BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Teen Empower Fest in Buffalo’s East Side held its yearly back-to-school event for young adults in the area Sunday. The mission is to provide experiences to an age group they feel is often overlooked.
The event offered food, career services, games, and live events for young adults ages 13 to 24 and their families.
“To me, ages 13 to 24 are really the forgotten ages. They don’t really have a lot of stuff that caters to just for them in the community of Buffalo,” one of the event organizers, Janisha Whitlock said.
"Well, because a lot of activates and things for them are often for preventative services or when they get in trouble," Teen Empower Fest founder, Ashley Watson said. "We aren’t really offering the joy, the play, and the safe spaces for them to just be teens more regularly."
"There is a few events that are for people my age, but I feel like there should be more," 7th grader at Kings Center Charter School Zoie Ramirez said. "I feel like there are some kids who don’t even go to events; there’s not that many events because of street stuff that goes on and all that violence, like people just [aren't] outside because of it."
"We’re stuck in purgatory because we are 19, we usually [have to] go to events that are 18 and under [instead]," sophomore at Hilbert College Chaerry Mason said.
"I’ve been going to Buffalo State for 4 years now, and this is pretty much the only [young adults festival] that I have seen personally, but I do feel like there should be more," Kiara Woodward. "Everybody coming together, having fun, eating food. Food and music are the two top things to bring people together, so this is perfect."
