Kelly Parker voted in her first presidential election at Willow Elementary School in Homewood, the very same elementary school she once attended. Parker called it a full circle moment. 

“My mom took me to vote. I was very excited. She was very excited,” said Parker, who said she was proud to see Kamala Harris on the ballot as a candidate for president.

“It was so empowering. It felt like I was an active part of history,” Parker said. 

Parker comes from a family that firmly believes in activism, so it isn’t surprising that she would start a group that promotes cultural, social and political education and awareness.

Parker is a co-founder of Adolescent Activists, a group that meets monthly to share topical information with other adolescents and to spark discussions. Parker and co-founder William “Will” Belue share the same mindset. They want their peers to know what’s going on in the world. 

The group started during Covid and initially met online via Zoom, Parker said. They would choose a topic and prepare a presentation using Canva to share with their peers. There would always be a slide that had an overview of everything and each slide had talking points, Belue remembers.

Later, the group began meeting the first Monday of the month at the Homewood Public Library. Young Adult librarian Mary Wegrzyn-Cole served and continues to serve as an advisor to the group. 

Before starting Adolescent Activists, Parker and Belue first served on the Teen Leadership Council at the library. The Teen Leadership Council is a kind of advisory group, also under the guidance of Wegrzyn-Cole. The teen council offers event and book suggestions, plans and helps wherever they’re needed. 

Belue said that Wegrzyn-Cole loved the idea of them starting a group called Adolescent Activists.

Topics presented  have included, underage drinking and drug use, beauty standards, homophobia, invisible racism, the truth about Ivy League Colleges, gun laws, IVF in Alabama, climate change and career paths after high school, said Wegrzyn-Cole.

Belue said that one of the earliest meetings was about the college application process. They invited former teen leadership council members to come and talk about their first year experiences.  

“I think it’s a wonderful thing. I am very proud of Kelly and William for starting it,” said Wegrzyn-Cole, affectionately known as Ms. Mary to the teens on the Teen Leadership Council. “They really want to talk about things. They want their voice to be heard.” 

One of the most popular Adolescent Activists sessions featured a speaker from Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse, a domestic violence agency. The speaker talked to students about what domestic violence looks like in teen relationships. Parker invited the speaker for Domestic Violence Awareness month during her junior and senior year of high school. Belue continued that tradition when he took on a leadership role after Parker graduated.

Both Parker and Belue are Homewood-Flossmoor High School graduates. 

Parker, a music major, will be a college sophomore in the fall at Columbia College, Chicago. Belue, an electrical engineering major, will be a freshman in the fall at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

Parker said she started the group because she wanted to give her peers accurate and timely information about subjects that mattered to them. 

“We realized that it would be nice if there was a way to keep our peers informed about relevant news without all the filters and misinformation of social media,” Belue said. “I really just enjoy having the opportunity to be a part of something that is helping my peers and just the community in general.”

Parker agreed. “I felt like if I could give a more concise version of what is going on in presentation form, it would entice people to want to learn more and it wouldn’t be so overwhelming,” she said.

After Parker left for college, Belue took over as leader of Adolescent Activists.

Belue said he enjoys being a part of something that is helping his peers and the community in general.

“I think no matter what is happening in the country, regardless of who’s in charge, it’s important for teens to be aware of happenings and events in this country and in the world,” Belue said. 

Belue’s mother, Cece Belue, says her son has always had that mindset.

“William has had the confidence to share his ideas on social matters from a young age,” she said. “He has been encouraged to stay abreast of what’s going on in the world around us, express concerns, stand up for what he feels is right and to stay involved.”

He was also encouraged “to be respectful of the views of others” and to be able to “agree to disagree,” she said.

“I knew that I wanted to see change in the world,” Parker said. “It felt wrong to sit around complaining that no one else cared, without doing something to inform and educate them (her peers) and myself.”

“Honestly, I’m proud that I was able to be a part of something that made people come together and want to learn,” Parker said. “I’m proud that I left it in the hands that I did. Will is one of my best friends.”

And now it’s time for Belue to pass the torch as he heads to college this fall.

“I will certainly miss it,” Belue said. “I’m very pleased with how it turned out. It exceeded our expectations.”

When asked if politics or a run for office was in their future, both said no.

“I watch ‘Scandal’ and I get stressed out,” Parker said with a laugh. 

But both she and Belue say they definitely want to keep educating others.

Adolescent Activists will be holding a meeting on Sept. 22 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Homewood-Flossmoor Library. Teens are invited to attend.