It's been a while since our last newsletter, and a lot has happened since! We are excited to share news, updates, and current opportunities with you as we enter the Fall season. This Summer, we saw the power of community and collaboration through our partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation Summer Streets. From Queens to Harlem, the vibrant engagement and support we received was a strong indication of the significance of our mission.
From donations to volunteer interests, we are grateful for your support and belief in our mission. As we continue serving Black and Brown male youth across New York City, your continued support and participation are essential to drive our work forward. Thank you for supporting us this Summer, and we look forward to engaging with you at other community events.
HERE ARE SOME SHOTS!
CAN YOU SPOT YOURSELF?
Captured: Left top- Brooklyn's in the house! brother and sister captured at our tent in Brooklyn. Right top- Free bike rides? A group of our interns took a break and showed us their biking skills in Queens. Left bottom- a local band singing up a storm for the audience at Queensbridge. Right bottom- Call Jean the selfie guy! All smiles with a soon to be familiar B-BLAC face! (Oh, yes!)
Captured: Left top- NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez and DOT staff stopped by B-BLAC's tent for a quick photo and chat at Summer Streets Harlem. Right top- All smiles from a supporter after leaving her message on our community mural. Left bottom- Board Member, Jean Romulus and Executive Director, Jevone Andy paused for a quick selfie. Right bottom- a community member in deep conversation with a B-BLAC volunteer.
Captured: What's community without giving? All smiles and off-guard poses from some of our Summer Street raffle winners
UPDATES
Obvious right? Well, while Jean is no stranger to B-BLAC, this announcement is a big deal!
We are thrilled to welcome the newest member of our team—Jean Romulus. Jean is no stranger to B-BLAC and the world of nonprofits. This summer, we had the great opportunity to see Jean in action, volunteering at the Summer Streets events. We look forward to the great work we will get done with his plethora of skills and experience. Welcome aboard, Jean!
As part of our efforts to maximize impact and reach, we are implementing an open enrollment model for our programs. Before this step, our programs were only accessible to New York City Public Schools youth. From our summer engagement with communities across the city, we see the need to build community by expanding our reach to ensure all Black and Brown male youth can access our programs despite their zip codes or affiliation with the New York City public schools system. In the coming months, we will work with other community organizations to implement sites across all five boroughs to increase access and community engagement.
We are searching for new board members and program volunteers. Individuals with strong community connections and engagement within New York City are encouraged to apply. Contact opportunities@blackboysleadership.org to apply.
SAVE THE DATE
This Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2023, we will be engaging with community members to raise awareness and promote the power of community giving. Each year, we fundraise to support our programs. This year, we are looking to raise money for a Community Fund, which will be invested in the community through micro-grants for youth in need.