In addition to the many peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations in the past year, MyVoice has been active in elevating the voices and experiences of young people to policymakers and the general public.

Early this year, the MyVoice team partnered with the University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club- a union of art and science. Through this collaboration, quotes from MyVoice youth were featured in a concert that highlighted issues of mental health among youth.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MyVoice fielded numerous surveys that elicited youth perceptions, behaviors, and experiences related to the pandemic. Our team quickly analyzed and summarized responses of local youth and disseminated these findings to the Washtenaw County Health Department to inform public planning during the pandemic.

MyVoice youth perspectives’ on racism were also highlighted this year in a new book from the American Academy of Pediatrics on Racism and Discrimination. The lived experiences of MyVoice youth on race, racism, power, and privilege provided context and personalization to the expert discussion of racism and their impact on youth wellbeing.

Several articles were also published in the past year through the blog, The Conversation. These pieces focused on the juvenile justice system and the use of JUUL.

MyVoice continued a strategic partnership with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine through the release of a second consensus report on adolescent health. As part of this collaboration, MyVoice youths’ descriptions of their “best life” provided real-life context in the report and were used to create an interactive tool that highlighted youth experiences.

As an extension of our work with the National Academies, several youth members of the MyVoice team were featured in a listening session – another example of youth sharing their voice on a national stage!