Youth-Led resilience hub design workshop
In the fall of 2022, youth working across the East Bay came together to plan and lead a climate resilience hub workshop at Lion Creek Crossings. The workshop was supported by a partnership between New Voices Are Rising at the Rose Foundation, Local Clean Energy Alliance, Castlemont High School Student Urban Design Academy (SUDA), and East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) as a contribution to the Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative’s quality jobs and resident leadership priorities. Youth leaders planned and prepared for the workshop in a series of meetings, working in small groups to identify activities that would engage workshop attendees in discussion around climate resilience and visioning for the future.
Youth led three unique design activities that all attendees participated in. Each activity engaged a different element of the design process and climate resilience discussion – youth encouraged attendees to participate creatively, share about the elements of resilience already at Lion Creek Crossings, and draw up physical designs scaled to the environment. We look forward to showcasing student work from the workshop at this May’s Moving 4 Peace Block Party.
Tour of Lion Creek Crossings and Discussion
Youth leaders took the group on a tour of Lion Creek Crossings (LCC) and led a discussion on the elements of a resilience hub present at LCC. The group also discussed ideas for additional features that could add to climate resilience. Youth reflected on questions like, what do you think should be in a resilience hub? and what do you think should be in a resilience hub at Lion Creek Crossings? through writing and sketching.
Youth visions of a resilience hub included sustainable energy sources like solar panels, resources such as food and toiletry distribution, and joyful activities like music, art, free libraries, and sports facilities.
Creative Collage Activity
Youth leaders facilitated a collaborative collage to explore their reflections on climate justice now and visions for the future. The activity also focused on the physical and emotional elements of experiencing climate change.
Youth created one collage as a response to prompts about the present: When you think about climate change in Oakland, how does that make you feel? What types of resources do you see in your community? Youth created another collage as a response to prompts about the future: When you vision an ideal future what do you see and how does that make you feel? What are solutions to food injustice in your community?
Bubble Diagram Activity
Students from Castlemont High School’s Sustainable Urban Design Academy presented their proposed designs for a resilience hub at Lion Creek Crossings and heard feedback from other youth at the workshop.
All youth then created their own design proposals for a resilience hub by mapping their designs directly onto printouts of the Lion Creek Crossings site.
IMAGE gallery
Image credits: Mykela Patton, Jill Ratner, Annie Ledbury, Lilly Jacobson
CAStlemont Suda Designs
Next steps
In the coming weeks and months, we encourage youth to apply for the Creative Actions grant to implement ideas from the workshop. Additionally, workshop leaders will have the opportunity to lead similar activities at an upcoming Block Party in May. Stay posted for additional next steps and outcomes from this workshop!