This program functioned slightly differently than our June program but revolved around the same concept. On the first day of this three-part series, we went to Urban Underground to speak to the new cohort on what makes a global leader. Students identified their leadership qualities and how there can be many different types of leaders. Everyone used their unique strengths to showcase their leadership styles. Students connected their strengths to others using examples of historical figures, world leaders, pop culture icons, and youth leaders.

The second day was on the UWM Campus, which was first for many of the students. Our students learned about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and created their own hashtags and slogans for specific articles. The main focus was on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how to make connections between the SDGs and human rights within the scope of their own lives. Similar to the June program, each student made a quilt square of an SDG logo they were passionate about and presented their design. 

On the last, they went through an exhibit about mass incarceration in Wisconsin put on by the UWM Golda Meir Library. As mass incarceration connects to the UDHR and SDGs, it gave the students an example of how different causes can relate to one or more of the SDGs. They engaged in a series of activities to reflect on what issues they care about in Milwaukee, and how to create impactful change. The free research period delved into local and global causes. After researching, we left the UWM campus and visited Arts@Large – an organization whose goal is to activate Milwaukee communities to build environments that support arts-rich, lifelong learning. Students were free to explore the community center and write stories about pieces of artwork that inspired them.