Forward Through Ferguson, the organization created by the Ferguson Commission to facilitate implementation, partnered with FOCUS St. Louis to host a panel discussion about organizations and efforts that work to achieve the Signature Priorities included in their final report. The discussion, titled “Forward Through Ferguson: What’s Next and Applying the Racial Equality Lens,” took place at the St. Louis Public Library on February 25.
Upper School English Teacher Matthew Mahaffey and MICDS student Chelsea Mingo ’17 highlighted the MICDS Local Action Project, a social entrepreneurship and problem-based learning unit for all 11th graders, which pushes students to identify an issue they find compelling, find alignment with reports like Forward Through Ferguson, and create an advocacy, policy, or service solution they can make actionable.
Panelists addressed questions regarding the importance of community involvement in developing solutions, the role of youth as agents of change, and the impact of cross-group and cross-sector collaboration.
Felicia Pulliam, parent of MICDS alumni, former MICDS board member and current Director of Development for FOCUS St. Louis, invited MICDS to participate in the panel.