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MARKOWITZ AND BROOKLYN TEENS ANNOUNCE BROOKLYN YOUTH LaB 2005

Photographs by Andy Kadin
In photo 1: Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joins Def Jam Poets DCross and Kayo at the first-ever Brooklyn Youth LaB.

On August 6-7, Borough President Marty Markowitz and Brooklyn teen leaders hosted the first-ever Brooklyn Youth LaB for young adults from London, UK, and Brooklyn, USA. Teens ages 15-19 developed the public conference held at the Brooklyn campus of Long Island University, as part of a youth initiative of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Conference topics included peer pressure, the media, teen pregnancy, self-esteem, concerns about terrorism, growing up creative, teen dating, and domestic violence. Other events were a mock trial with the Red Hook Youth Court and a film fest showcasing over a dozen movies including Brooklynite Terrence Fisher’s Bullets in the Hood: A Bed-Stuy Story. The film fest also featured “talk backs” with the young filmmakers.

Teens at the event were challenged by a giant Truth or Dare Wheel that dares the players to speak their own truth on a number of controversial topics. There were also opportunities to blog at the conference with teens around the world on AOL Red, which received over 12,000 hits during the conference.

The conference lasted from Saturday until Sunday, August 7. The youth initiative concluded with a teen party held at Brooklyn Bridge Park.