My Dream, My Journey / Mi Sueno, Mi Camino: May 24-25, 2022

Now that staff are holding in-person meetings more regularly, you can feel a different kind of energy as you walk around the Anacortes office. The other day, in fact, I noticed the Migrant Education Program (MEP) team gathered in a meeting room deep in planning for the 2022 My Dream, My Journey: Migrant -Inclusive Youth Leadership Conference. They were busy brainstorming and writing great ideas on a whiteboard, with so many different colored markers, I felt that I was witnessing collaboration at its finest! Partner collaboration is essential in providing guidance and direction to the vision and goals of the conference, the NWESD MEP team is not alone in getting this conference off the ground. 

Partner collaboration is essential in providing guidance and direction to the vision and goals of the conference and I learned that the NWESD MEP team is not alone in getting this conference off the ground.  

2022 MDMJ partner organizations include: 

  • Migrant Student Advocates and Migrant Graduation Specialists from migrant project school districts   
  • Co-collaboration with Western Washington Migrant Youth Leadership Council  

This year’s conference will take place virtually on May 24th and 25th. It is important to note that the conference will only be offered to identified Migrant Youth (Grades 6-12) because of federal funding, migrant funds are only to be used to serve migrant youth and families.    

  • The intention of the MDMJ Conference is that it is migrant youth-led.
  • The MEP team shared that  migrant youth are actively helping lead the intention of the conference. I was truly honored to read a poem created from exact words provided by the migrant youth council on what their vision is for their youth leadership conference.   

THE HEART OF THE CONFERENCE
A poem that was co-written with western Washington Migrant Youth.

I am struggles and I am successes
I am my parents, my family, my friends and my community
I worry about immigration status but I am not an immigration status
…some don’t accept my culture

I am inspired when I see my identity and culture
…when I listen to young speakers and presenters
…when I listen to people who share my culture
…when I feel welcome, that I belong
…when I have FUN.

I am my food, my music, my knowledge, my power
I am encouragement
I am my achievements and ideas 

I need a place where I feel respected, where I feel welcome
I need a safe environment where I can be myself
I need a place where I am not judged
…a place where I can find joy with those teachers and staff that always have an open door
…place where I can look forward to finishing school, going to college

I hope I learn new things and am able to teach others or be able to share the knowledge I learn
I hope for inspiration, I hope for motivation and happiness
…because motivation runs low sometimes
To feel uplifted and motivated to graduate
I overcome stereotypes

I seek new knowledge and to share the knowledge I learn
I commit to keep my mind open, to uplift others and listen
I commit to give the respect that I need from everyone
I am my dreams, and see a brighter future

The poem left my heart full and my eyes teary, seeing such beautiful words of inspiration, hope, life and so much emotion from the youth we serve was uplifting. I could not have been prouder of the MEP team, who are truly going above and beyond by offering a youth leadership conference tailored to the interests of the participants.  

Conference workshops  

Here’s a sneak peek of the conference workshops…students will be grouped in four umbrella themes and all workshops will fit accordingly under each theme.   

  1. Identity, Culture, History, and Social Justice 
  2. Well-Being-Healing  
  3. College/Career/Apprenticeship/Work Training  
  4. Music, Art, Dance, Theater  

Who should attend and how do you register identified migrant students to participate in the 2022 My Dream, My Journey Migrant-Inclusive Youth Leadership Conference?  

  • If you reside within a school district that participates in the Migrant Education Program (MEP), please coordinate with your district’s Migrant Education staff to enroll student participants.
  • If you are an MEP district and are interested in learning who your migrant students are please contact Enrique Lopez 
  • If you do not have a Migrant Education Program in your school district, please reach out to any member of the NWESD Migrant Services team.

Learn more about the 2022 MDMJ conference