In a remarkable moment for youth advocacy, 17-year-old Cayden Brown from Detroit stood where few his age have ever stood — on the dais of the United Nations General Assembly Hall. Invited as the youngest of five youth from around the world to serve as panelists at the AFS Youth Assembly, Brown’s presence on this stage underscored the growing recognition of young voices in shaping the world’s future.
This year’s Youth Assembly, themed “Forge Our Shared Future,” brought together nearly 800 young leaders from over 100 countries. While most attendees were delegates, Cayden Brown was handpicked for a unique role. He was invited to sit in the very seats where, just moments before, dignitaries and excellencies had addressed the assembly. As the youngest of the five panelists, Brown’s message was clear and powerful: “I’ve heard multiple young people today ask how their voices can be heard. Hear me clearly: Stop asking for permission,” Brown stated in his closing remarks.
The panel discussion took place during a time of growing global unrest, making Brown’s call for youth inclusion in peacebuilding more urgent than ever. His words echoed throughout the assembly hall, resonating with an audience that included the President of the UN General Assembly, diplomats, and global changemakers.
Brown’s journey into child welfare advocacy began when he was appointed at just 16 years old to the Oakland County Teen Court, a revolutionary juvenile diversion pilot program that empowers youth to serve as attorneys and jurors in misdemeanor cases involving their peers. As a juvenile defender within this program, Brown has represented several young people in court, maintaining an undefeated record. His work focuses on diverting first-time offending youth from the traditional justice system, offering them a second chance through restorative justice practices. This role has been a cornerstone of Brown’s advocacy, propelling him into the broader field of youth justice reform.
Brown is no stranger to making history. By the age of 13, Cayden had already amassed a total of four monumental awards, including the Educational Achievement Award in 2020, signed by the former US President, and three consecutive NPTA Reflections Awards. On May 17, 2024, he became the youngest recipient of the MCYJ ‘Youth Justice Advocate Award.’ Earlier this year, he became the youngest speaker for Colin Kaepernick and Nike’s Know Your Rights Camp, where he led the legal segment — a role previously held by the renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. His nonprofit, The Trespass Project, works to help children around the world understand their nation’s legal systems through legal literacy, empowering them to boldly seize positions of power.
Brown’s invitation to the United Nations confirms his impact as a youth advocate and his growing influence on the international stage. As he sat on the dais where world leaders have debated the future of nations, Brown brought with him the stories of his ancestors. In a recent X post following the event, he wrote: “All four of my grandparents — the last living generation born into the civil rights movement — were able to watch me carry their stories with me to the dais of the world’s highest authority.”
As the AFS Youth Assembly concluded, one thing was clear: Cayden’s voice, like those of his fellow young leaders, will not be sidelined — and they are willing to take their messages to the highest platforms in the world.