2025 NYEC Youth Days in DC Recap
Youth Days 2025 at a Glance
NYEC was honored to host our third annual Youth Days in Washington, D.C., bringing together leaders, practitioners, young people, and partners from across the nation who are committed to strengthening pathways to education, employment, and economic mobility.
Over three inspiring days, our network came together to elevate the voices of young people, share innovative strategies, and champion stronger investments in the youth workforce. Across the event, one theme was unmistakably clear: when communities raise their collective voices, young people thrive.
Our general sessions brought together an exceptional group of leaders whose insights shaped the spirit of Youth Days. Dr. David Ferreira of Charter Oak State College opened with a forward-looking discussion on the skills young people need in a rapidly changing economy. We were also honored to hear from Wendy Chun-Hoon of CLASP and Chris Palumbo of Rock the Vote, who highlighted the policy and civic engagement strategies essential to strengthening youth opportunity nationwide.
Our Youth Champion Communities: Mayors Challenge Initiative panel — featuring Celeste Roberts, of the Skills Center and Lerone Joseph, from the City of Richmond, showcased the innovation emerging from cities working to build stronger, more connected youth ecosystems.
We also hosted a deeply impactful ‘Housing as a Foundation for Youth Opportunity’ panel with Bernadette Tavares and Joel Richards of Foster Forward, Anne Farrel of the Urban Institute, and Ruth White of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. Their insights underscored how stable housing is the essential foundation for education, training, and workforce success.
We also hosted a series of incredible workshops, including Storytelling 101 with Caroline Burkhart, Darius Sharp, and Melodi Conze of The Moth; Youth Voice 101 with Ajary Alexandre and Stephen Lafume of the Center for Teen Empowerment; and From Participant to Collaborator with Christine James-McKenzie, Roman Jackson, and Sirrea Reeves of JobsFirstNYC. Each session offered powerful, practical tools for elevating youth voice, strengthening collaboration, and creating more responsive, youth-centered systems.
We are grateful to all of our speakers and panelists for their leadership, expertise, and unwavering commitment to advancing better outcomes for young people across the country.