Teens fighting for a livable planet | S4, Ep. 6

Yvetter Harrison discoves how a passion for kickball can driving positive change in Wilkinsburg and inspire others to reinvest in their neighborhood.

Relive the voices of the future in the season finale of From the Source! Our Pittsburgh-area teen co-hosts have shared their perspectives on mental health, activism, immigration and more with humor and bravery throughout the season. With their unique and honest perspectives, our teen guests have left us with hope for the next generation. Tune in to the final episode of From the Source's first season to hear the teens speak their truth.

In this episode, we dive into the intersection of news and technology and how it's shaping the awareness of teen culture. The minds behind this episode: young people who attended a journalism workshop co-hosted by PublicSource and Saturday Light Brigade Radio's Youth Media Center in the North Side. From news access to reliability, we explore the impact of technology on news and the types of stories that become news.  Tune in to hear from the next generation of journalists and critical thinkers on their perspectives of the role of media in society.

In a candid conversation, high school freshman Jazmiere Bates opens up about her experiences as an entrepreneur and the challenges she's had to overcome to establish her brand. She shares her journey, including the inspiration and dedication that goes into building a successful business, and the importance of staying encouraged despite facing insecurity and doubts from others.

This week, McKeesport native Brandi Cox discusses her observations of what happens in a community when teen gun violence becomes the norm. Listen to what she is prepared to change in her school and city to save kids' lives. 

In this conversation, Reach Cyber Charter School sophomore Ja'Nya Coleman discusses how she views the paths to career success outside of attending college post-graduation, and how virtual learning, mentors and bad TV shows helped her realize her passion for storytelling and find a creative community.

In this episode of From the Source, Ambyr Clay discusses her experiences as a preteen coming of age in the era of police misconduct and protests captured on cell phone video and distributed widely on social media. Ambyr shares her observations on what her peers think about policing and the opportunity she sees for teens and police to have relationships that are beneficial to the community. 

In this episode, five Pittsburgh high school students from Girl Scout Troop 55286 discuss the uncomfortable truths about climate change and environmental justice activism for teens — and how their peers and parents can help raise awareness.

We're taking a break to observe the holiday season, so there won't be a new episode this week. We're back Wednesday, January 4th Next time on From The Source, scouts from troop 55286 share how they became teen climate activists, and why more teens aren't engaged with environmental justice issues. "We are the most affected by it, but we have the least say in it. We are not able to go into Congress and make laws. We are not able to vote, most of us. We're not able to put solar panels on our roofs. We are only able to have conversations and educate ourselves, and I feel like as we get older it's our responsibility to educate younger people." Teens fighting for a livable planet, next time on From The Source. Happy holidays, happy new year, stay safe, be well.

For some young people, an intercultural exchange is rare and there is little consideration of why they are who they are. But for teens who immigrated or whose immediate family immigrated, it can be a major cornerstone of their experience and identity. This week, we speak with Pittsburgh Allderdice High School senior Sam Alawadhi on the challenge and gifts of having intersecting identities — as a Yemeni and an American — and what he thinks about his peers' understanding of the concept of culture.