#DearAdultWorld is a platform launched by a cohort of devoted young activists, artists, and creatives working towards amplifying teen voices and enacting change.
#DearAdultWorld, a project sponsored by the Teen Action and Support Center, was born from the hearts and minds of young, passionate people longing for a platform to amplify their voices. It’s simple: they want teens to be heard and adults to listen. What began as a short film written by teens and produced by actress and director Joey Lauren Adams in Northwest Arkansas has evolved into a digital publication that curates the voices of young people on an international scale and a public panel series.
#DearAdultWorld Short Film
#DearAdultWorld is broken up by societal issues that these teens feel their generation is uniquely qualified to speak to, for example, mental health, climate change, and identity. This generation feels they are more connected, informed, and much louder than those of the past. They were raised with smartphones in hand, eyes, and ears open to struggles far beyond their own worlds.
$1,000 Scholarship Attracts National Attention
Google Analytics of DearAdultWorld.com
An educational award sponsored by the TASC earlier this year has helped generate awareness of the platform both nationally and internationally. So far, DearAdultWorld.com has seen website visitors from 42 countries, including all 50 states in the US, and received over 50 submissions, with new ones coming in daily, from teens that are expressing their experiences through art, prose, poetry, and articles. The editing staff located at TASC is in the process of sorting through these submissions and will award the scholarship by the end of the summer.
#DearAdultWorld is still actively accepting submissions for the scholarship until July 31st. Any submission past this date will still be considered for publication.
Public Speaking Engagements
Arkansas Parent Teacher Association Panel
Also, in partnership with TASC, the staff of #DearAdultWorld have started to host panel discussions with adults throughout the region and beyond. The first panel discussion was hosted at the Arkansas Parent Teacher Association conference in Eureka Springs on April 5th, 2019. These discussions are designed to invoke open and honest intergenerational dialogue, something that both teens and adults feel is lacking in today’s society. For those interested, panels can be booked through Calvin Ryerse at calvin@dearadultworld.com.
The Future
Art Submission by Gemma Rose, 18
As many on the editing staff look forward to college, they are looking for other driven artists and entrepreneurs that share their passions for change and social justice to take over the publication as they age out of their teen years. If you are a teen looking to get involved or an adult looking to support these efforts, feel free to contact them through social media or email. The teens encourage you to read through their site, and interact with what they are saying, and ask that you allow yourself to be challenged.
You can learn more at the website: dearadultworld.com
