06/16/2026
Where Are Our 12–17 Year Olds?
This is a question every black parent, black grandparent, black educator, black mentor, and black community leader should be asking.
We continue to see adults/elders at African descent empowerment events. We see young children. But the very age group that is preparing to inherit our communities, our 12–17 year olds....is often missing at Juneteenth events, educational workshops and so many other events created for us that would benefit our children.
That should concern us.
Bringing our children to cultural, educational, and community events should not be treated as optional. It is part of our responsibility as adults.
If we do not intentionally expose our youth to history, culture, entrepreneurship, leadership, community engagement, positive role models, and meaningful conversations, something else will fill that space. Social media will. Influencers will. Peer pressure will. Street culture will.
The teenage years are some of the most important years of a person's life. This is when values are formed. This is when identity is shaped. This is when habits become lifestyles and decisions begin creating futures.
Make your children come.
Not because they always want to.
Not because every event is entertaining.
But because it matters.
Because understanding who they are matters.
Because learning how to conduct themselves matters.
Because supporting Black businesses matters.
Because supporting community matters.
Because building relationships with positive people matters.
Because success, survival, and longevity require exposure, discipline, awareness, knowledge, and preparation.
Too many of us say we want something better for our children while failing to consistently expose them to what "better" actually looks like.
If we are serious about breaking cycles of trauma, violence, dysfunction, ignorance, dependency, and disconnection, then we must establish new standards and higher expectations.
Every generation passes something to the next generation.
The question is: What are we passing forward if we are not having our children attending places to get the proper information/knowledge/education for us by us?
The future of our communities is not coming someday.
The future is already here.
It is sitting in the back seat of our cars.
Bring them with you.
RaMean Maat
