Dear Community Leaders:

The youth (ages 13 – 18 years old) that are a part of the Transit Justice Youth Leadership Project are awesome. For many this is the first time doing any kind of community organizing, and we want it to be the best experience for them. That is why we are reaching out to community leaders and organizers who care about Rainier Beach.

We are looking for Awesome, Amazing Adults:

WHO CARE ABOUT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT; TRANSIT JUSTICE; and COMMUNITIES ORGANIZING FOR CHANGE!

IF YOU CAN JOIN THE YOUTH OF THE TRANSIT JUSTICE YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROJECT TOMORROW (February 1, 2012) FOR THEIR FIRST DAY of SURVEYING at THE BUS STOPS around RAINIER BEACH that would BE AWESOME. 2-5:30PM at King Donuts CALLTO RSVP 206-380-4684! (details below)

If tomorrow is too early there are many other ways to support our youth. Below are three currently scheduled survey outreach events. We will be posting more on our calendar located at www.rbcoalition.org as we schedule them. Also, if you have an RB connection (church, union members, community folks) please help our youth reach their goal of surveying 200 RB Residents by FEBRUARY 29th, 2012.

Lastly, there are opportunities to donate items to our community raffle (everyone who is surveyed is entered into our raffle), sponsor a meal for the youth’s training sessions or our Community Report Back.

Upcoming Survey Outreach events:

1. BUS SURVEY EVENT:
King Donuts 9232 Rainier Avenue South at 2pm WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1st and commit to be with the youth until 5:30pm.

Here is our agenda:
2pm donuts and orientation-
2:30pm break folks into survey teams, and quick role-play/practice
2:55pm head to our stations (bus stops, and light rail station)
5:00PM Return to King Donuts for report backs and debrief.

5:30PM–youth head to RB NAC meeting to conduct surveys
6:55PM-youth head to Jobs Committee meeting to attend last part of their meeting and conduct surveys
8:00PM–we get youth home

We are counting on your participation, and very much appreciate if you are able to turn out one additional adult. I am also including our upcoming outreach events, where we especially could use additional assistance and language/translations.

2. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4th
11am -12:30pm Barton Place Apartments 9201 Rainier Avenue South. Residents have invited them to a community meeting where the youth will interview residents. Various languages spoken including Somali, Vietnamese, Oromo, Tigrinya…not sure how many will attend the meeting.
12:30PM-2pm Rainier Beach Public Library to interview youth and families who participate in Detective Cookie’s Chess Club

3. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11th
12pm-2pm Oromo Cultural Center 8817 Renton Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98118. Youth will interview youth and adults who attend Saturday cultural programs at the Center. The youth will be able to present their project and then interview individuals.

Also, we have our Transit Justice calendar at www.rbcoalition.org, and will be updating it as we schedule more outreach events.

Thank you VERY MUCH for your solidarity and support. It means so much to have experienced, confident, courageous community organizers and leaders willing to mentor and offer support to our youth who are taking leadership in the neighborhood.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact Rebecca Saldana at 206-380-4684. Also, please feel free to share this invitation with others who you think may be interested.