Chicago Desi Youth Rising - CDYR

01/22/2023

We still have a handful of spots left for this coming Saturday's training! Thanks to everyone who got their names in by the priority deadline.
We'd love your help spreading the word in these last couple days, especially to youth - Have you signed up yet? Have you told a young person in your life about the event? Let's build power together!!

https://form.jotform.com/230066879678170

In the meantime, let's throw some shine on the rad people that will be bringing you the goods on the 28th

01/14/2022

Meet our lovely new collective members: Misha, Rani, and Naoman! https://chicagodesiyouthrising.com/meetthecollective

We are so excited & grateful to have y'all on the collective

08/04/2021

OUR ANNUAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP RETREAT IS THIS WEEK!!!!!!! From Friday to Sunday, a crew of almost 30 Desi young people and adult allies will be coming together (on Zoom, again) to celebrate our identities and histories of resistance and solidarity, while learning about systems of oppression inside and outside our community and scheming about how to dismantle them. We can't WAIT to hang out with our new 2021 cohort! Send us all your love! (And keep an eye out for information about an exciting in-person community event on August 14th...save the date!)
Pictured: a CDYR phone bank, before-times, colorized

04/22/2021

Hello Hello lovely community! Our Summer 2021 Retreat Applications Open!
The CDYR Leadership cohort is a year-long cohort, starting with the summer leadership retreat, for youth ages 15 – 21 who trace their heritage to South Asia and the diaspora, and who want to grow as leaders and change makers. Participants learn about how systems of oppression shape our world; develop belonging, community, and solidarity across diverse and intersectional desi identities; and build the technical knowledge and skills needed to create social change, such as critical thinking, communication, leadership, advocacy, and community organizing skills. Apply here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2POPvW_jprjectcEuEUWAPltLX6C_PqA6caJd5DGWNFcNew/viewform.)
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of April 5. Please share the link with anyone you think may be interested!

04/01/2021

Hello!

CDYR is hiring a paid, part-time contractor to support the volunteer collective by overseeing and executing administrative and logistical tasks. This individual will work closely with the collective members and be responsible for short- and long-term tasks and projects related to CDYR’s programming and general operations.

Please note, this is a grant-funded, one-year position with the possibility for extension of contract dependent on funding.

Apply here
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf214HGlUQ_JiPiGjx6XLfU2JafrBVyikmGqd56aWa2459h3A/viewform?usp=sf_link

08/28/2020

You're either with us or against us. And Sendhil Revuluri decided he was on the wrong side of history yesterday when he led efforts to renew CPS' contract with the Chicago Police Department.

After meeting with desi and Latinx youth where we invited him to join us and build an alternative plan to get rid of the school to prison pipeline, Sendhil came out with a resolution that would actually create more harm for students and gives CPS more power over the process.
.. in the midst of reports of multiple stories of massive corruption within the district AND while the police have escalated terrorizing young Black people in the streets.

To say we're disappointed is an understatement. We are disgusted. But we are not defeated. We will get one day, with or without you. Like we said to you before, "if you choose to stand on the side of the police continuing to brutalize Black and brown young people every day, we have no choice but to oppose you with all the love we have for each other."

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/08/26/cps-board-votes-to-keep-police-officers-in-schools-again/

08/26/2020

Sendhil Revuluri, we need you to come through today and join us on the right side of history.

On the side where we dance and we laugh and celebrate each other.

Where we all met up outside your house and called out for you to join us but were left with no reply. But we danced and celebrated each other anyway, hoping you'd wanna join us if you saw how much we loved each other.

We see you trying but it's not possible to be on the peoples side unless you work with the people to build a world we all want to live in together.

Join us in inviting Sendhil to the freedom side:

On Wednesday, August 26th the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education will be voting on the potential renewal of its contract with the Chicago police department. Pilsen Alliance Youth and Chicago Desi Youth Rising are calling on Sendhil Revuluri, a South Asian living in Pilsen, to vote

08/25/2020

💓 copsoutcps.com/sendhil 💓

We’re calling on Desi, Latinx and all of our allies and loved ones to join us in inviting Sendhil, the VP of CPS Board of Education, to stand on the right side of history, listen to the youth, and vote tomorrow!

✍It takes only a couple seconds to go to copsoutcps.com/sendhil to sign our petition.✍

👆🏽Link in bio 👆🏽

On Wednesday, August 26th the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education will be voting on the potential renewal of its contract with the Chicago police department.

PILSEN ALLIANCE YOUTH AND CHICAGO DESI YOUTH RISING ARE CALLING ON SENDHIL REVULURI, A SOUTH ASIAN BOARD MEMBER LIVING IN PILSEN, TO VOTE , AND JOIN OUR SIDE IN THE MOVEMENT TO REIMAGINE SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

Last week Desi and Latine youth of Chicago came together in front of Sendhil’s house, to show him how joyful our resistance was–what it would look like to join the side of young people who love each other deeply.

This Monday, Black youth leaders, including our friends and loved ones, were arrested for protesting at the Board of Education downtown. We’re out here risking our lives in the middle of a global pandemic, while cops only continue to terrorize our loved ones in the streets. We have had enough of adults not listening to us.

We met with Sendhil last week and since then, though his new proposal looks like a sign that he wants to move CPS in the right direction, we’re not seeing him take the right steps to work with Black and brown youth who have been leading this work for years, to build lasting change to eliminate the school to prison pipeline, once and for all.

We’re calling on Desi, Latinx and all of our allies and loved ones to join us in inviting Sendhil to stand on the right side of history, listen to the youth, and vote cops out of CPS.

Graphic by