Community Connections for Youth, Inc.

Small things can have a big effect and we are all busy in NYC trying to tell them. Investing in one young person has echoing effects into the home, out into the community, and society as a whole. It's the butterfly effect of community support. Here, I am sharing a brief moment from our recent step up ceremony. A proud parent allows us to look into the window of her relationship with her son. She later on makes known to us the undeniable effect that credible and accessible youth mentoring has had on her own mental wellness. He has achieved a milestone and she has regained footing in her relationship with him AND with herself. This is MORE than keeping kids out the system, this is about placing them in loving ecosystems to aggrandize all the relationships they need to fly free. That’s a game changer for a worried mom; that’s a victory for the hood. Grassroots organizations are the little engines that can—small, with big effect. (This video is used by permission as this mom wants others to remain in hope). Today, we invite you to support our work on our 15th anniversary year. And if you don’t want it to go to us, send it to someone hyper-local you believe in. We all win with that. Blessings!

Friday, we celebrated our young people’s accomplishments at our annual “Stepping into Summer” BBQ! This year we celebrated our “Building Me” graduating cohort and youth from our South Bronx Community Connections partners who also finished victoriously: @yucaarts and @leadbyexampleharlem! This has been a priceless collaboration and we are all so proud of our young people and their caregivers! 🔥

Listen to this powerful testimony delivered at yesterday’s City Council oversight hearing by our program coordinator, Crystalie “Leelee” Romero-Smith. She perfectly sums up the very reason we exist as an organization and is an embodiment of what the community makes happen through investment! “I became more than young person who didn’t recidivate—I was ACTIVATED.” 🔥🔥🔥 #nokidsincages *In our 15th Anniversary, we invite you to support our work as we build, advocate and care for our youth: cc-fy.org/donate

Last week, we wrapped our very first cohort of “Building Me”, a 9-week self development series for our SBCC youth as they navigate the next steps in their lives. When we look at this picture of young people and the mentors that support them, the symbol of a connection is palpable! We are so very proud of this group! They committed ALL THE WAY with nearly perfect attendance during a time when everyone is “OUSSIDE!’...they came to 369 East 149th to get and give support. That’s amazing! This week we celebrate their accomplishment at our Step Up Ceremony. Big Shout out to Crystalie “Lee Lee” Romero-Smith who developed the curriculum that kept these youth interested, dreaming and planning. We appreciate you! Support our work as we build, advocate and care for youth facing punishment systems: cc-fy.org/donate.

Today, we celebrate a significant milestone – our 15th anniversary! We are grateful to continue our fight on behalf of young people facing punishing systems. In honor of our amazing 15th anniversary, we invite you to donate $150 towards our work! If just 500 people contribute, we will reach our goal and support multitudes of youth and caregivers entangled in the criminal legal system. With 58.7% of youth being readmitted to detention within one year, there is much work to be done! Every and any donation amount counts! So don’t let this the $150 hold you back. Please, go to https://lnkd.in/gmHsxfY8 and join us in ensuring #NOKIDSINCAGES! Thank you for your support!

Ever think about what makes someone an expert? Harnessing this answer is why we build the capacity of impacted communities to serve their own youth. They be knowin!

We are excited to share that the Reimagining Justice Toolkit is now available for download. This work, done in collaboration with The Center for Public Justice, resources faith-based leaders with tools to support justice involved youth. We invite you to take a look!

We are so thrilled to be a part of this effort and to be named among the 12 grantees! Already, we have felt the support of this amazing partnership. Thank you to Hispanics in Philanthropy and Participant for shedding light on our work. Check out #Radicalthemovie, a true inspiration to those of us fighting for young people!