Leadership as Empowerment:
The Refugee Youth Power Movement (RYPM) is RYSE’s free, two-week summer summit for high school-aged refugee youth that develops leadership skills and community through interactive workshops focused on identity, interpersonal communication, college navigation, and more. Serving an annual cohort of 20-25 participants, RYPM’s two week program explores leadership themes through two key lenses. Week One of RYPM focuses on the Self, where students reflect on their own identities, identify and expand their leadership qualities, and set individual goals for the future. In Week Two, the focus shifts to the Community, and students work collaboratively to define the characteristics of the community they wish to build and reflect on how the skills they are learning can be used to support that vision. At the end of RYPM’s summit, participants receive a stipend for their time and commitment to the program.
Our History:
In 2017, the Refugee Youth Power Movement was founded. Led by a group of volunteer Brown students and community facilitators, the initial summit was formed as a space for high school-aged refugees to develop leadership skills and learn about their community. In 2023, after years of collaboration and support, RYSE officially incorporated RYPM as our second annual program. Today RYPM’s summit maintains the same core ideals, offering workshops centered on public speaking, restorative justice, and identity mapping, with the goal of empowering refugee youth and inspiring future leaders.