Hundreds of students attend annual Colorado Youth Diversity Conference to address various current issues

Over 800 students from across the state and beyond attended the annual Colorado Youth Diversity Conference on Saturday. 

Eaglecrest High School senior, Etsub Worku, is one of the students, who attended the event. She's also a student board member for the nonprofit Colorado chapter. 

"Obviously we are the future. At the end of the day, the world is going to be in our hands in a couple of years," Worku said. "It's just a way for us to meet other people, talk about the problems we see in our community, and how to be a part of the solution." 

Worku and the students spent the day discussing a myriad of issues including, human trafficking, racism, and suicide prevention. She said these issues are greatly impacting her generation.

"My school has personally dealt with two suicides this past year. So, just having to deal with that as a community and having to grieve, but also having to move forward at the same time is really hard to navigate," Worku said. "And often, we students feel like our administration isn't doing enough to help us as we are grieving."

The 30-year-old conference brings students together from several school districts in Colorado and even New Mexico, providing them with a safe-open forum as students led conversations.

"It seems like that young people are kind of disregarded," said Janet Sammons, who was the founder of the Colorado chapter. "And to say, 'well, they're just kids.. and they don't know what they need,' and they know... they know what they need. It's also realizing that we have more in common than we are different." 

Students like Worku, attended to have tough conversations with her peers, while hoping to make it a better community for all.

"I just want people to have hope for the future," Worku said.

To learn more about the Colorado Youth Diversity Conference, visit: https://bit.ly/3XOSLwK