Freedom Inc.’s Youth Justice Department will host Youth Got Talent, a youth-led talent show, on Sunday, Feb. 11, 1-4 p.m. at the Madison Concourse Hotel. The talent show is open to youth of color, ages 12-18. A $500 prize will be awarded to first place and additional prizes for 2nd-5th winners.
Youth Justice organizers Shyra Adams, Mai Thao Yang, Milcah Rimmer, and Selena Yang share their objectives about what creating this space means for their communities. “At Freedom, Inc., we believe in investing in the leadership, wellness, and creativity of Black youth and youth of color,” they said in a statement. “Our talent show is just one of the many ways we are working towards this goal. We encourage all talented young people to seize this opportunity and join us for an unforgettable evening of talent and community.”
Freedom Inc. is a nonprofit Black, Southeast Asian, and QTI organization that seeks to end violence within and against their communities to enact social change. This youth-led event is a part of a national Black Lives Matter in Schools campaign with principles of collective values that are “guided by the fact that all Black lives, regardless of sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, economic status, ability, disability, education, location, age, immigration status, religious beliefs or disbeliefs, matter”.
Ashzianna and Kaila, Freedom Youth Squad members, share their excitement in seeing all of the youth talent and leading an event that brings the community together. “It’s fun to be a part of an environment where I get to hype people up,” Ashzianna tells Madison365.
Registration is currently available and required, with limited availability.
