The quest for local entertainment as summer days turn into nights is one every young adult has faced, and often failed to complete. Oakland Local has reported on the happenings of many youth empowerment groups, but often kids just want to kick up their feet and have fun with friends.

"I think the youth have nowhere to go, and there is nobody trying to give them anywhere to go," said Sean Kennedy, a member of the Oakland Cultural Affairs Commission and the founder of Good News in Oakland.

To remedy this problem, kids need to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear. A good place to start is at the Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement meeting this Tuesday, June 2, at City Hall from 3 to 7 p.m. People from eighth grade to age 24 are welcome to attend and share their thoughts. (And, yes, refreshments will be provided.)

Throughout summer, those who are looking for daytime fun can find it at the weekly Summer Sounds concert series in Oakland. Concerts are free and are held every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. at Oakland City Center. June 2 kicks off the concert series with a performance by Seone Stylist, a Michael Jackson tribute.

In terms of nightlife, Kennedy said he thinks the community doesn't offer many under-21 clubs because teens may seem hard to control.

Young adults who love to dance to electronic music can try to bust that stereotype weekly while shaking it up on the dance floor. El3ctro Pop Rocks is held every Wednesday, and DJs spin everything from trance to house to indie electronic from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. EPR is a weekly event that is open to people 17 and up (18+ starting on June 8) and is held at the METRO on Jack London Square.

Kennedy said he thinks engaging kids on their level will give them a stronger social awareness for their role in the community, and will help keep events under control.

"[Kids] never have a chance to do anything, and when they finally get out they run wild," he said.

He noted there are some kids who will live the "Jay-Z lifestyle" no matter what. Regardless, all youth need to be able to let loose and have fun, and encouraging empowerment and community building in a classroom-like environment is usually counterproductive.

"Adults that oversee events also have to be able to respect what the kids are doing," Kennedy said. "They got to be adults, but still have to understand what the kids want."

Kennedy said he used to own a record store on 92nd Avenue and International Boulevard. He would bring local, big-name entertainers like E-40 and Santana to play music for youth. He'd invite health educators and job recruiters to the block parties. He gave teens various jobs to engage them in the environment. He even provided a gun check for youth who felt they needed to carry weapons.

"You have to be from the neighborhood to understand that," he said. "I met those kids at their levels… We have too many educators who have no experience in what these kids went through and are going through, and don't know how to lead them."

Kennedy emphasized the importance of having the faces of the organization match the neighborhoods in Oakland. Facilitators need to listen to the community to provide opportunities that are fun and interesting.

"Everybody forgot somewhere along the line that they were 14. You need to take yourself right back to those days," he said.

Kennedy said the first step to getting teens off the streets and into environments that encourage positivity (and aren't boring) is for groups to reach out to young people together.

"An ice cream truck does better outreach than these organizations," Kennedy said. 

Stephanie Geter, also a member of the Oakland Cultural Affairs Commission, said many groups want to prevent violence and that there are probably a number of available venues that could be used for youth events that aren't being used effectively. But it's important, she said, to overcome the obstacles and create safe fun spaces for teens.

"I think the youth need their voices heard and, just because you worry it's not safe, you don't silence the voices," she said. But teenagers need to step up and participate if they want to see a change, she added. "Sometimes we try to speak for what [the kids] want and need and they are nowhere present."