Creating the Pathway to the Future Leaders of Our Community.
Greenville Youth Cross Cultural Leadership Council
Beyond Differences believes that in order for our community to move forward in the areas of racial reconciliation, diversity, cross-cultural relations, and racial dialogue, there must be a fundamental change in our approach to these issues. The approach that we’ve embraced is focusing on our youth to help them in understanding and accepting differences while progressively searching ways to reach commonalities and mutual respect of one’s race, culture and ethnicity.
In 2007, Beyond Differences established our youth component: Greenville Youth Cross Cultural Leadership Council (GYCCLC). The council is unique because it’s the only youth community organization where the main emphasis is on creating future leaders from a cross-cultural perspective. Our youth are engaged every day in aspects of development in racial awareness, racial and cultural sensitivity, teaching of cross-cultural principles, and most importantly, the development of understanding the empathetic approach to racial reconciliation rather than the traditional teaching of the sympathetic approach.
We believe that the cultivation of youth, and young adults in a cross-cultural Leadership Program will eliminate racism and cultural conflict in our community by planting and nurturing the seeds of inclusiveness. The council will also address the issue of negative youth behavior by creating positive pathways to positive life choices.
GYCCLC Goals
To educate the youth of Greenville County between the ages of 14-18 about the value of cross-cultural relations
To foster on-going understanding of differences
To embrace cultural differences, build productive relationships and dismantle barriers in the community that limit social interaction and growth.
To improve communications as it relates to race, class, and ethnicity
To address or introduce diversity to young people in order to influence and help shape the future of race relations in Greenville County.
Participants in GYCCLC will create two cross-cultural projects, which include Our Radio and We Teach.
