Paterson Youth Council Takes the Lead at Roundtable Dinner

Now in its twentieth year, NJCDC’s Paterson Youth Council (PYC) continues to offer young people a powerful platform to sharpen their leadership, strengthen their voices, and build connections with those shaping the future of Paterson and beyond. Each year, 30 high school students are selected to represent their peers, meet with policymakers and community leaders, and participate in programs that cultivate confidence, civic awareness, and real-world advocacy skills. “When you see these young people step forward — asking thoughtful questions, volunteering in their neighborhoods, and holding elected officials accountable — you can’t help but feel hopeful about Paterson’s future,” said NJCDC Founder & CEO Bob Guarasci.

Since convening in late August, the 2025–2026 cohort has embraced every opportunity to grow — volunteering at community events, engaging with local candidates, exploring career pathways, and rallying residents ahead of Election Day. “It’s always amazing to watch them transform from a group of strangers into a cohesive team,” said David Gelman, NJCDC’s Chief Program Officer, who oversees the program. “That foundation of trust and shared purpose is what makes nights like the Roundtable Dinner so impactful.” Those experiences prepared them for a milestone moment this week: a civic-focused Roundtable Dinner at NJCDC’s Great Falls Youth Center, where students and elected officials gathered for a night of candid conversation and thoughtful debate.

Taking Their Seat at the Table

Setting the Table: A Panel with Shared Roots

NJCDC’s Roundtable Dinners give PYC members the chance to speak directly with leaders from across public service, education, and the arts and humanities. This most recent session centered on civics and featured a distinguished panel: Assemblyman Al Abdelaziz, Assemblyman-elect Kenyatta Stewart, and incoming Passaic County Commissioner Michael Ramaglia — all of whom worked with NJCDC early in their professional journeys. Abdelaziz once supported the Great Falls Youth Corps; Stewart worked with young men aging out of foster care at our Independence House; and Ramaglia helped develop supportive housing for individuals with disabilities. Their shared history set an inspiring tone for the evening.

As dinner began, students introduced themselves and shared their career aspirations, spanning fields such as finance, speech pathology, aerospace and environmental engineering, nursing, medicine, and law. The panelists responded with thoughtful encouragement, offering reflections on resilience, public service, and the values that guided their own careers.

In Conversation: Youth Questions Meet Civic Realities

The conversation quickly deepened into a lively exchange. PYC members asked pointed questions about the future of their city: What priorities should Paterson's leadership focus on in 2025–2026? How could communication improve between students, administrators, and the Board of Education? What new initiatives might strengthen local schools? Their questions revealed a cohort eager not only to understand civic systems but to participate meaningfully in shaping them.

Challenged to Lead: When the Panelists Turned the Questions Back

In the second half of the night, the panelists invited the students to grapple with complex policy issues. Assemblyman-elect Stewart asked whether quality-of-life concerns such as trash or issues of public safety posed the greater challenge. He later raised a more difficult hypothetical: how should the city respond when a young person is arrested with a weapon? His framing encouraged students to consider not just policy outcomes, but the human impact behind them. Stewart emphasized the responsibility of leadership, telling students that civic engagement grows stronger when it is shared across generations, and added, “You have to do what we’re doing here today for somebody else. Five years from now, when you graduate, you should be in this same space doing this for someone younger — that’s how you leave things better than you found them.”

Commissioner-elect Ramaglia pushed the group to reflect on what meaningful youth investment could look like at the city level. Assemblyman Abdelaziz prompted a spirited debate on a bill currently under consideration in Trenton that would prohibit cell phone use during class time. Students argued both sides, weighing academic focus against personal autonomy, and offered compelling insights informed by their lived experience.

Throughout the discussion, the students demonstrated the kind of thoughtful engagement that underscores PYC’s purpose: preparing young people to enter civic spaces with clarity, curiosity, and confidence.

Lasting Impressions: The Takeaways

As the evening concluded, the panelists extended invitations for deeper engagement. Assemblyman Abdelaziz encouraged students to visit the New Jersey State Assembly in Trenton for an inside look at the legislative process, while Commissioner-elect Ramaglia invited them to attend a Passaic County Commissioners meeting to see policymaking unfold in real time.

For many PYC members, the evening offered clarity and affirmation. Mohammed Mufassiruzzaman, a sophomore at Passaic County Technical Institute, said he appreciated that the panelists brought the students into real-world discussions. “It made me feel like I had an active role in their decisions — like my input actually mattered,” he said.

His classmate Abdur Mahfuz said the event changed the way he viewed public service. “Hearing how much they care really stuck with me,” he explained. “It reminded me that politicians can use their power to make a real difference — and that we can, too. When I debated Assemblyman Abdelaziz, it hit me that my words could actually influence his vote.”

Mahfuz added that he hopes to continue gaining experiences that help him grow while uplifting those around him, explaining that learning and leadership are most impactful when they strengthen the community as a whole.

Carrying the Torch

Twenty years of PYC alumni have gone on to higher education, public service, and careers that reflect both ambition and a commitment to their community. This year’s cohort stands firmly in that tradition. Their questions, curiosity, and thoughtful engagement at the Roundtable Dinner showed not only their readiness to participate in civic life, but their eagerness to contribute meaningfully to it.

The evening at our Great Falls Youth Center offered a glimpse of what the months ahead may hold: deeper conversations, new partnerships, and opportunities for the cohort to continue developing the skills that define strong, compassionate leadership. Each step forward strengthens their understanding of civic responsibility and their place in Paterson’s future. As they grow, so does the community they serve.

Stay connected with our Paterson Youth Council by following their journey on Instagram.