Youth Voices Rising: What Kids Can Teach Grown-Ups

By True Phillips, Age 9

This story is part of Youth Voices Rising, a Black By God narrative-change project supported by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation 

Going to Black By God’s 24-hour Podcast-a-thon was really cool. One of my favorite parts was being on the boat. I got to look around, hang out with people from the community, and see what was happening behind the scenes.

I liked seeing how everything worked. There were cameras, microphones, people getting ready for interviews, and a lot of things going on. When you watch a podcast, you only see what’s on the screen. But being there showed me how much work people do to make it happen.

It was also fun being around so many different people. I got to hang out, talk, and listen to people share their stories. I liked that everybody could come together and be part of something for our community.

During my interview, my mom asked me what grown-ups could learn from kids. I think grown-ups can learn that kids have good ideas, too. Grown-ups know a lot because they’ve been around longer, but kids can teach them things if they listen.

I’m nine years old, and I’m the youngest person on the Black By God team. I started making comic strips about three years ago when my mom suggested I try it. I like drawing and writing stories, especially about basketball.

One of my comics was about Allen Iverson, and another was about the Earl Lloyd statue. I like making comics because I can tell a story with pictures and words.

Basketball is one of my favorite things. I play center, and my dad is one of the reasons I love the game. During the interview, I also talked about going to an NBA game and seeing LeBron James in person. That was really exciting, especially because I even got on the Jumbotron!

I also talked about the comic I want to make next. It’s about my granddad, Levi Phillips, and his basketball story at West Virginia University.

I’ve made comics about famous basketball players, but this one will be special because it’s about someone in my family. I want more people to know who my granddad is and learn about his basketball story.

What I learned at the Podcast-a-thon is that everybody has a story to tell, even kids.

I had fun on the boat, meeting people, and seeing everything that happens behind the cameras. But the best part was getting to be involved and share my own story.

Sometimes grown-ups think they’re the only ones who can teach us things. But kids have talents, ideas, and stories that matter, too.

And sometimes, grown-ups just need to listen.