A few months ago, Glass Youth Collective was just a little dream of being able to do big things for the teens in our community. Today that dream officially comes to fruition and is one of the things I am most proud of in my life.
There is a stereotype that the suburbs are a safe and wonderful place for teenagers to grow up and for a lot of them, it simply is not true to their experience. My experience was lonely, isolated, and full of boredom. I walked a lot, not always to places I should have been. I met a lot of people; many I probably shouldn’t have spoken to. And ended up in a lot of situations that would have been avoidable had I felt safe to communicate with my parents or other trusted adults.
Now I’m raising a teenager here and I must be doing something right because not only does he talk to me openly, his friends do, too. Through Glass Smut, we’ve been able to reach even more teenagers who just need a safe space and they all seem to feel safe talking to me as well. My only goal with them is to listen and validate their experiences. This isn’t always something a parent can do. It is also not our goal or ambition to take on a parental role, just a safe adult who listens and encourages dreams that may seem unattainable.
Glass Youth Collective is the safest place for teens I could imagine. One where art is easily accessible. Where if it isn’t, we will find it. A place where judgement, bullying, and hate is not tolerated at all. This is a safe third space because sometimes home and/or school doesn’t feel safe. There are no expectations here aside from kindness and respect for one’s self and each other.
I truly believe that we grow better together when we do so with love, kindness, encouragement, patience, and a desire to always be a little bit better tomorrow.
To Glass Youth Parents,
Thank you for trusting us with your teenagers. It happens in a blink of an eye, our babies become independent people and their interests build and change while they figure out who they are. It can be really scary to let go of the reigns but I promise you will love them even more deeply when you see them loving themselves unapologetically.
To our Glass Youth Collective teens,
We will not let you down. GYC was built for you. To hear you. To see you. To love you exactly where you are at any given moment. To watch you create who you are.
We will not let you down.
Here’s to the teens,
Lexi
Director
Glass Youth Collective