Free the youth

Listeners will hear from campaign organizers and guests, who draw from their own experiences to offer insights into how these systems harm individuals and communities, as well as what we need to achieve real change. The first five episodes dive into the consequences of punitive systems at the home, community, city, county, and state level. The series concludes by applying takeaways from each episode to action-based recommendations that will drive forward our mission to close the final five Illinois’ youth prisons. FTY strives to challenge mainstream narratives about youth justice and community safety by connecting real life experiences to systemic oppression, through the voices of those directly impacted.