Invest in Youth

Last weekend, 70 youth came together for the second annual Youth Unite! Conference at the YWCA in Brooklyn. With workshops, an open mic, a community dinner, and more, it was a powerful event that left participants feeling unified in their shared goals.

Our President and CEO Cecilia Clarke reflects on actions taken by corporations and foundations in the wake of the Parkland school shooting, and highlights the Foundation’s 2016 decision to divest from gun manufacturers and our deep commitment to investing in the leadership of young people to advocate for policy change.

This week we’ve seen a spotlight on youth activism around the country that has inspired both hope and action. Here in Brooklyn, youth activists are showing their commitment to justice by rallying for immigrant rights legislation and organizing to invest in local youth leadership.

Of the 67 organizations funded through this year's Invest in Youth grant program, we are proud to welcome 13 new grantees to the cohort. We're excited to share highlights of the work we're now supporting thanks to the generosity of donors like you.

Building on our commitment to advocacy and our desire to be led by our grantees, we were thrilled when Kesi Foster, formerly the Coordinator of the Urban Youth Collaborative (UYC) and now a Lead Organizer at Make the Road New York (MRNY), called to ask if we’d like to partner with UYC and MRNY to create a site visit for New York City Council members to learn about the power and potential of Restorative Justice as they consider expanding funding and resources in New York City schools.  

As I approach my two year anniversary as Vice President of Programs here at Brooklyn Community Foundation, I’ve had the opportunity to not only lead our programmatic work, but also reflect on what is the true power and potential of Brooklyn Community Foundation. 

While grantmaking seems like the obvious answer, as I consider all the tools in our toolbox, the use of advocacy emerges as one of the most important levers that we have as we strive to make Brooklyn fair and just. 

Our summer intern interviews leaders of the Youth Voice Award-winning "No Eye Candy" project, supported by YWCA Brooklyn, to discuss their project.

As a Brooklyn Youth Fellow, I got to see one side of grantmaking by helping in the process of creating, reviewing, and accepting applications for the Youth Voice Awards. Now as a Foundation intern, I get to see another important side of grantmaking: going on site visits to see our grantees programming firsthand, starting with El Puente in Bushwick.

Global Action Project (GAP)—an Invest in Youth grantee—is an intersectional youth organizing and activism program that uses media and storytelling to help young people, specifically immigrant and TLGBQ youth, advocate for themselves and their communities. On Monday, June 26th, I attended their End of the Year Screening, where participants showcased the short films they worked on.

This summer, our Communications Intern Daniel-Joseph Cyan is writing about the Foundation's grantees as he experiences their work first-hand.