what I’m doing and I can even lead some of the first years on what I’m experienced in. I feel like what we are doing is important and has for sure set me up for my future and even helped me figure out mostly what I want to do after high school. I wish I had more time at Urban Roots but as I go on with life and go to college I don’t think I can be here anymore but I hope that whoever is still here is able to treat the newcomers like how they treated me.

Evan

I believe my seed would be the environmental impact that we made by planting and removing different plants. What I want to believe is that everything that I did in these few years will stay impacted and remain the best it can possibly be.

My hopes and dreams are to complete life and do everything that I want to do in life.