By Andrew Firestone

This year’s fifth annual Somerville Youth Peace Conference, produced by youth group Teen Empowerment and presented April 13, was a testament to the diversity and cognizance of Somerville’s youth. Bringing to the fore both a workshop and a large-scale performance, the crowd of around 600 was enthralled the grounded perspectives of Somerville teens.

The show also included personal essays from teens including Pamela Tsirigotis, who spoke of watching her friends struggle with addiction, Verly Jean, who witnessed the Haitian earthquake of 2010, and Nick Caputo, who spoke about Matthew Krister, who died in a November shootout with police. There was also included a performance by members of Teen Empowerment who performed a self-written musical, focusing on addiction, teen pregnancy, family, and health.
The conference included a job-fair for teens and a “Hip-Hop” lunch complete with open microphone. The show was introduced by Mayor Joseph Curtatone, who praised Somerville’s youth for their tenacity and civic engagement.