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2017 has been a growth year for Youth Radio’s news team.
We published hundreds of stories by youth around the country, including over 100 videos, and five interactives. We expanded our national outlets to include Teen Vogue, The New York Times, and The California Sunday Magazine. Our NPR story about Noel Anaya’s journey through the foster care system won the Radio Impact Award at the prestigious Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Competition.
We’ve looked back over our favorite commentaries and features of 2017. Here’s a list of some of our favorites.
Best Of 2017
Emancipation: One Young Man Leaves Foster Care On His Own Terms
I used to dream of [adoption]. Having a mom and dad, siblings to play with, a dog. But when I hit twelve, I realized that I was getting old and adoption probably would never happen for me.
Small Towns Can’t Afford to Stay Divided in Politics
But the more I hear talk about “rural” communities like ours, the less I feel like the rest of the country understands us at all. People seem to think we’re living in the past.
Desegregated But Not Integrated: 60 Years After Little Rock Nine
Even though people of different races go to the same schools in 2017, we are not necessarily living in the same version of America.
Race/Related: My Mom Knew I’d Get Stopped By The Police, So She Made Me Practice
Having to spend my childhood rehearsing for the day a police officer would pull me over may sound scary. And I’m aware it’s not something parents of all races feel the need to teach their kids. But the day it actually happened, I was grateful that my mom made sure I was ready.
Rethinking the Rejection Letter
After having my life completely structured for 18 years, it’s up to me now.
What It’s Like To Be A Teen Farmworker
I like the sounds of the fields, hearing people speaking Spanish and the radio blasting ranchera tunes. It sounds like my childhood.
I Just Got DACA, And Now Trump Is Canceling It
It took more than a year for my DACA to be processed and approved. Now I fear that I’ll have to quit my job before I even begin my first day.
Why are High Schools Beefing Up Their Sexual Assault Policies? Pressure from Teens.
While students who’ve experienced sexual assault are relying on Title IX, the Trump administration may pull back some protections.
Your Most Awkward Questions About They/Them Pronouns, Answered
When I tell someone that my preferred pronouns are they/them/their, I never know what to expect.
What It’s Like To Be Transracially Adopted Into A White Family
When I was a little kid, I didn’t really care that my new mom was white. As I got older, though, race became more important
One High School Confronts Teen Suicide … Over The Intercom
13 students from Oxford High School worked with administrators to write and record personal stories and play them over the morning announcements.
Life With A Deported Parent
Zola Cervantes, 17, knows the impact deportation can have on a family first hand. Her dad was deported when she was 11. This story was produced by Youth Radio in collaboration with Boyle Heights Beat.
Want the Perfect “Promposal”? Fake A Romance
During “promposal season”–which dominates springtime on campus–the student body crowds into the main quad, pushing forward to get the best view of the latest romantic spectacle.
Going to College Without a Safety Net
My family has always been economically vulnerable — something a recent survey, called GenForward, from the University of Chicago, says is common among black and Latino youth.
The World Through The Eyes Of A Teen Rooftopper
I was 14 or 15 when I started rooftopping. It’s a form of urbexing, or urban exploring, where you discover the most stunning, vertigo-inducing view — either by sitting on the edge of a skyscraper or climbing up a construction crane.
Satire: Donald Trump’s Burn Book (Russia Edition)
Whether you’ve been on the pulse of every breaking news update or just casually skimming headlines, there’s one piece of the Russia investigation you definitely haven’t seen yet: Donald Trump’s very own Burn Book.
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