We coach school teams, run social justice leadership cohorts, provide paid internships, organize middle school club teams, host free summer camps and tournaments, and lift hella heavy weights.
School Teams
We coach 12 seasons of elementary, middle and high school teams at seven Southend Seattle schools: Asa Mercer, Franklin, Cleveland, Beacon Hill, Aki Kurose, South Shore, Rainier Beach.
“But, out there while I was playing with everyone in the freezing cold, they trusted me. I was able to play in a way that felt free, in a way where I actually believed in myself. And I realized I didn’t just need my teammates trust, but I needed to trust myself first.”
“[It] weren’t just a community that I loved being a part of, but they were my family away from home. Every practice, I had brothers that I could vent to about school, family problems or just people I know that would listen to me.”
Girls & Boys Winter Programs
Every Friday night throughout the winter, we meet at Jefferson Community Center where we create new bonds with people of different backgrounds. We gain the knowledge of social justice issues through activities in workshops and we do this by coming in open-minded, eager to learn, and hungry.
“From the moment I joined, I felt welcomed. I didn’t join with friends, but the staff… were super friendly and got us to open up.”
“The Drake circle was an experience that I would never forget, I got to listen to how my older cousins felt about family and what was on my older brother’s mind. I started to like the thought of being vulnerable, after my countless times of speaking in the Drake circle. I shared things like my thoughts of weakness and love for others.”
Southend Middle School Club
For the past three years, we have expanded playing opportunities by running four middle school club teams drawing from all three Southend middle school teams, Aki Kurose, Asa Mercer, and Southshore.
“But it turned out that through the program I met a group of individuals just like me, who had almost the same set of problems and made me realize that. I’m not the only one with a fucked up life and we are all walking on a tightrope together whether I would like to admit it or not, but we may not have the most money in the world but at least we have each other and that on its own is wealth.”
Summer Camps
We have run free summer camps for the last DECADE at Van Asselt Community Center. One week each for elementary, middle and high schools.
“[I was] able to meet and make a lot of new friends, like who knew a awkward quiet person like me could make that many friends in such a short amount of time since making friends for me is actually pretty hard. It’s just a place where I felt like I could fit in.”
Internships
AGE UP Returner programs have provided various amazing opportunities for youth! Through the board internship, interns are given resources and support to build upon their leadership skills, public speaking confidence, and many more. Interns build upon their leadership skills by picking projects to work upon, including cooking, facilitation, coaching, fundraising, public speaking, and more.
“Though I still struggle at times, and was once described to be as shy as a shadow, AGE UP has given me space to grow within the program. From making calls, emailing, facilitating workshops or offering feedback in general, the AGE UP family has helped shape me into the person you see today. Through AGE UP, I figured out what kind of leader I am and the type of leader I want to work on becoming.”
Tournaments
We run three tournaments a year, with our biggest Southend Hat Tournament during spring break.
“I’m also grateful for my sister, for introducing me to ultimate because I truly believe that if it wasn’t for her and ultimate I would not be alive or in some jail cell but here I am standing in front of you. Ultimate has been very therapeutic through years especially on those dark school nights where I just wanted to give up due to the stress of school, relationships, money or, in short, life. I medicated by playing ultimate.”
Womxn’s Lifting
Weekly free weightlifting for Southend high school girls! With the amazing Crossfit RE. Learn how to squat, y’all.
“Growing up, my family didn’t speak a lot about social justice or the systems of oppression that families like ours faced. Nor did I have conversations about these topics in school. AGE UP provides a safe space for myself and other young women to address the issues that affect the world around us… Through AGE UP, my perspective of the world around me and the perspective of myself has changed. I have become a leader of my community who helps battle the systems of oppression that affect people of color and families of low-income.”