Seeds of Change: Youth Growing Community Power
By : Shakirah Jones | Youth Programs Coordinator
They say that the youth are our future and at Virginia Community Voice, we believe that youth are a vital part of changing what we see on Richmond’s Southside. Their voices, ideas, and energy are not just preparing them to lead tomorrow - they are already shaping today. Whether they're organizing in their neighborhoods, advocating for equity, or leading creative community projects, these youth are actively rewriting the narrative of their communities. We believe that youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow - they are the change makers of today who deserve platforms, resources and respect right now. When we invest in youth, we invest in a stronger, more just future for us all.
Hi, my name is Shakirah Jones, I am 25 years old and I am the Youth Programs Coordinator at Virginia Community Voice. As we navigate through the trials and tribulations of grief, the triumphs and exhilaration of joy, and the power and excitement of action through our work with The Blueprint Model, we include youth in these experiences through our community engagement program, RVA Thrives. We see that changes need to be made in the Southside and why not ask the youth what matters to them and what they want to see changed in their communities? At VACV, we understand that true community change begins with listening to those most affected. That's why youth voice is central to our programming. By actively involving young people in the decision-making process, we ensure that our initiatives are relevant, impactful, and reflective of the community's needs and aspirations.
As the Youth Programs Coordinator, I’ve spent time working with both Black and Brown communities through our youth program ARCA. ARCA is an acronym that stands for Art, Racial Reconciliation, and Civic Advocacy, and is a program geared towards teaching youth.
The youth have advocated for the creation of three street murals in 2021 by writing letters to their local council person
They also reconnect with nature by walking through the park and embracing the beauty of the park, they reconnect with their peers every week during the ARCA program - working together in groups to create art, and they reconnect with themselves each and everyday
ARCA youth have created art and beautified neighborhoods on Richmond’s Southside each year in the program.
In 2019, youth created a traffic calming street mural on 12th Street and Bainbridge Street (in the Manchester neighborhood).
In 2021, youth created two new traffic calming street murals on Davee Road and Ruffin Road (in the Davee Gardens neighborhood) and on Harwood Street and Minefee Street (in the Hillside Court/Bellemeade neighborhood), and repainted the traffic calming street mural on 12th Street and Bainbridge Street.
In 2022, 2023, and 2024, ARCA youth have beautified Broad Rock Creek Park - creating art on park benches, panels, picnic tables, and a rock garden - which are placed/located throughout the park.
Within this program, we focus on teaching youth that their voice has power and that there is power behind their vision for a better Southside. We strive for justice and equity in ARCA also, as we try to make sure that each participant feels like they are in a program that is inclusive of their needs and wants from a program like ours. We, as an organization, go all out to prove that this program is something that they can learn from, whether it’s in an advocacy standpoint, an artistic standpoint, or a reconciliation standpoint - aiming to change the way the youth sees themselves as leaders and pioneers in their community.
The impact of ARCA extends beyond the physical transformations. It fosters personal growth, resilience, and a deep sense of ownership and pride in the community. During my tenure as the youth programs coordinator, I’ve watched the shyest youth transform into a resilient leader. This transformation is a testament to the power of youth voice and the importance of creating spaces where young people can lead and thrive. There is a stigma against youth that youth are lazy and they will fall short when it comes to finishing what they start. I’m here to say that is the farthest from the truth. Every participant that I’ve seen go through ARCA are go-getters, hard workers, and won’t stop until their project is complete. They arrive on time and start working as soon as they arrive. We’ve watched youth come in excited to learn how to build their voice for their communities and advocate for the changes they want to see in their communities. They apply what they learn in ARCA in their everyday lives when in school (one student recruited a group of their peers and created art on their own), when working (working in a team of their peers in a professional setting), and when in their communities (advocating for and being vocal about changes that need to be made in their communities, and talking to their neighbors about these changes) and they don’t stop showing up for the things that they think are right. The youth may be introverted at the beginning but you can really see their leadership shining through throughout the program as they become more comfortable with being around VACV staff and their peers. If that’s not transformational, I don’t know what is.
Youth engagement, as rigorous as it is, is not only transformative to the youth - it is transformative to us because we learn what works and what doesn’t work when having those deep conversations with the youth that we are hoping to engage. This reciprocal process fosters a sense of belonging and purpose among the youth, enhancing their social connections and emotional well-being. Such engagement also provides adults with fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, rejuvenating community efforts and reinforcing the intergenerational bonds that are essential for sustainable development.
Youth engagement is important in the work that we do and youth are an integral part of each and every community in more ways than one. From grief to joy to action, engaging youth has always been a part of our community engagement process in RVA Thrives. With action, such as changing the programming schedule to have the youth meet once a month aside from their 8 week program in the fall to teach the youth about advocacy practices - which is important, not only because advocacy is a part of our program, but to give youth the tools to becoming the innovators and trailblazers that their community needs and with the guidance that the youth receive through our programming, we equip youth with the necessary skills that they need to transition from quiet young adults to young adults who speak up for what they believe and for what is right. As they grow through our programs, they not only develop confidence and leadership, but also form a strong sense of identity, purpose, and responsibility to their community. Their ideas are bold, their voices are powerful, and their commitment to justice is unwavering. At Virginia Community Voice, we don’t just work for the youth — we work with them, walking alongside them as they become catalysts for long-term, generational change. Their transformation is our inspiration, and their success is a reflection of what is possible when communities invest in their youngest visionaries.
one young voice
Q+A with Jay - A youth leader in the ARCA program who came up on the streets of Southside.
If Southside was a person, how would you characterize them?
Southside would be someone who's always coughing—lungs heavy with smoke from the factories and highways that never sleep. Their skin is clammy and overheated, like pavement under relentless sun—suffocating from the trapped heat. They’re not well. Their vital organs are failing, the lifeblood of culture and community being pushed out or priced out.
They wear sagging pants and a black hoodie—not to intimidate, but because it’s what they’ve got. They’re tired. They walk with slouched shoulders—not out of laziness, but from carrying generations of burden. Look into their eyes and you’ll see the insecurity—shaped by years of being feared, ignored, or seen as less.
What has Southside been through in their relationship with youth?
It’s been a hard relationship. Southside has watched its youth grow up afraid—afraid of violence, afraid of being next. Some picked up violence to feel safe, others to feel seen.
Southside has been taunted, rejected—even by the ones it raised. Some youth see it as a dead end. And in return, Southside feels forgotten, like a parent left behind, still calling out with love and pain, hoping their children will hear and come back.
What is your role in making Southside thrive?
I see myself as a bridge—standing between what was and what could be. I’m a mature, grounded young man now, and I carry that with pride. I know people are watching, especially the younger ones, so I walk with respect and intention.
My role is to be a guide, a light, and a listener. I want to create space where youth feel safe, seen, and heard. A space where they can drop the armor, tell their stories, and start to heal.
Together, we can rebuild something real—something Southside deserves.
