September 20, 2001

Dear Fellow Youth,

There are no adequate words to express the sadness and grief caused by the recent acts of terrorism on September 11, 2001. The San Francisco Youth Commission joins with the rest of the world in extending our thoughts and concerns to all those experiencing pain and unnecessary suffering.

When faced with such evil, we must look for the good to get us through. We have witnessed an overwhelming amount of such goodness in the spirits of numerous individuals. We can gain our hope from the faces and stories of the police officers, firefighters, doctors, and the multitude of people who used their skills as ironworkers, plumbers and construction workers to risk their lives in attempts to save others. In this time, we must come together and give all we can offer. Across the United States, individuals over the age of sixteen are standing in lines to donate blood. Children are running lemonade stands to raise money for the Red Cross. No matter who you are, where you are, or what your age is, there are many different ways to help. We have included a few contact numbers at the bottom of this letter, but you can also be creative and come up with your own ways to get involved.

During this time it is natural to feel fear and anger, however, we cannot let those emotions define us and control our actions. We must continue to act with the courage and bravery that the human spirit has shown so strongly in light of recent events.

We are in the same position that you are; we are confused and unsure of all the answers. What we do know is that, as youth, it falls upon us to take charge of what we can control--our own actions. We know, and history teaches us, that it is not acceptable to discriminate against anyone for any reason, including race and religion. Our actions must reflect our knowledge; we must not let history repeat itself.

We are in a battle against hate. The hate that caused terrorist attacks against the United States of America is no different than the hate that exists in our communities, schools, and homes everyday. By committing acts of hate, whether they are verbal or physical, we rise no higher than those who committed the cowardly crimes against humanity on September 11th.

In this time we must come together. We need to talk to and check in with our friends, family, neighbors, teachers, and community members. Everyone is having a hard time dealing with the situation, and we need to respect everyone's way of handling it. Beyond just those people we know, we also have to increase our respect and understanding for those we do not know. Everyone is in this together. Realize that while you are on a bus, or walking down a street, that you are with other humans. It is as simple as saying hi. If we cannot respect the humanity of the person next to us, it will be impossible to respect the humanity of someone on the other side of the world.

Also, in this time we need to appreciate the rights that we hold as Americans. Honor your rights to freedom of speech, freedom to peaceably assemble, and also the freedom to vote. Let us trust in our government, which upholds those rights, but not forget to hold them accountable to make decisions that reflect the opinions of the people they represent, including us as youth. We encourage you to contact your local representatives and make sure your voice is being heard.

Through this experience we have learned that not all leaders are those we see on television discussing these horrific events. Emerging from the rubble have come courageous leaders, the everyday people out on the frontlines, those repeatedly exerting their last ounce of hope, bucket by bucket, hand by hand, human by human. The actions we choose to take in this moment will define the future of generations to come. In response to this unprecedented time upon the world's stage it falls upon us, as youth, to heed the battle cry.

We, as the leaders of tomorrow, must rise within this tragedy as the leaders of today.

In Peace,
San Francisco Youth Commission

YOUTH RESOURCES

To Talk
Youthline 1-888-977-3399
California Youth Crisis Line 1-800-843-5200
Covenant House Nineline 1-800-999-9999
Boys & Girls Town USA 1-800-448-3000

To Volunteer
https://www.redcross.org/
www.helping.org/youth

To Learn
www.youthradio.org
www.adc.org

To Report Hate Crimes
1-800-552-6843