During Dream Tank’s two-week Systems Change Lab in Boulder, Brown University students worked alongside mentors and city leaders to design practical tools for civic systems change. As the cohort prepared to present their ideas to mayors, an unexpected debate emerged: Should their slides be colorful and expressive, or toned down to match traditional expectations of professionalism?
What seemed like a small design choice revealed a deeper systems pattern – the pressure to “flatten” creativity and personality to be taken seriously. With guidance from mentor and Nobel prize winner Rebecca Irby, students recognized this moment as part of the work itself. Systems change isn’t only about new frameworks and policies; it also requires questioning the cultural norms that shape which ideas are seen as credible.
The experience became a powerful reminder that youth leadership expands what leadership can look like. Imagination, empathy, and courage are not distractions from serious work – they are essential to building futures that are more human, inclusive, and possible. Sometimes, the color is the point.
Read the full story behind this defining moment from Dream Tank’s Systems Change Lab by Adrienne Markey…
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