Our youth empowerment programs are aimed at creating a healthier and higher quality of life for underserved and opportunity youth. The five competencies of a healthy youth are: (1) positive sense of self, (2) self-control, (3) decision-making skills, (4) a moral system of belief, and (5) pro-social connectedness. Developmental interventions and programs have to be anchored on these competencies that define positive outcomes of healthy youth.

Our mySELF Project (SELF=Social Emotional Learning Fundamentals) is an impactful evolutionary arts and humanities project and study on youth empowerment that focuses on prevention of youth related emotional triggers. We promote art in a way to educate kids not only in classic fine arts, but how to use artistic and creative thinking to express emotion. The mySELF Project is based on a broad base of research in the areas of adolescent brain development, non-violent communication, emotional health, self-advocacy, arts education, mindfulness, and practical parenting experience. 

Each neighborhood and community deals with different obstacles and barriers. As we follow a place-based approach, we are able to tackle the unique needs of each organization, school, or community we work with. Additionally, we engage parents in supporting their kids’ social-emotional health by helping them understand the unique developmental challenges of adolescence, offering positive parenting practices, and being a support to those with language barriers while sharing with them what their kids are learning from us. We believe information is power. Through anonymous surveys of students about their social media use, substance use, and social-emotional health, we can assess what issues are most pressing for a given neighborhood or community.