It is 2:08am and my spirit is disturbed on this breezy February morning. Earlier, I was scrolling through my phone and checking out the news updates and saw a story featuring the faces of three young men facing multiple counts of murder from a 2020 quadruple homicide. Each of these young men are in their early-20s and their names and faces are plastered on the webpage for bringing violence and pain to several families and to their community.  As I read the article, I think about other young people that I have worked with that are currently in jail facing homicide charges or the young people that have lost their lives to senseless violence. I think about their loss of possibility, their loss of contribution, and their loss of being able to create joy. In my mind, I imagine what could have been if they had been provided one major intervention or interruption that would have led them down a different path, bringing about a different outcome. Did they feel unheard? Did they feel unseen? As children, were they told “speak when spoken to!” or “stay in a child’s place!” Was there ever an opportunity where their voice mattered? I say all of this to say, these stories will continue to flood the news outlets until we, adults, understand we have a responsibility to make spaces for youth voice and in creating opportunities for them to lead. According to Catherine Malinis, refusing to center the voices of young people is “woven into the fabric of our society.” We consistently observe adults making policies, decisions, and laws that impact young people without including them in the process. We continually speak for, around, and against them and then have the nerve to be mad or offended when they speak up for themselves, question our methods, or resist them altogether. Existing research reiterates that incorporating young people in decision-making and lifting their gifts and talents increases academic outcomes, feelings of self-worth, and minimizes antisocial behaviors. So, why don’t we put more intentionality around the voices of young people? Good question. There are plenty of opportunities to do just that! Any organization that serves young people should be including their students in reviewing strategic plans or organizational policies. They should be contributing to program development and hiring staff. School systems should be allowing students to review curriculum and behavior policies. They should be able to speak at board meetings and guide the direction of the district. Elected officials should be forming advisory councils and seeking equitable input and feedback from young people around topics such as Mental Health, Education, Violence Prevention, Housing and Homelessness, Food Insecurity, Employment, and other imperative issues that impact them directly! According to the Gates Foundation, “the path forward must engage students first instead of as an afterthought or effort to confirm decisions that have already been made.” If we don’t start putting real effort and resources into creating these platforms for young people, why should we expect them to take responsibility and invest in themselves or their communities? What action steps can you take to invest in young people and find authentic and meaningful ways to center their voices? The time for change is now.