logan meza they/them) is a Black American, Colombian, trans/non-binary artist and cultural organizer born and raised in Miami, FL. Growing up in a tumultuous and abusive household with parents of marginalized identities is what set the stage for them to find themself in movement and social justice work. They co-founded S.O.U.L. Sisters Leadership Collective (SSLC) at 17 which housed the bulk of their organizing work up to age 24. They are dedicated to movement work as they believe it is their duty to sow the seeds that will turn into fruit bearing trees to nourish future generations to get them closer to liberation in their lifetime while figuring out what joy and freedom looks like in our lifetime.
Sumaiyah Wade ( she/her) is a 19-year old Black Woman from Miami. She graduated from George Washington University Online High School in 2022 with a concentration in Liberal Arts. Her organizing and political education journey began at PowerU Center for Social Change in 2020. Since then, she’s trained in restorative justice processes, working on campaigns centering civic engagement, reproductive justice and housing justice. Most recently, she participated in a 9- week Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program doing fieldwork in the Bay Area at Causa Justa::Just Cause, which focuses on housing and racial justice issues affecting low-income communities, particularly communities of color.
My name is Rahsaan Smith. I am from Oakland, California and currently attend Morehouse College as a rising senior majoring in psychology. Driven by the socioeconomic discrepancies I have witnessed in Oakland and nationwide, I am determined to advocate for systemic changes that uplift marginalized communities. I use my voice and pen to illuminate societal inequalities, hoping to bring about awareness and reform. My core values are God, family, and loyalty, and I continuously strive to be my ancestor’s wildest dreams. I am honored to be a part of the Seeds Of Fire Advisory Committee.
Karizma’s passion lies with her community and being true to her experience. She is one to make sure that the youth, their families and individuals in San Antonio have the necessary tools and resources to break the cycles of generational trauma. Karizma has goals for success. She is a proud Afro-Latina who is going to school for cosmetology. She hopes to be the example of change in her community, and to own a business styling and teaching individuals how to manage and embrace their natural hair.
My name is Juan Lopez, I am originally from Colombia but I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee a few years ago. I am a computer science and math double major with a business minor at Maryville College. My passion has been supporting immigrant and undocumented Latinos in every way possible. I have worked mostly with a non-profit organization called Centro Hispano where this past semester I became a student leader supporting post secondary education access to the upcoming Latino students. I have also participated on storytelling projects resulting in a book. Being in seeds of fire gives me an opportunity to keep getting my community out there and working together with others communities that face similar barriers.
Seeds of Fire (SOF) brings together an Advisory Committee of up to 5 youth (ages 15-26) to engage in the creation and implementation of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process focused on existing and non-existing communal care systems, as an alternative to carceral systems.
This is a commitment to youth leadership development, researching and analyzing already existing communal care systems, and finding the gaps where we can create these systems. Each Advisory Committee member works together toward a goal of creating *at least* one communal care system as an alternative to carceral systems. Advisory Committee members receive a total of $10,000 in educational stipends administered in two payments for their time as a Committee member.
Advisory Committee members also utilize Seeds of Fire’s podcast as the vehicle for participatory research methods.
Advisory Committee members facilitate one workshop a month with the Seeds of Fire Fellowship. These workshops reflect the work of participatory action research and each workshop focuses on one of Highlander’s six methodologies.
Being part of Seeds of Fire’s Advisory Committee provides opportunities for each member to acquire a variety of skills, which include but are not limited to:
Seeds of Fire (SOF) is hosting a fellowship specifically for youth across the South, with a strong focus on youth in East Tennessee, occupied Cherokee and Yuchi lands, of up to 5 individuals.
Fellows participate in SOF’s Strong Foundations curriculum, which supports young people in learning about their communities, how to organize their communities, and how to build their own solutions to the problems they see around them.
Fellows also participate in The Greenhouse 101, a Healing Justice curriculum brought to SOF by Teddy, alongside the Strong Foundations curriculum. The Healing Justice curriculum walks fellows through different methods for moving emotions, sustainability in organizing work, and more.
Each Youth Fellow receives a $5,000 educational stipend at the completion of their time as a fellow. This is a commitment over the summer to participate in two virtual-based educational curricula and an opportunity for project development at the end of the program.
Being part of Highlander’s Seeds of Fire East TN Youth Fellows program provides opportunities for each member to acquire a variety of skills, which include but are not limited to:
SOF Centers:
We believe that political education and analysis, through the lens of popular education, creates lifelong leaders and change makers who are able to critically examine issues while making connections between our work locally, regionally, nationally and transnationally.
The program often consists of youth and allies of different ages coming together for intergenerational programming. The allyship will involve adults supporting and challenging each other, while exploring how to best foster youth leadership and effective organizing.
Through popular education, participants will experience 3-way learning practices where they will become both educators and learners of collective knowledge, learning and teaching new tools, techniques and strategies that have made organizing successful. Using research, theater, games, art, music, history and collective wisdom, participants will get to generate new visions for the world they are trying to build.
In order to struggle and effectively envision a future for liberation, we will explore movements and organizing efforts happening across the world, often pulling from ancestral knowledge and wisdom.
Impact
History
For 18 years, Highlander’s Seeds of Fire (SOF) program has impacted and connected thousands of young people (ages 13 – 17) and their allies (ages 18 and up), bringing together emerging and experienced grassroots organizers and community leaders to build collective power and influence critical shifts in policy decisions and practice. We host, support and network intergenerational organizers from across the South to share their social justice work and to learn about Highlander’s methodologies. Together, they discuss the different issues in their communities, strategies to address these challenges and build relationships throughout their local community and the region.
The Seeds of Fire program has included the SOF camp, mini-camps, the Living Legacy Tour, SOF Advisory Committee, Greensboro Justice Fellows, Stay Together Appalachian Youth (STAY), and Supporting Emerging Appalachian Leaders (SEAL), as well as local internships. Now we host fellowships, cohorts, networks, as well as working individually with youth and their organizations!
1959 Highlander Way
New Market, TN 37820
(865) 933-3443
hrec@highlandercenter.org