The performance was held at the Somerville Armory with over 100 people in attendance, including teens, parents, community members, police officers, and representatives from Save Our Somerville and Teen Empowerment. Everyone was there to support youth in Somerville and the Performance Hall was buzzing with energy, music, laughter, and a real sense of pride for the teens that put on the event.

The teens spoke, rapped, and read poetry that reflected their experiences in Somerville and touched on some of the night's themes of teen pregnancy, lack of resources, and drug and alcohol abuse. The event gave the youth of Somerville a voice, and they spoke out loud and clear, their accents showing their local roots as well as the diversity that makes up this All American City.

There were many laughs, lots of cheering, and even some tears as the teens showed their strength and told stories of overcoming the difficult situations they have lived through. The common message to other teens was, "Wake up, see what's happening, and make a change for the better." Sean Post, one of the performers, said it best when he rapped, "Ignorance is the rain and our message has been written in chalk." Teen Empowerment is raising awareness among adults and youth in Somerville through events that encourage an exchange of ideas.

The evening was full of memorable performances and readings, but it also included a dialogue with the audience about issues teens are facing in Somerville. One of the biggest concerns is lack of activities for youth. Some of the ideas generated were support for bringing a proposed Sky Zone Sports facility to Union Square. Danny McLoughlin of Save Our Somerville championed the conversation around bringing a skate park to Somerville. Many neighboring cities have skate parks, including Charlestown and Boston, and the youth of Somerville are asking for positive outlets and places to be active. McLoughlin says, "Events like this [Teen Empowerment] night show that we value youth. The community needs to support youth by pushing politicians to provide positive spaces for teens."

Through Teen Empowerment, these teens are talking to the community about their needs, and finding connections with other youth in Somerville. Kathleen Portillo, a senior at Somerville High School, says she applied for the job of Youth Organizer with Teen Empowerment because she thought it would a good addition to her college applications. But after working with other teens in the community and participating in Teen Empowerment events, Portillo says, "I realized it's so much more important than that, because it provides a positive outlet for youth in Somerville."

The performances were emotional and powerful, bringing to light issues teens in Somerville are facing through real stories of their struggles. It wasn't a passive event, where the audience sat and listened. It was alive, with people moving through the performance hall talking with each other and engaging in dialogues with the Youth Organizers of Teen Empowerment. One of the last performances of the night was by Rob, a teen who says hip-hop saved his life. His rap used a call and response that embodied the movement of Teen Empowerment and the feeling of the entire evening: "United we stand, divided we fall." These teens are coming together to bring their voice to Somerville, standing together as an important part of the community.

Join the movement at www.teenempowerment.org.