Youth Justice Network

Thank you to the Center for Community Alternatives for inviting us to their inspiring Youth Symposium! We were deeply moved by how passionate the youth panelists were. Their leadership and vision left us with a renewed sense of purpose and hope for our mission and work ✨

🎊 Congrats to youth member Joel for starting his new job with one of YJN’s employer partners, ! The Horticultural Society of New York creates greenspaces and gardens in communities where plants are missing and offers educational and therapeutic programming in urban horticulture.

“Joel is a joy to have in the program, and he is already making a positive impression. His enthusiasm and happy demeanor reflect his dedication and commitment to learning,” said one of his mentors at HORTNYC.

We’re so proud of this next step in Joel’s career! Drop a 🎉 in the comments to celebrate with us.

✊ Last week, Youth Justice Network joined ’s Shut Rikers Rally to demand the closure of Rikers Island and protest the ongoing violations of incarcerated people’s rights. The rally was a powerful gathering of dedicated advocates and community groups, including YJN’s Policy and Planning Associate, Patrick Edge. We stand united - to save lives, we must take immediate action and shut Rikers down!

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Did the NYPD force you to remove a religious head covering for a post-arrest photo? You could get $7,824 or more from a class action settlement.

➡️ Visit www.headcoveringcase.com or call 1-833-637-4794 to learn more.

📣 NOW HIRING! Youth Justice Network is looking to fill three roles: youth advocate, fatherhood advocate, and driver for Shifting Gears.

- The full-time youth advocate develops relationships with young people in jail, with the goal of creating individualized plans during and after custody and providing neighborhood-based supports. We are looking for someone with experience working with systems-involved youth.

- The full-time fatherhood advocate will work directly with fathers through a combination of one-on-one mentoring and group classes. We are looking for someone with strong group facilitation and interpersonal skills.

- The part-time or full-time Shifting Gears driver will ensure our two outreach vehicles reach at least eight NYC neighborhoods per week. We are looking for someone with good knowledge of transportation routes and excellent time management skills.

➡️ To apply for one of these positions today, visit https://youthjustice.org/join-us

Are you looking for job opportunities, legal support, or simply a place to print your resume? Visit our mobile career and advocacy center, Shifting Gears. This bus parks on the block throughout NYC and brings YJN’s supportive services into your neighborhood. Whether it’s a stable job, call to ConEd, or listening ear, our staff will connect you with what you need in the immediate moment.

➡️ This week, stop by these neighborhoods anytime between 11:00am and 4:00pm:

07/09: Queens - Jamaica Ave & 163rd St
07/10: Manhattan - 125th St & 5th Ave
07/11: Brooklyn - Mother Gaston Blvd & Belmont Ave

Can’t wait to see you out there!

💜 On Wednesday, YJN hosted Grace: our first fundraiser since 2017 at the stunning ! It was a magical evening with inspiring words from City Councilman .yusefsalaam, youth speakers Destiny and Luz, and our dedicated staff and board members. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and our generous sponsors who made this event possible ✨

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✨ There’s only a week left until Grace: a cocktail reception to benefit Youth Justice Network! We’re excited to bring you a powerful and moving program. Hear inspiring words from City Councilmember Yusef Salaam, youth and elected leaders, and guest artists. Let’s gather for a memorable evening with a community dedicated to youth justice ✊

WHEN: Wednesday, June 12 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
WHERE: Trinity Place Restaurant & Bar, 115 Broadway, New York, NY 10006

Space is limited, so please RSVP to reserve your spot: https://youthjusticenetwork.kindful.com/e/grace

Are you looking for job opportunities, legal support, or simply a place to print your resume? Visit our mobile career and advocacy center, Shifting Gears. This bus parks on the block throughout NYC and brings YJN’s supportive services into your neighborhood. Whether it’s a stable job, call to ConEd, or listening ear, our staff will connect you with what you need in the immediate moment.

➡️ This week, stop by these neighborhoods anytime between 11:00am and 4:00pm:

06/03: Bronx - 198 E 161st St
06/04: Queens - Queensbridge Houses
06/05: Manhattan - 5th Ave & 125th St
06/06: Brooklyn - Walt Whitman Houses

Can’t wait to see you out there!

🎤 Get ready for YJN’s Music Video Showcase next month! After months of crafting lyrics, picking beats, and shooting with professional videographers, our youth artists have completed their final project and brought their creative vision to life. Don’t miss this opportunity to see their artistic talent and hard work in action 🎵

WHEN: Thursday, June 20 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm
WHERE: Manhattanville Community Center - 530 W. 133rd St, Gymnasium

Light refreshments will be provided.

🎤 Get ready for YJN’s Music Video Showcase next month! After months of crafting lyrics, picking beats, and shooting with professional videographers, our youth artists have completed their final project and brought their creative vision to life. Don’t miss this opportunity to see their artistic talent and hard work in action! 🎵

WHEN: Thursday, June 20 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm
WHERE: Manhattanville Community Center - 530 W. 133rd St, Gymnasium
Light refreshments will be provided.

➡️ Swipe to check out their journey throughout our music workshop series!

Are you looking for job opportunities, legal support, or simply a place to print your resume? Visit our mobile career and advocacy center, Shifting Gears. This bus parks on the block throughout NYC and brings YJN’s supportive services into your neighborhood. Whether it’s a stable job, call to ConEd, or listening ear, our staff will connect you with what you need in the immediate moment.

➡️ This week, stop by these neighborhoods anytime between 11:00am and 4:00pm:

05/13: Bronx - 149th St
05/14: Manhattan - 125th St
05/16: Brooklyn - Bed-Stuy

Can’t wait to see you out there!

🎨 From Gabbage to Lavish ✨ Our first cohort of CARE students created this sculpture after 8 weeks of art therapy sessions! Using cardboard paper towel rolls, they transformed “something of little to no value to what could be considered beyond valuable,” as one student put it.

CARE is an integration of YJN’s career, education, and arts/recreation services. Each week, a select group of students follow a robust schedule of classes, arts therapy sessions, and job readiness workshops. Through art therapy, participants can express themselves artistically, gain a sense of accomplishment, and practice self-soothing techniques for their mental health.

Last week, our policy staff went upstate to advocate for the New York for All Act and Youth Justice & Opportunities Act! They teamed up with The New York Immigration Coalition and urged elected state officials to pass these key pieces of legislation.

The New York for All Act offers protections to immigrant communities during interactions with ICE and Customs & Border Patrol and prohibits state and local law enforcement from sharing sensitive information with federal authorities. This act will help immigrant New Yorkers lead freer lives, take care of their families, and access public services.

➡️To support and email your representative, visit nyic.org/our-work/campaigns/new-york-for-all.

The Youth Justice & Opportunities Act protects the futures of young people under 26, so they can move forward in their lives without the barrier of a criminal record. If passed, it will expand opportunities for alternative to incarceration programs and reduce spending on youth incarceration.

➡️ To learn more this bill, visit actforyouthjusticeny.org

📣 We are thrilled to invite you to Grace: a reception and fundraiser for Youth Justice Network.

This event will honor the journey, leadership, and grace of City Councilman Yusef Abdus Salaam. As a member of the Exonerated Five, he has dedicated his life to activism and education on the impact of mass incarceration and police brutality.

All proceeds from this benefit will help young people stay out of harm’s way, out of jail, and on a path to lasting personal growth and financial stability. Don’t miss out on this intimate cocktail reception to support the growth of Youth Justice Network! ✊

WHEN: Wednesday, June 12 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
WHERE: Trinity Place Bar & Restaurant, 115 Broadway, New York, NY 10006

➡️ To purchase tickets or become a sponsor for this event, visit https://youthjusticenetwork.kindful.com/e/grace.

Our youth are wrapping up their artistic journey with YJN’s music workshop series, 🎶 Hear Us, See Us! Each week, they’ve learned the fundamentals of making a song from scratch from industry professionals. With just a few sessions to go, soon they’ll begin producing a music video that captures West Harlem from their perspective. Stay tuned next month for a video release date 🎥

This project was made possible by West Harlem Development Corporation.

💛 This Women’s History Month, we wanted to share the incredible impact of YJN’s Women’s Empowerment Group. This monthly group is a space where justice-impacted young girls and women come together, finding strength, support, and sisterhood in one another. Last session, we got creative with vision boards for 2024, manifesting growth and a positive year to come ✨

Grateful to the team at Boost Mobile for a fantastic luncheon connecting with our youth in Arches! Our participants gained insights on accessing affordable phone services and had the chance to win free phones, service, and Bluetooth speakers 🔊 It was an impactful conversation with local business leaders in the Harlem community ✨

🏀 Last month, our youth & staff spent a day at the home office of New York Liberty! They attended “Pathway to Sports through the Arts,” a career panel and Q&A discussion with creatives in social media and marketing roles. Our youth brought thoughtful questions for the panelists and left feeling inspired to pursue their creative passions! Afterwards, they were invited for lunch and a tour of the office.

Thank you so much to the team at BSE Global for inviting us and hosting such a successful visit! 🙏

🎶 Introducing “Hear Us, See Us,” a music-centered workshop series 🎶 Our youth members will embark on a six-month journey exploring the ins and outs of song creation - from crafting lyrics to selecting beats. Stay tuned as they work toward their final project of creating a music video from start to finish and showcasing their talents as writers, performers, and filmmakers. We can’t wait to witness their artistic growth! 🎤

Huge thanks to AUDIO PICTURES LLC. for leading this workshop series and West Harlem Development Corporation for making it all possible!

🎉 Celebrate Black History Month with us! This week, we’re sharing the life and legacy of Fred Hampton, a revolutionary socialist and former leader in the Black Panther Party.

At age 18, Fred joined his local branch of the NAACP’s Youth Council. He became a prominent youth organizer, mobilizing 500 young people to lobby for better educational resources and recreational facilities for the Black community in their Chicago suburb.

Using these organizing skills, Fred joined the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party and acted as Deputy Chairman. Under his leadership, the Party built community service programs that fed thousands of children each week, provided medical treatment at no cost, and transported families to visit their loved ones in prison. He founded the Rainbow Coalition, an anti-racist, working class movement that united the efforts of several political organizations and built alliances between major street gangs.

In 1969, Fred was targeted by the FBI for his involvement with the Black Panther Party and Marxist-Leninist beliefs. His apartment was raided by police, and they assassinated him and his comrade, Mark Clark.

In a speech prior to his death, Frank said: “I believe that I’m going to be able to die doing the things I was born for. I believe that I’m going to be able to die high off the people. I believe that I will be able to die as a revolutionary in the international revolutionary proletarian struggle.”

🖼️ Swipe to the end to view YJN’s 2021 mural project honoring Fred Hampton and connecting the 1960s movement he took part in with present-day NYC. At the unveiling, we were thrilled to have his son, Fred Hampton Jr, connect with the youth who created this artwork.

🏀 Check out our youth members on the court last week! This recreational time is part of CARE, YJN’s new initiative integrating our career, education, and arts/recreation services. Each week, a select group of students follow a robust schedule of classes, job readiness workshops, and art therapy. By working holistically rather than as a separate programs, youth are given support tailored to their needs.

Thank you to our partner Bethel Gospel Assembly for accommodating us in their space!

Last week, YJN drove up to Albany to show support for the Youth Justice & Opportunities Act! During Lobby Day, our youth and staff sat down with elected state officials and urged them to pass this key piece of legislation. It was uplifting to witness our youth actively participate in politics and engage their representatives! ✊

The Youth Justice & Opportunities Act protects the futures of young people under 26, so they can move forward in their lives without the barrier of a criminal record. If passed, it will expand opportunities for alternative to incarceration programs and reduce spending on youth incarceration.

➡️ To learn more, visit actforyouthjusticeny.org

This year’s Sweater Day was a success! During this arts workshop in Harlem, youth members learned how to express themselves through screen-printing and add embroidered patches to their clothing.

Swipe through to see their creativity at work 🎨

🎉 Celebrate Black History Month with us! This week, we’re honoring the activism of Ericka Huggins, former leader of the Black Panther Party.

At 18, Ericka joined the Los Angeles chapter with her husband, John Huggins. After he was killed during a rivalry orchestrated by the FBI, she moved to Connecticut with her daughter where she founded their New Haven chapter. During her leadership, she was passionate about educational activism and became editor of the party’s Intercommunal News Service. Her 14-year tenure was the longest of any woman in the party’s history.

In 1969, Ericka was jailed under conspiracy charges with her comrade Bobby Seale, sparking nationwide protests. She was held in solitary confinement for two years before all charges were dismissed.

“One of the things I learned in prison is that thankfulness and gratefulness are powerful and that speaking my truth, which I could only do on paper at that time, is powerful, and believing in humanity [is] extremely powerful,” She reflected in a 2016 talk for Bioneers.

After her release, Ericka became a poet, teacher, and advocate for incarcerated youth and LGBTQ+ communities navigating the HIV/AIDS crisis. Today, she is a speaker and workshop facilitator on the intersection between spirituality and social justice.

📷 Photo Credit: erickahuggins.com

Make a difference today by supporting Youth Justice Network’s Books to Jails program! Powered by community donations, Books to Jails sends hundreds of books each year to young people on Rikers. These stories provide needed comfort, joy, and escapism during a difficult period of their lives.

Your $35 donation will put three books of their choice in the hands of a young person in custody. Recent requests include powerful reads like Kindred by Octavia Butler, All About Love by bell hooks, and The Rose That Grew From the Concrete by Tupac Shakur.

It’s vital young people continue to access these books. Donate today by visiting tinyurl.com/books2jails.

🎉 Celebrate National Mentoring Month with us before it ends! We’ve spent each week of January putting a spotlight on our amazing youth mentors and the work they do with justice-impacted youth.

Youth Advocate Lamont Moran is a recent addition to the YJN team and joined our staff in December. When asked how he would define youth mentorship, he said: “The role of a youth mentor is to be supportive, a great listener, and a role model who is not perfect but real. You are an avenue for opportunity.”