Unleash the Power within YOUth: Storytelling Activism

^{At YouthxYouth, we root our work in the belief that activism, like life itself, takes so many forms, each one necessary and vital in our journey of cultivating a just and liberated world. This year’s annual YouthxYouth crowdfunding campaign is centered around raising support to sustain the work we do at YxY by showcasing the diversity of the activism that exists within our community, from artivists to community weavers, and everything in between. This crowdfunding campaign is an invitation, an open door if you will, to sustain the work of YxY through 2025 and beyond, and to witness the power and depth of activism. Through this campaign, we’re intentionally holding up a mirror to reflect the faces of those we serve and uplift, the activists whose journeys we nurture and who nurture us in return. As part of this, we are releasing a series of blogs that explore 10 different archetypes of activism.} 

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When we are born into the world, we are born as stories. The stories of those who came before us live within us. This is how we make sense of the world, through stories. Do you remember the first story you were told? Do you have a story unfolding in you, and want to call it forth?

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I never thought of storytelling as a form of activism, but after learning about the different activist archetypes I truly believe in the power of stories to create impact and change in the world. Storyteller activism is about using stories to create awareness and influence others to join in the efforts for positive social change. There are many different kinds of storyteller activists who are telling their stories all around the world. Stories give voice to people and this can create a shared system of meaning. Creating meaning and understanding through stories is a powerful way for connecting people, especially in the context of a polarised world.

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Now you may be just as curious as I was about what a storyteller activist is, so, let me tell you a story…

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There was once a girl who was walking in the forest when she came across a sign, and a tree behind the sign. The tree called to her, she couldn't explain why. The tree began to tell the girl her stories, stories of being cut down for wood, stories of healing people, and stories of seeing the forest change and the humans trying to control it. The girl knew she had to do something, she had to at least try. And so she made it her life's mission to learn the stories from the tree and the peoples who carried these stories.

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She turned to the storytellers, she found them all around, in the traditional healer, the forest walker and the river sound. But the girl soon learnt some people didn’t care about her stories, some didn’t listen and some shut her down. She became tired, she felt she had lost her way. Until she came across a community of young people, they called themselves YouthXYouth, she found support, inspiration and strength. She learnt about other young people's stories, the change they were making in their part of the world. And with a new wave of energy she turned to her page, she sat down under the tree and continued writing for positive change.

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Storyteller activists use different mediums to share their stories with their communities and the world. These can include social media campaigns, writing, poetry, documentary, performance, song  and public speaking. Storyteller activists can use their voice to speak up about injustices, write about hope and to create joy and move people with their stories.

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A storyteller activist is also a deeply empathetic person which enables them to understand diverse stories from different people and places. These storytellers, their imagination runs wild! They can observe and listen to the stories that go unnoticed, the stories that need to be elevated. They are able to hold the stories of others with respect, care and gentleness. Storytellers are wanderers captivated by the beauty in the world, and a desire to share it. They look to and learn from other great storytellers in the past and the present who have used their voice and experiences to champion change, and move towards a more just, caring world.

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You have many stories inside you, and your stories matter. Never doubt the power of your voice and the listeners waiting for you to share.

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Notes from sabbaths and iftaars for a free palestine (from the river to the sea, palestine will be free)

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"They said “If you want to be an intellectual

You have to be an engaged (confrontational) intellectual”

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And i listened and it landed 

And I knew what kind of intellectual I wanted to be. 

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They said “You don’t have to be a revolutionary,

If you are true you are a revolutionary”

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Softly, the truth, it landed as I listened and i let it

And my soul nodded in agreement 

yes.

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They said “Like a child bewitched in the magic of the world”

And my inner child, over excited, lept up and down at the prospect of being bewitched in the magic of the world. 

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And every leaf I look at becomes a world within itself

And i think about the praying mantis on your wall and the joy of seeing a new leaf uncurl 

Into the world and I gape in awe and wonder

And I thank the seeds 

That germinate. 

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They said “There is power in our struggle

There is power in our resistance

There is power in our friendships

There is power in the love we share”

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By Lilitha Buti

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In celebrating these powerful activists, we’re sharing an interview with a spectacular storyteller activist within the YouthxYouth community, Lilitha Buti. Lilitha is the co-founder of Afromation, a youth-led project that provides a platform for youth in South Africa to find affirmation and share their stories. She is a recent graduate from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa, and holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Sociology and Environmental and Geographical Sciences (EGS) and an Honors degree in EGS. She is a weaver from the YouthXYouth Weavership 2024 completing her fellowship at the Salzburg Global Center for Education Transformation. Lilitha is passionate about the intertwined socio-cultural relationships between people and nature. She aims to pursue her masters in nature conservation and contribute meaningfully to the making of a more caring, just, convivial world that prioritizes the well-being of all beings, both human and more-than-human. Her favorite quote is "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."- Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Stay tuned to our social media for more conversations like this one!

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Through these interviews, we hope to bring you closer to the lived experiences of activists within our community, hopefully offering a fuller understanding of what it means to be an activist, in its vast multiplicities.

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As we journey through the other archetypes of activism we invite you to reflect on the interconnectedness of these roles. While each archetype has its distinct facets, together they make up our YouthxYouth community and how magical is that!

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Our crowdfunding campaign is about celebrating this diversity, and by contributing, you are not only helping sustain YxY’s work but also joining a community that values and nurtures a broad spectrum of activism. We invite you to support those who dare to act, whether it's on the frontlines or behind the scenes, as we envision and work towards the more beautiful futures our hearts so deeply long for.

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Donate now!