Black Lives Matter Statement from NZ Staff Directors
Silence right now is not acceptable. Neutral Zone stands in unequivocal solidarity with Black Lives Matter:
“Enough is enough. Our pain, our cries, and our need to be seen and heard resonate throughout this entire country. We demand acknowledgment and accountability for the devaluation and dehumanization of Black life at the hands of the police. We call for radical, sustainable solutions that affirm the prosperity of Black lives. “ - Black Lives Matter 5/30/20
We condemn the current state-sponsored violence against our Black communities and inequities of power and resources. We recognize that white supremacy culture in this country is built on more than 400 years of institutionalized and systemic racism and we understand that we need to continue doing anti-racist work by fighting white supremacy and other oppressions that cause systemic trauma for our Black teens.
We know that our own leadership, especially white staff, need to learn how to strengthen our role as allies and accomplices, to help dismantle institutionalized and systemic racism in order to bring justice and equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)
We publicly commit to centering BIPOC and following their leadership at the Neutral Zone. We promise to make Neutral Zone an anti-racist organization, to uplift youth voice and decision making, and to shine a light on our teens who are already brilliant and beautiful exactly as they show up every day.
We call upon other youth serving organizations to join us. Neutral Zone is committed to the following actions:
Build a racial equity task force centering BIPOC youth to drive our racial equity work at the Neutral Zone
Assess Neutral Zone organizational structure, governance and program practices to ensure we work toward anti-racism and equity across the center*
Hold weekly space for Black teens to come together in a supportive healing space
Provide ongoing anti-racist and ally training for white board of directors, staff, volunteers, and teens to continue to disrupt racism and be supportive allies and accomplices
Partner with local chapters of Black Lives Matter, March for our Lives, local Black Student Unions and other organizations centering and uplifting black youth
Create space intentionally centering the needs of BIPOC teens in the LGBTQIA+ community
Build on our programs supporting BIPOC youth to successfully transition into adulthood through education and employment experiences
Lori Roddy, Executive Director
Ramona Parker-Muhammad, Finance and Operations Director
John Weiss, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Suzie Staley, Associate Director
Amy Milligan, Development Director
*We will assess using the Educational Justice and Transformation Assessment Tool
Neutral Zone Letter to Black Youth
To the Black youth who are part of the Neutral Zone community,
Neutral Zone sees and hears you. We stand in solidarity with you to grieve George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, Tony McDade, and so many other Black people who have been murdered by the police. As an organization, we refuse to stand silent in the face of violence that affects the Black community. Black people have a right to feel safe, secure, and protected in their day-to-day lives. The United States was built on violence and brutality towards Black people and continues to fail them.
As a community, it is up to us to acknowledge and change the corrupt systems of oppression.
We, as the Neutral Zone, promise to become better allies and use our voices to speak out against the violence and harm being done to Black people. We refuse to be complicit in a tradition of racist law enforcement and government. We urge other non-profit organizations to speak up as well.
We will not rest until justice is served.
Sincerely,
Samiksha Sneha,
Teen Co-President of Neutral Zone Board of Directors
Narine Verdiyan
Teen Co-Vice President of Neutral Zone Board of Directors
Supported by the NZ Board and Staff
Notice: Neutral Zone Temporarily Closed
Dear NZ Community,
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, NZ is closed starting today, March 11th for after-school programs and special events. Youth may drop in after school today until 6pm for any teens who have critical needs to check in with staff or who coordinated transportation home from NZ activities.
We follow the Ann Arbor Public Schools leadership, which has just cancelled after-school activities and we will continue to follow their lead and monitor the impact of the virus closely. We will update the Neutral Zone website and social media to announce resuming our programs and events.
While this is a challenging time, we are taking critical precautions. The health and safety of our teens and staff is always our priority.
Here are some links to stay updated:
Ann Arbor Public Schools: www.a2schools.org/COVID-19
Washtenaw County Information: Washtenaw.org/covid19
Michigan Information: www.michigan.gov/coronavirus
Neutral Zone appreciates your support and understanding for the difficulties that our closure may have on teens in this community. However, we recognize our role to support promoting public health and preventing the spread of the virus.
If any critical needs arise during this time, please do reach out to our staff for additional support.
Sincerely,
Lori Roddy
Executive Director
CTN Interview with Daniel Bigham & Muni Harrison
CTN Interview with Daniel Bigham & Muni Harrison
November 22, 2019
In the News: TheRide and Neutral Zone Partner to Support Youth in Our Community
ANN ARBOR, MI – The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) and the Neutral Zone are partnering together to support area teens who have limited resources to achieve success.
Neutral Zone, a diverse, youth-driven teen center is dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas. Through the Neutral Zone’s SCORE Program, TheRide will help bolster success, respect and understanding of area youth.
In the News: Ann Arbor-based Neutral Zone to have multigenre production Dec. 7 in Ypsilanti
Sarah M. Parlette - Click on Detroit - October 27, 2019
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On Dec. 7, teen artist-activists will perform a multigenre production of poetry, film, music and theater at Ypsilanti High School.
Titled "Staying Power: Concrete, Not Wood," the production will be an evening-long conversation about gentrification and housing injustice that is experienced throughout the U.S.
Hosted by the Neutral Zone, "Staying Power: Concrete, Not Wood," has been jointly created by youth from Ypsilanti, Michigan and Richmond, California. The show is the culmination of efforts and weekly Skype-based workshops by the youth through an exchange program between the two communities that began in May.
NZ in the News: Ann Arbor awards nearly $40K in grants for community sustainability
By Ryan Stanton - MLive - May 31, 2019
ANN ARBOR, MI – Ann Arbor is awarding nearly $40,000 in grants to support four community sustainability initiatives.
City leaders announced the following Sustaining Ann Arbor Together grant recipients on Thursday, May 30.
Neutral Zone: $10,000, Capacity Building for Jobs Corps Program – to develop a job corps/development program that creates supportive pathways to successfully transition under-resourced youth ages 18-24 into adulthood through an intentional five-stage process by providing readiness, training, mentorship and coaching, job access, and a two-year associate degree.
In the News: Washtenaw County commissioners approve first-ever youth commission
By Emma Dale - MLive - May 19, 2019
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI — Young people in Washtenaw County now have a place in local government.
The County Board of Commissioners voted May 15 to assemble the first Washtenaw County Youth Commission.
A youth task force presented findings to the board in April that showed a youth commission could help young leaders offer their opinions on issues that affect them, according to a county news release.
In the News: Huron High student reflects on what Claudia Rankin's "Citizen: An American Lyric" means to her for Big Read Ann Arbor
By Ciatta Tucker - Pulp - February 28, 2019
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book ... [and] aims to inspire conversation and discovery.
In the News: NZ to Present Monthlong NEA Big Read program in Ann Arbor
By Sarah Parlette - All About Ann Arbor - January 21, 2019
“Thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Neutral Zone will offer a monthlong program exploring Claudia Rankine's "Citizen: An American Lyric”.”
In the News: Poetry Night in Ann Arbor 2018
By Zoe Lubetkin - The Communicator
“On Friday, Dec. 15, 2018, at 6:00 pm, Poetry Night in Ann Arbor at Lydia Mendolssohn Theater was underway.”
In the News: How a Poetry Event Taught Me About Empowerment
By Katherine Feinstein - SHEI Magazine - January 5, 2019
“When I volunteered to cover Ann Arbor’s Poetry Night, an event put together by the youth-driven nonprofit the Neutral Zone, I wanted to step out of my comfort zone.”
In the News: Teen music, arts festival Live on Washington back this weekend
By Meredith Bruckner - All About Ann Arbor - May 29, 2018
ANN ARBOR - The sixth annual Neutral Zone teen-curated music and arts festival Live on Washington will take place Saturday from 3 to 10 p.m.
In the News: 'Live on Washington' to feature 20 performers in sixth downtown Ann Arbor festival
By Kullen Logsdon - MLive - May 23, 2018
ANN ARBOR, MI - Over 20 performers are scheduled to perform at the Neutral Zone's sixth annual teen music and arts festival next weekend.