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As with past seasons, enjoy our Season 4 Recap (and reflection) of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®. The season began by sharing the perspectives of our high school principals, and continued by creating a front row seat for listeners of SPYS’ YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute. With this season, we shine a light on the legacies of creativity, strength and innovation sustaining those of us who belong to Black communities, Indigenous Communities, and Communities of Color.  

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, we hear from YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute leaders in a post-assessment discussion. In this conversation, recorded at the end of the summer session, youth reflect on their growth throughout the 16-day program. The young people highlighted the supportive environment provided by SPYS and the transformative impact on their personal lives and collective development as youth building power. For this episode, we’re taking a panel approach and mirroring a Sunday Dinner conversation. The purpose is to listen, learn, and build in community and see that we’re more connected, stronger, and powerful together.  

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, we take you to a celebration of the YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute, where youth leaders shared poetry rooted in identity, family and home.  SPYS’ YouthPowerMN℠ leaders created poems in response to curriculum focused on Healing & Identity, Exploration & Innovation, & Policy Change. Listen to the episode where SPYS, SPYS Youth Champions, and families & celebrate our youth leaders!!

*Some recorded sections are difficult to hear but please listen closely as the message is clear. Recording improvements are being made for future LIVE recordings. Thank you!

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, youth leaders from YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute are recognized during an award ceremony. The ceremony took place at an overnight retreat at Mt. Olivet Retreat Center in Farmington, MN. During the retreat, SPYS’ curriculum was focused on Healing & Identity, Exploration & Innovation, & Policy Change. Listen to the episode, where SPYS celebrates these youth leaders for learning about themselves and their community and engaging in creative and critical thinking.  

About YouthPowerMN℠: St Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute offers an organizing hub where Black youth are compensated for their intellectual capital, lived experiences, and contributions to improve our communities. Youth can gather, reflect, express themselves, build skills, organize, and advocate for serious change on issues that impact their lives. Our motto at YouthPowerMN℠ is kids changing systems versus systems changing kids. We believe that it is the most promising and proportionate approach to dismantling systemic racism, and that by engaging youth in shaping and promoting solutions, it is the largely untested yet effective and strategic approach to change.   

*The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License. 

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute, where youth engage in a rigorous curriculum of Healing & Identity, Exploration & Innovation, and Policy Change. The episode takes you to the YouthPowerMN℠ hub, where youth leaders co-developed a Code of Conduct, learned about themselves and their community, and engaged in creative and critical thinking. The purpose is to Listen, learn, and Build in community and see that we’re more connected, stronger, and powerful together.   

About YouthPowerMN℠: St Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute is an organizing hub where Black youth are compensated for their intellectual capital, lived experiences and contributions to improve our communities. Youth can gather, reflect, express themselves, build skills, organize and advocate for serious change on issues that impact their lives. Our motto at YouthPowerMN℠ is kids changing systems versus systems changing kids. We believe that it is the most promising and proportionate approach to dismantling systemic racism, and that by engaging youth in shaping and promoting solutions, it is the largely untested yet effective and strategic approach to change.   

*The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License. 

Send us a text

In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, we hear from YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute leaders in a pre-assessment conversation. In this conversation, recorded at the beginning of the summer session, the youth reflect on their favorite parts of working with St. Paul Youth Services, what they’re looking forward to, and advice they’d offer their future self. For this episode, we’re taking a panel approach and mirroring a Sunday Dinner conversation. The purpose is to listen, learn, and build in community and see that we’re more connected, stronger, and powerful together.   

About YouthPowerMN℠: St Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute offers an organizing hub where Black youth are compensated for their intellectual capital, lived experiences and contributions to improve our communities. Youth can gather, reflect, express themselves, build skills, organize and advocate for serious change on issues that impact their lives. Our motto at YouthPowerMN℠ is kids changing systems versus systems changing kids. We believe that it is the most promising and proportionate approach to dismantling systemic racism, and that by engaging youth in shaping and promoting solutions, it is the largely untested yet effective and strategic approach to change. 

Send us a text

In this episode of Rewriting the Rules®, we're continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen, from the perspective of our high school principals. This is how we continue creating a community that wraps its arms around our youth. Our guest for this 2-part episode is Principal Jamil Payton, Principal of Johnson Senior High School. We hope that this conversation can offer fertile ground to continue thinking about how we can transform cultures and practices towards a new vision of society.  

About Jamil Payton: Jamil brings a variety of experience in helping all students feel represented and accepted for who they are. He has served as a classroom teacher, cultural liaison, school administrator, assistant principal, and most recently, as principal of Hmong International Academy in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Mr. Payton understands the importance of collaborating with staff and families and embracing the unique gifts that each student brings.   
 
Jamil is an equity leader who values communication and works hard to provide access and opportunity for all students. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional communication from Metropolitan State University, a Master of Arts degree in professional counseling from Argosy University and an education administration licensure from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. 

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In episode 9 of Season 3, St. Paul Youth Services’ Rewriting the Rules® team reflects on eight episodes that focused on youth voice in a variety of ways. In this episode, you'll hear our favorite moments of this season, and reflections on season three. This is how SPYS demonstrates itself as a leader in reimagining how our community engages with and holds itself accountable for black youth.  

SPYS Rewriting the Rules® Podcast Team members featured in this episode:  

Dr. Tracine Asberry, SPYS’ Executive Director and Rewriting the Rules® host 

Ellen Davis, SPYS’ Grantwriter Consultant 

Julia Moffit, SPYS’ Youth Programs & Resource Development Plan Manager  

Sheila Regan, SPYS’ Marketing & Social Media Consultant 

Moses Sospeter, SPYS’ Rewriting the Rules® audio engineer 

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, we're continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen from the perspectives of our high school principals. This is how we continue creating a community that wraps its arms around our youth. This episode features friend of St Paul Youth Services, Dr Diana Brown, Principal of Como Park High School.  

About Dr. Diana Brown: Diana Brown was been named the Capitol Division Principal of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) in 2024. She has been working in Saint Paul since 2011, both at Washington Technology Magnet Secondary School as well as Benjamin E. May IB World School as a teacher.  She was born in the city of Saint Paul, and attended all Saint Paul Public Schools for her K-12 education journey. 

Diana received her undergraduate degree from the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University in Psychology, and received her teaching license and Masters of Science in Education from the College of St. Scholastica.  She received my Masters of Arts in Teaching and ESL K-12 license from St. Thomas University.  She completed my doctoral work and K-12 Principal License from Concordia University.  

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In this episode of St. Paul Youth Services’ (SPYS’) Rewriting the Rules®, we're continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen from the perspectives of our high school principals. This is how we continue creating a community that wraps its arms around our youth. This episode features friend of St Paul Youth Services, Dr. Diana Brown, Principal of Como Park High School.  

About Dr. Diana Brown: Diana Brown was been named the Capitol Division Principal of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) in 2024. She has been working in Saint Paul since 2011, both at Washington Technology Magnet Secondary School as well as Benjamin E. May IB World School as a teacher.  She was born in the city of Saint Paul, and attended all Saint Paul Public Schools for her K-12 education journey. 

Diana received her undergraduate degree from the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University in Psychology, and received her teaching license and Masters of Science in Education from the College of St. Scholastica.  She received my Masters of Arts in Teaching and ESL K-12 license from St. Thomas University.  She completed my doctoral work and K-12 Principal License from Concordia University.