Radicalism,
freedom and peace were at the forefront of the clash between conservative
and liberal platforms in the 1960's. The Junior Chamber approached
this period with a stronger focus and sense of mission to positively
influence the communities most affected by this period of social
transition.
The
1965 Watts Riots and Vietnam War divided families and communities
through destruction, violence, hostility and prejudice. The Junior
Chamber responded to the community by holding L.A. Watts Summer
Games who's mission is to "build bridges of understanding"
between the youth of the communities at odds with each other. The
Watts Games fostered interaction between different cultures, backgrounds
and perspectives and were used as a tool to rebuild communities
starting with the youth that could make a difference with an open
mind.
Although
social reform was the main focus of the Junior Chamber, this was
also the first period during which the Junior Chamber actively branched
out into the political realm by creating a speaker series which
includes Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope as guest speakers.
continue:
1920s - 1930s
- 1940s - 1950s
- 1960s - 1970s - 1980s-
1990s - Today! |
