All Youth Programs
Summer Social Justice Institute, The Empower Fellowship, Facilitation Bootcamp, Facilitation Squad, Action Committee, and Media Lab
Summer Social Justice Institute
The YA-YA Summer Institute is a radical learning experience founded in the belief that young people, in their collective power, will rise up and address issues impacting their communities. Through peer mentoring and popular education, we spend 7 weeks sharing empowerment and unlearning oppressive ideas and practices. We also visit community spaces around the city to witness revolutionary work in action and get involved in NYC activism. Youth emerge from Summer with basic skills in anti-oppression and activism. Most importantly, they join a community of youth activists to lead visions of change that transform their communities and world.
The Empower Fellowship
Learn how to unpack identity, deconstruct implicit biases, and make space not only for yourself but others within and outside of your community. In this fellowship, youth ages (15-19) will engage in a variety of workshops rooted in popular education, with a specific focus on identity development, self-esteem and confidence-building, advocacy, allyship, and leadership training. Empower meets on weekly for 18 weeks. Due to Covid-19, all meetings will be happening online via Zoom.
Facilitation Bootcamp
Learn the basics of facilitating in a way that centers oppressed communities and disrupts the classroom model of learning. Become a conscious, effective discussion leader who is able to confidently and authentically lead workshops on Social Justice topics. Bring your expertise and improve your existing skills! There is a stipend for successful completion of the Bootcamp and additional stipends for each workshop you facilitate with us as a member of the Facilitation Squad, which you will join upon graduating. Facilitation Bootcamp will meet via Zoom twice a week.
Facilitation Squad
Following a Popular Education model, youth facilitators lead dialogues that propel our communities to imagine and fight for a future free of oppressive policies, practices, and norms.
People’s Playlist is a monthly event curated by Facilitation Squad, who find the vibe for discussions dissecting issues of oppression. We seek to shift the culture around topics to center marginalized communities and revolutionary transformation. Some topics you can look forward to in spring including mental health in the black community, hypermasculinity, and much more.
To see our facilitators in action, attend a People’s Playlist! Bring a song and your thoughts and feelings regarding systemic violence and community empowerment. Check out our calendar for the next event.
Action Committee
Our core student activists fighting to abolish police and metal detectors in schools. Learn the fundamentals of organizing, improve your public speaking skills, participate in direct actions, and learn how to push for press coverage and policy recommendations that further our fight against the school-to-prison pipeline. AC members will receive a monthly stipend of $100 and meet via Zoom.
Media Lab
Have you ever listened to a podcast or seen a TikTok that taught you something valuable? Do you care about educating your peers on issues that matter to you, in a way that is both accessible and informative? Would you like to leverage these skills to make meaningful change in your community?
Media Lab is a brand new 6-week program aimed to teach young activists the necessary skills to communicate and elevate narratives close to their communities. This year's ML cohort will focus on making materials related to the #PoliceFreeSchools campaign to disrupt the school-to-prison-pipeline.