Shayla Combs

• Created an engaging and intellectually substantive 6-week programming agenda for teen leaders.

• Facilitated a weekly curriculum included giving a workshop on storytelling for change and personal narrative.

• Assisted youth in taking personal responsibility for their communities, arranged fulfilling internships, and helped them understand the underlying systems in Buffalo that affect their lives.

• Designed a methodology guide for working with youth. This included observations made in the implementation lesson plans with the Youth CAN participants and experiences of other community members working with youth.

Going to Niagara Falls for the first time, karaoking Happier at the top of our lungs, eating an exorbitant amount of wings, and standing up for worker’s rights by attending SPoT union pickets.

The community organizing 101 trainings, discussing the state of youth education with Galenia Smallwood from Say Yes, and learning how to use art as visionary resistance from Aitina Fareed Cooke.

Reforming dated approaches to positive youth development and engagement. Using storytelling and performance to advocate for social change.

Programming and curriculum development with followed facilitation, public speaking and advocacy, qualitative research and tangible production of action steps, and group leadership and accountability.

We ALL Can!

Feel the Heat Yet?