Recently, a group of TFP staff and youth went to the 2005 Community Food Security Conference in Atlanta. This is one in a series of reflections on that event.

One of the most amazing aspects of the CFSC Conference was the amount of knowledge, creativity, and energy shown by the youth team. Although a few people that I talked to showed some hesitation about what they would gain from interacting with the youth, the vast majority were aware of how much they stood to gain.

At one point, three of the younger members of the youth group even chose to speak in front of the entire conference to voice their opinions on diversity and ways to improve connections between various groups. As they spoke, I looked around the room and saw the amazement on everyone’s faces as these youth spoke intelligently in a very articulate manner. This same process also held true in various workshops and committee meetings.

Thus, there is not a one-way exchange from adults to youth, but a mutual transfer of knowledge and skills. It’s all about having an open mind to learn from each other and seeking out people with perspectives different from your own. When people did this and started conversations with each other, the largest gains were made.