Cities Summit of the
Americas for Youth
The Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth is a three-day government policy and innovation summit for young people who are aspiring world changers. The summit brings together 350 youth to engage with city leaders, entrepreneurs, policy experts, and social activists.
The goals are to spark critical conversations and take action on proposals and policy recommendations on issues that impact our hemisphere. This forum offers youth opportunities for networking, skills building, and engagement, with outcomes that further inclusive policy and improvements to take back and implement in their home communities.
The Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth brings together a dynamic mix of cultural, political, business, educational, and philanthropic organizations to produce this dialogue and consultation experience for Youth participants.
The Participants
Youth ages 18-39 will travel from a wide variety of locations, and backgrounds to blend their collective voices in the public policy event.
The Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth has an objective to select 350 youth from across the Americas, representing diverse ages, races, ethnicities, and identities. This summit corresponds with the Cities Summit of America. The networking and cross-collaboration between these two critical groups, Summit youth, and US city mayors, is a life-changing opportunity for all. The participants will serve as youth ambassadors for their home states, cities, and communities.
Key Components of the Youth Summit
Over the course of three days, youth leaders from across the Americas will participate in policy and innovation sessions with a focus on ideas directly impacting their communities: Democracy, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion, Public Space, Climate, Energy, Sustainability, Workforce Development, Migration, and Entrepreneurship.
Wednesday, April 26
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Opening Ceremony
Location: Fabrica De Arte Americana at The Slate, 1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 4:00 PM- 10:00 PM
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bMike: Workshop 1
Location: Fabrica De Arte Americana at The Slate, 1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM
Thursday, April 27
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Change Leaders of the Americas
Description: The opening keynote of the first Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth will feature speakers from across the Western Hemisphere highlighting their work on climate change, accessibility, and social justice to inaugurate the event.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 9:00 - 10:00 AM
Speakers:
Maria Batlle, President, Maria Batlle Foundation -Head of Inclusion, City Hall of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Juan Carlos Monterrey-Gómez, Vice Chair for implementation of the UN Climate Convention
Molina Speaks, MC, Youth On Record
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Movement Building: Joy as a Mode of Resistance: The Complexities Associated with Individual Expression within Social Justice Movements
Description: This event will cover young leaders' impact on rights-based movements and ways to evaluate social action. Participants will discuss social movement metrics from various regions, share best practices, and explore the role of joy in promoting social justice.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 PM
Moderator: Sabrina Razack, Center for Sport and Human Rights
Panelist:
Dali Angel Perez, Indigenous women rep, FILAC
Cynthia Appiah, Canadian Bobsledder
B. Mike, New Orleans Visual Artist
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Digital Innovation, E-Commerce, and Access to Technology
Description: “The Rise of Young Entrepreneurs in Digital Businesses in the Americas” YABT wants to highlight the importance of technology and digital transformation to empower traditionally underrepresented groups, such as women and youth.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 10:00 - 12:00 PM
Moderator: Raphaella Costa, Youth Fellow, YABT (Brazil)
Panelist:
Sara Aviel, President and CEO of Inter-American Foundation (US)
Josh Blumenfeld, Manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy, YouTube
Claudia Magdaleno, CEO, CEO Factory and Cherry Pink (Mexico)
Maria del Mar Jaramillo, CEO, Fundación Soy Oportunidad (Colombia)
Álvaro Carrasco, CEO, Founder & Chief Growth Officer, Brave up (Chile)
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Lunch: How Does a River Become Invisible? How Can Your City’s Youth Resuscitate It?
Description: By 2025, over 60% of the world's population will live in cities, leading to critical issues such as pollution, habitat loss, and resource depletion. This has a significant impact on the environment, social conditions, and communities of urban areas. To address this, the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum has been working for over 50 years to engage young people in environmental justice and promote the importance of saving waterways and the planet.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Speaker: Melanie Adams, the Roger Ferguson and Annette Nazareth Director, Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum
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Lunch: Building Community Through Journalism
Factual, unbiased local news coverage is essential because it keeps people informed and holds the government accountable. But it can also be a powerful force in building, engaging, and activating communities. Meet three pioneering journalism leaders who use their platforms to understand and engage with their communities and drive positive change.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
Speakers: Neil Chase, CEO, CalMatters (moderator)
Dani Bergstrom, Executive Director, Fresnoland
Hibah Ansari, Reporter, Sahan Journal
Angela Saavedra, Audience Lead, El Paso Matters
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bMike: Workshop 2
Location: Fabrica De Arte Americana at The Slate, 1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
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Youth-Led Solutions to Build Welcoming and Safe Communities
Description: Youth attendees will explore examples of how youth-led solutions have led to improved community services, policies and outcomes for all, including migrant children and youth, in origin, transit, and host communities across the Americas.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Moderator: Sergio Gonzales, Executive Director, Immigration Hub, Washington, DC, United States
Panelist:
Panelist: Isabella Tello, Youth Advisor, Child-Friendly Cities, Cauca, Colombia
Alejandra Colmenero, Leadership Program Manager, CLLARO, Denver, USA
Maggie Loredo, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Otros Dreams en Acción, Mexico City, Mexico
Alison Flores, Deputy Director, Office of Community Relations, Prince George’s County, Maryland, United States
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Planning for the Future in Climate, Water, and Energy
Description: Intergenerational conversation between government and young local communities to look at innovations for the future in regards to climate, energy and water.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Moderator: Governor Bill Ritter
Panelist:
Kijera Williams Eyal Weintraub, Youth for Climate Argentina
Maria Alejandra Aguilar, UN High Level Climate Champions
Kate Greenberg, Colorado Department of Agriculture
Mark Silberg, State of Colorado
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High School Design as a Lever for Social Change
Description: In this session, students will talk about the essential role of student voice in creating vibrant, rigorous, equitable schools. They will share stories about how schools can implement strategies such as hands-on community projects that make an impact on issues that matter.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Moderator: Edward Montalva, XQ
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Smithsonian Institution: Greater Reach, Greater Relevance, and Profound Impact in Partnership with America’s Youth
Description: Attendees will experience example science-based sustainability solutions developed by young people across the Americas who have engaged in the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals program, addressing climate change-related impacts, such as biodiversity loss, infectious disease, environmental injustices, and food insecurity.
Tricia Edwards Tricia Edwards is Deputy Director for the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations (SITES | SA), where she provides executive leadership and direction for overall planning, development, and management of SITES | SA programs and activities.
Location: McNichols Building
Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Dr. Carol O’Donnell is Senior Executive and Director of Smithsonian Science Education Center
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Youth Civic Action Workshop at Cities Summit of Americas
Description: Using Mikva Challenge’s signature Issues to Action curriculum as a guide, participants will engage in a six-step process for youth activism that asks students to examine their communities, identify issues of importance to them, analyze power, develop strategies, and take action to impact policy — while reflecting on the process throughout.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Date & Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Speakers: Robyn Lingo, Mikva Challenge
Friday, April 28
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Community Panel #1 Latinxs: Guerillerxs on the front line of Climate & Narrative Change Hosted by Hispanics in Philanthropy and Colorado State University
Description: HIP will have a conversation about what support grassroots organizations and narrative workers need to tell their stories, mobilize their communities, and build a call to action for community investment.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Community Talk #2: Discover, Understand, Act: Prioritizing Climate Education for Youth Ages 11-18 to Build Sustainability Mindsets
Description: Young people are at the heart of many of our most powerful and impactful collaborations. This work helps students develop practical, academic, and professional skills while having an impact on their communities. In this session, we will share examples from these youth engagement initiatives and show how our young collaborators are changing the world, one community at a time.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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bMike: Workshop 3
Location: Fabrica De Arte Americana at The Slate, 1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Art, Activism and Negotiation for a Sustainable Future
Description: Through multiple languages, communication channels and inspiring initiatives it is possible to sensibilize government and business leaders to collaborate on the integration of sustainability plans for the benefit of the people, planet and at the same time boost the economic development.
Location: 2nd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Moderator : Jesus Herrera, Biennial of the Americas
Panelist:
AY Young, UN Young leader for SDGs, AY Musik
Cyrielle Noël, Founder & Director of Eau daCité, YCSA
Dillon Bernard, Founder of Team DB, National Geographic Young Explorer
Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo, Concert Director, Executive Director and Host for Colorful Colorado Collaborations
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Urbanpreneurs: Supporting Youth Innovation Driving Transformation
Description: Urbanpreneurs: Supporting Youth Innovation Driving Transformation in Urban Setting - A Smart Thing To Do; The session seeks to generate the necessary space to understand the role of entrepreneurs and their businesses in creating solutions that allow development at the local level, specifically in tackling urban issues in the Americas.
Location: 3rd Floor, McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
DTime: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Moderator: Cecilia Vilchis, Program Manager, YABT
Panelist:
María Moreno, CEO, USA for IOM - UN Migration
Maurício Trejo, Mayor, San Miguel de Allende (Mexico)
Elizabeth Nava, Founder and Director, Entelequia (Mexico)
Caleb Padilla, CEO, Un Pulmón Más (El Salvador)
Ysabel Calderón, CEO, Sumak Kawsay (Peru)
Luis Nino, Chair, Board of Directors, YABT
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Young Leaders of the Americas Lunch
Description: The 2023 Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth highlights four young mayors from across the Americas and diverse backgrounds as they reflect on their trajectories to leadership. How can we learn from personal experience to advance advocacy and policy work?
Location: Livestream at McNichols Building, Civic Center Park, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 12:15 - 2:00 PM
Moderator: Sebastian Johnson
Panelist:
Mayor, Quinton Lucas, Kansas City, Missouri
Mayor, Melissa Blaustein, Sausalito, CA
Mayor, Alex Walker-Griffin, Hercules, CA
Mayor, Omar Pineda, El Carmen, El Salvador
Mayor, Montserrat Caballero, Tijuana, Mexico
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Innovation Challenge
Description: The Cities Summit of the Americas for Youth will culminate in a closing session that will feature three youth program participants who will highlight their innovative solutions to challenges facing their communities. Moderated by fellow youth emcees, presenters will share their plans and answer questions from judges and the audience. One youth presenter will be named the winner in this session which aims to uplift and empower youth voices.
Location: Fabrica De Arte Americana at The Slate, 1250 Welton St, Denver, CO 80202,
Time: 2:15 - 3:30
Moderators:
Eyal Weintraub, NatGeo Young Explorer
Nnena Okuagu, Obama Foundation Voyager
Judges:
Dillon Bernard, NatGeo Young Explorer
Jailene Ramos, Obama Foundation Voyager
Mayor (from lunch event)
Kevin O’Reily, State Dept.
CSOA Youth Innovation Challenge Project Proposal
Cities Summit of the Americas is looking to spotlight innovative ideas around policy, technology, sustainability, community, and more. We’re inviting participants to submit ideas to be featured as part of the Youth Innovator Challenge in Innovation Plaza.
The Cities Summit of the Americas encourages dynamic and creative young leaders to participate in actions, innovation, and transformation toward their communities. Participants will create 10-minute presentations highlighting their idea and how it could be implemented in other cities, industries, and social sectors. Selected projects will be given the opportunity to showcase their idea in front of CSOA youth participants and mayors from across the Americas.
If possible, selected participants will work with their local government officials throughout the planning and implementation process.
Thank you to our sponsors!
