Page 28 - NYC Imagine Awards Journal

Innovation

Katrena Perou, Executive Director Katherine Soll, Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Inspiring Minds NYC Teens for Food Justice
1130 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216 33 W. 60 Street, Suite 1211, New York, NY 10023
th
(516) 375-3703 | www.imyouth.org (833) 524-2742 | www.teensforfoodjustice.org
Inspiring Minds NYC has found a unique way to collaborate with youth, addressing the gap in
schools where innovation and hands-on learning are often lacking. Our IMconnected program Beginning in the 23-24 academic year, Teens for Food Justice collaborated with the Center for
empowers teens to harness their passions and skills to tackle community issues. Each spring, we Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the Interfaith Public Health Network, and Manhattan’s
host the IMconnected Shark Tank, where we fund 8-10 teens and provide technical assistance High School for Law, Advocacy, and Community Justice to create a Food Policy Internship.
to help them launch their pilot programs over the summer. Remarkably, 100% of our summer This innovative program recruited, engaged, and trained eight high school students in the
programs are led by high school students! basics of policy-making, food justice issues in NYC, and presenting policy recommendations
supporting the health and well-being of NYC youth. TFFJ pioneered a unique approach by
Since starting with three core initiatives in 2019, we’ve grown to offer 18 programs, six of which integrating hydroponic farming, food justice education, and food policy advocacy, empowering
were created by our youth. For instance, Kylie’s political literacy program is now mandatory youth to support the Big Apple Kids Meal Campaign through informed, hands-on engagement.
in our leadership institute, and Andrea’s "Granny and Me," a program that connects elders to
our teens, runs during after-school. Caleb Fernandez’s Youth A.R.T. program, which helps Student interns gathered for eight weeks, culminating in a presentation and meal with partner
underserved youth build art portfolios for college, has been contracted to support aspiring organizations, elected officials' staff, school administrators, and community members. They
artists. Sikirat’s tutoring program operates in two schools, boosting middle school academic showcased healthy meal options for use by restaurant chains using produce from the campus
achievement, and Joshua’s film program, "Our Story, Our Voice," is now a part of our film clubs. farm and facilitated discussions on policy recommendations. Following the program's success
One of our Shark Tank winners even hired Joshua to create a documentary highlighting the and the momentum of the Big Apple Kids Meals Campaign, CSPI has offered additional
beauty of Brownsville, Brooklyn, challenging its negative stigma. support for the students to continue to work on moving the campaign forward.
We see a ripple effect by empowering teens to lead, inspiring others to know it's possible to rise
above negative circumstances. Our IMconnected initiative has also positioned us as a thought The food policy internship served as a pilot for a repeatable and scalable curriculum, which
leader in elevating youth voices. Executive Director Katrena Perou and her youth leaders have can be adapted and applied to any food policy legislation, whether at a city, state, or federal
been featured on several panels at universities and funder network conferences since 2022. level. This program expands our mission to build a food-secure future through school-based,
youth-led hydroponic farming, while providing students with tools to lead themselves and
others toward healthier futures.

Lauren Blodgett, Executive Director & Founder Alyssa Atan Bowlby, Executive Director & Co-Founder
The Brave House Yleana Leadership Foundation, Inc
155 Water Street, 3 Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201 www.yleana.org/new-york-city
rd
www.thebravehouse.com
The Brave House supports young immigrant and refugee women of color, ages 16-24, in New The Yleana Leadership Foundation, founded in 2013, sees the US’s racial wealth gap (economic/
York City by providing free legal aid, leadership training, school and job advocacy, mental wealth accumulation) as a consequence of the opportunity gap (education). Our mission is to
health services, and vibrant community events. Many of our members are survivors of gender- decrease the opportunity gap in order to decrease the racial wealth gap. By getting students
based violence, and we aim to be a beacon of empowerment, breaking cycles of poverty and ready for college with the academic and soft skills they need to succeed, and providing the
trauma.
support that allows them to make it through college and graduate, we increase students’ ability
to access the best opportunities possible to change their economic position and ability to
The NYC Imagine Award for Innovation would help fund our Healing Room, a calming, accumulate wealth as adults.
nature-inspired space designed for Brave House members to regulate emotions, practice
self-care, and heal. This multisensory, research-backed space redefines the typical legal and Yleana is best known for its in-house SAT curriculum that not only drastically increases student
therapeutic environments by offering our transformative services in a setting that feels safe and scores, but improves self-confidence, builds academic agency, and teaches skills applicable
restorative, rather than intimidating.
far beyond the classroom. Following participation in an SAT initiative, students are invited
to participate in a program that provides personalized college access, college persistence, and
Our mission is to create joyful, inclusive spaces where immigrant youth can connect, heal college-to-career transitional mentoring. Yleana’s platform, apply.yleana.org, is a student’s
from trauma, and build skills for long-term happiness and success. We foster a strong sense of entryway into the Yleana family. It is a unique data repository for student biographical data and
community, welcoming young women from across the globe— from Mexico, Ukraine, Rwanda, for Yleana’s SAT content. Teachers use it to see trends in student performance and benchmark
Ecuador, Bangladesh, and more. At the Brave House, everyone is invited to explore diverse class progress. The platform also includes a texting service that allows staff to send mass texts
pathways to healing and empowerment. that show up on students’ phones as individual conversations, which helps students access
services. Due in part to apply.yleana, Yleana multiples the college graduation rate by 8—Yleana
students have an 80% grad rate compared to an 11% national average for first-generation,
BILPOC, and low-income students.

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