How far have we come? This was one of the questions asked and answered at a recent youth panel discussion created and led by Penn State Greater Allegheny Psychology major Shar Cobb. The question refers to the approximately 50-year-old Civil Rights Act. The panel, made up of 10 local high school students, discussed their thoughts and feelings about the Act, the changes that have occurred since its enactment, and the work that still needs to be done.
The discussion took place at McKeesport Area Senior High School, which neighbors the Greater Allegheny Campus. Cobb created the event for Black History Month, with the goal of engaging the youth on a more personal level and understanding what they feel are the biggest issues within the community.
Cobb planned the discussion as part of her internship at Take Action Mon Valley, which according to their Facebook page, is a grassroots group designed to combat violence in the Mon Valley and surrounding communities through organizing and activism. The group’s plan of action is to raise awareness about the spiraling effects of community violence on African-American families.
Cobb decided to include only youth on the panel. She said, “Youth have been advocates for community, social, political, as well as global issues because they have a sense of consciousness that is unique to each generation. During the World War Era, there was the ‘Baby Boomer’ population. During racial segregation, there was The Children's March in Birmingham Alabama which led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After the decision in Ferguson, Missouri, many youth participated in peaceful protests, as well as riots."
“The youth often possess the charisma, intellectual capability, and innate social awareness of what is or is not just and fair. I simply wanted to give the youth in our communities the opportunity to adequately and accurately express their concerns, thoughts and opinions around particular issues.”
Internships are an important aspect of the curriculum in many majors offered at Penn State Greater Allegheny. “I plan to become a youth mentor and eventually open my own recreational centers, and my own school. I believe that this internship is paving the way for these, and many other opportunities,” said Cobb. “This event helped me understand that it is easy to plan an event, but it is extremely time consuming to create a successful event!”
“I believe that Shar is getting an excellent broad based exposure to multiple aspects of civic engagement. This will prepare her well for a career in public service,” said Neha Pandit, instructor in psychology and Cobb’s internship adviser.
Cobb added, “I was given the task of creating and facilitating two events within the month of February, in addition to managing my coursework, working three jobs, and taking care of my family. This event showed me the importance of planning ahead, and being prepared; the world does not stop because you have a heavy load. This event and internship has increased my ability to multitask, organize, and execute many tasks at any given period,” said Cobb, adding, “I am learning the professional and ethical protocol, especially when it comes to working with youth. I am also learning how to balance my professional and personal life without the feeling of unhealthy stress or a possible burnout.”
Pandit agreed. “It takes a lot of organizational skills, and thoughtfulness to bring together a relevant panel that can inform an audience. The skills needed to do this are transferrable to her educational and internship experiences,” she said.
As the next step, Cobb plans to hold a follow-up discussion panel, contact the panelists so they can decide as a collective group what will be benefit them and the community the most, and how to achieve that goal.