Yesterday I spoke at the Sexuality Conference in Guelph, Ontario about the game Adventures in Sex City, which I was a part of creating (as well as 7 other youth).   I was expecting a lot of questions about how we made the game, how we came up with the idea, and where the characters came from.   Much to my surprise the audience could not understand the fact that youth could create something this BIG.  Like many people, they thought that every step was manipulated by mindyourmind and the health unit to get what they want.  I am going to let you know it was not! 

At points during our presentation time I kept thinking “Have you ever even spoken to a youth?”  One point someone was wondering if the songs that were playing in the background while we worked were especially picking to have us discuss specific topics.  While we were creating the game the domestic abuse between Chris Brown and Rihanna had just came into the public eye.  So when a song by Rihanna came on OF COURSE we are going to talk about the issue of abuse, it is only human nature.

I guess by working with mindyourmind and by being drawn to grown adults who engage youth (as my mother says) has blinded me to the fact that there are people out there who still believe that youth have nothing to say and have no ideas. 

One thing is for sure all the people that sat in on the talk, wanted to learn and wanted to change the way they work.  And I applaud them for that fact .

By Francesca