Kids will testify to Grand Rapids leaders on top issues at annual panel

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Kids and teens will have the chance to speak directly to Grand Rapids elected officials and school leaders about issues of importance to them.

KidSpeak is an annual youth forum that gives young people the opportunity to testify in front of their legislators, school officials and community leaders.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, April 25 at Grand Rapids City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW, in the ninth-floor Commission Chambers. Lunch will be provided after.

KidSpeak is a partnership between Michigan’s Children, the City of Grand Rapids and GRPS.

The theme of this year’s event is “Where We All Belong.” Young people in kindergarten through 12th grade will be invited to “provide testimony and express how their lived experiences have shaped their feelings as they consider their past, present, and future opportunities to call Grand Rapids home,” according to the event’s website.

Over 20 kids and teens are expected to participate in the event, responding to questions developed by the Mayor’s Youth Council about their school settings, social life, family and friends, and the environment.

The Mayor’s Youth Council is managed by Our Community’s Children, a partnership between the city of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Public Schools and community partners.

The listening panel will be made up of 20 community leaders, including elected officials like Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, State Rep. Carol Glanville; Kent County Commissioners Carol Hennessy and Lisa Oliver-King; city commissioners Lisa Knight and AliciaMaria Belchak; and Grand Rapids school board members Kymberlie Davis, Eleanor Morena and Arick Davis.

Officials from local organizations like Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Urban League of West Michigan, First Steps Kent and the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum will also be in attendance.

Seating will be limited at the event, so community members are encouraged to tune into a livestream on Comcast Channel 26 and on the City of Grand Rapids Facebook page and YouTube channel.

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