The Village In Action is a free workshop in Kansas City on May 30, 2026, for youth ages 12+ and supportive adults. It focuses on building healthy relationships, setting boundaries, and recognizing warning signs, with guidance from community leaders.
The Village In Action: A Space for Youth to Talk, Learn, and Build Healthy Relationships gives middle and high school youth a safe place to ask hard questions, learn life skills, and talk openly with adults who care about their well-being.
Hosted by The Building Beautiful Black Girls Project, also known as BBBG, this workshop is designed for youth ages 12 and older and the adults who support them. It will focus on healthy relationships, personal safety, self-respect, and early signs of unhealthy behavior.
This is not a lecture. It is a guided conversation where young people can listen, speak, reflect, and leave with tools they can use in real life.
Event Details: A Youth Workshop on Healthy Relationships
The Village In Action is an interactive community workshop for youth and supportive adults in Kansas City. The event will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, with breakfast and lunch provided.
Quick Event Information
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event Name | The Village In Action |
| Theme | A Space for Youth to Talk, Learn, and Build Healthy Relationships |
| Date | Saturday, May 30, 2026 |
| Time | 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. |
| Doors Open | 9:30 a.m. |
| Location | Kauffman Foundation Conference Center |
| Address | 4801 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, MO |
| Audience | Middle and high school youth ages 12+ and supportive adults |
| Food | Light breakfast and lunch provided |
| Requirement | Youth must attend with an adult or bring a signed permission slip |
This event centers youth voices. It gives young people room to talk about relationships in a way that feels honest, age-appropriate, and connected to their lived experiences.
Why Healthy Relationship Education Matters for Youth
Healthy relationship education helps young people recognize respect, trust, boundaries, and safety before problems become harmful. Many youth experience pressure from peers, dating partners, social media, and even friends without always having the language to name what feels wrong.
The Village In Action helps youth build that language. When young people can identify healthy and unhealthy patterns early, they are more likely to make choices that protect their emotional and physical safety.
This workshop will help participants explore questions such as:
- What does respect look like in a friendship or dating relationship?
- How do I know when someone is crossing a boundary?
- What should I do if a relationship makes me feel unsafe?
- How can I support a friend who may be in an unhealthy relationship?
- Why does self-worth matter when choosing who to trust?
The core message is simple: youth deserve relationships that honor their voice, safety, and future.
A Space for Youth to Talk, Learn, and Build Healthy Relationships
A Space for Youth to Talk, Learn, and Build Healthy Relationships means creating a setting where youth can speak honestly and receive guidance without shame. The Village In Action is built around discussion, not one-way instruction.
Young people will take part in activities and conversations that help them connect the topic to real situations. That may include friendships, dating, family communication, online behavior, school pressure, and community safety.
Participants Will Learn About
- Healthy relationships: What mutual respect, honesty, and care look like.
- Trust: How trust is earned, protected, and sometimes broken.
- Boundaries: How to say no, ask for space, and respect other people’s limits.
- Self-worth: Why every young person deserves dignity and safety.
- Warning signs: How to spot control, manipulation, pressure, disrespect, or fear early.
The goal is not to scare youth. The goal is to prepare them with tools, words, and support.
What Healthy, Respectful Relationships Look Like
A healthy relationship allows both people to feel safe, respected, and heard. This applies to dating relationships, friendships, family connections, and peer groups.
Healthy relationships do not require someone to shrink, stay silent, or accept harm to be loved. They include clear communication, mutual care, and space for each person to make choices.
Signs of a Healthy Relationship
A healthy relationship may include:
- Honest conversations without fear
- Respect for personal space and privacy
- Support for goals, school, family, and friendships
- Shared decision-making
- Accountability after mistakes
- Encouragement instead of control
- Freedom to say no
A strong relationship does not mean there is never conflict. It means people handle conflict with respect and without threats, pressure, or intimidation.
How Youth Can Spot Warning Signs Early
Warning signs are behaviors that may signal a relationship is becoming unsafe, controlling, or emotionally harmful. The sooner youth can name these signs, the sooner they can ask for help.
Some warning signs may seem small at first. Over time, they can grow into patterns that affect a young person’s confidence, safety, and support system.
Common Warning Signs of Unhealthy Behavior
Youth and adults should pay attention when someone:
- Tries to control who a person talks to or spends time with
- Demands passwords, phone access, or location updates
- Uses jealousy as proof of love
- Pressures someone to move faster than they want
- Makes threats, insults, or humiliating comments
- Blames others for harmful behavior
- Isolates someone from friends or family
- Ignores “no” or pushes past clear boundaries
- Makes someone feel afraid to speak honestly
These signs should not be brushed off as drama. They are signals that a young person may need support, guidance, or safety planning.
Building Boundaries, Confidence, and Self-Respect
Boundaries help youth protect their time, body, emotions, privacy, and values. A boundary is not about being rude or distant. It is about being clear.
At The Village In Action, youth will learn that boundaries are part of healthy relationships. They help people understand what is okay, what is not okay, and what needs to change.
Examples of Healthy Boundaries
Youth can practice saying:
- “I’m not comfortable with that.”
- “Please don’t talk to me that way.”
- “I need time to think before I answer.”
- “I don’t want to share my password.”
- “I care about you, but I still need space.”
- “If you keep doing that, I’m going to leave the conversation.”
These phrases may sound simple, but they can be powerful. Practicing them in a safe setting can help youth use them when it matters.
Choosing Relationships That Support Safety and Self-Worth
Self-worth helps young people choose relationships that support who they are, not relationships that make them feel small. When youth understand their value, they are better prepared to reject disrespect, pressure, and harm.
Self-worth does not mean a young person has every answer. It means they know they deserve care, safety, and respect even while they are still growing.
Questions Youth Can Ask Themselves
A young person can reflect on a relationship by asking:
- Do I feel safe being honest with this person?
- Do they respect my boundaries?
- Do I feel supported or controlled?
- Can I spend time with other friends and family?
- Do I feel better about myself around them?
- Do they listen when I say no?
- Would I want someone I love to be treated this way?
These questions can help youth slow down and notice patterns. They also give adults a starting point for supportive conversations.
Community Leaders Supporting The Village In Action
The Village In Action brings together trusted leaders who work to protect, guide, and advocate for youth. Their presence shows young people that support exists across schools, courts, public safety, public health, business, and community organizations.
Featured Participants and Community Voices
Youth will hear from leaders including:
- Chrystal Truss, Founder and Executive Director, The Building Beautiful Black Girls Project
- Judge Courtney Wachal, Kansas City Municipal Court
- Major Kari Thompson, Kansas City Police Department
- Melesa Johnson, Jackson County Prosecutor
- Tiffany Price, Missouri State Representative
- Chris Goode, Entrepreneur, Founder and Owner of Ruby Jean’s Kitchen & Juicery
- Kendrick Clayton, Vice Principal, Central Middle School
These speakers bring different roles and perspectives. Together, they help reinforce one message: young people should not have to navigate hard situations alone.
Presented by The Building Beautiful Black Girls Project and Community Partners
The Village In Action is presented by The Building Beautiful Black Girls Project with support from local partners committed to youth safety and empowerment. This shared effort reflects the idea that it takes a village to help young people grow strong.
Presenting Organization and Partners
The event is presented by:
- The Building Beautiful Black Girls Project
- Giving Hope & Help
- The Nia Project
- The National Congress of Black Women
- The VIP Movement, Violence “I” Prevent
- Kansas City Health Department
- Kansas City Municipal Court
Each partner brings a commitment to prevention, education, advocacy, and community care. The workshop is designed to turn that commitment into practical support for youth and families.
Registration and Permission Slip Information
Youth must attend The Village In Action with an adult or bring a signed permission slip. This requirement helps ensure youth participation is supported and properly documented.
How to Prepare for the Event
Before attending, families and youth should:
- Register for the event using the official registration link: [Insert Registration Link]
- Download and complete the permission slip if the youth will attend without an adult.
- Bring the signed permission slip on the day of the event.
- Arrive early, as doors open at 9:30 a.m.
- Plan to stay for the full workshop from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Permission Slip
Permission Slip Download: https://bit.ly/4cXw0iC
Please note: You may need to copy and paste the URL into your browser.
Related Reading and Helpful Resources
For more community-focused stories connected to youth, families, culture, and local impact, read related coverage on The Narrative Matters:
Community stories and local impact from The Narrative Matters
For an external resource on teen dating safety and healthy relationship education, consider visiting:
love is respect
These resources can help adults and youth continue the conversation before and after the workshop.
Key Takeaways About The Village In Action
The Village In Action gives Kansas City youth a safe, structured space to learn about relationships, boundaries, and self-worth. The workshop combines community leadership, interactive discussion, and practical tools.
Remember these key points:
- The event is for middle and high school youth ages 12+ and supportive adults.
- It takes place Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center.
- Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- A light breakfast and lunch are provided.
- Youth must attend with an adult or bring a signed permission slip.
- The focus is healthy relationships, trust, boundaries, warning signs, confidence, and self-respect.
A Space for Youth to Talk, Learn, and Build Healthy Relationships is more than an event theme. It is a call to make sure young people have the support, language, and confidence they need to choose relationships that protect their safety and honor their worth.
Final Note for Families, Youth, and Community Supporters
The Village In Action offers a timely chance for youth and adults to talk about topics that often go unspoken until there is a crisis. By creating space for honest conversation, this workshop helps young people understand what healthy love, friendship, trust, and respect should look like.
Parents, guardians, mentors, educators, and community members can help by encouraging youth to attend, completing the required permission forms, and continuing the conversation at home, at school, and in trusted spaces.
The next step is simple: register, prepare the permission slip if needed, and show up ready to listen, learn, and support youth as they build safer, healthier relationships.
#YouthEmpowerment #HealthyRelationships #KansasCityEvents
