Elevating Youth Voices: How Would You Use $10,000 to Help Your Community?

Elevating Youth Voices Video Series

Edition 3 of 5

The Elevating Youth Voices initiative celebrates Metropolitan Chicago youth leaders who are actively working to improve their communities.

The goal of this initiative is to offer a platform to amplify the voices of youth leaders and to invest in the continued development of young people who are working actively to improve their communities.

Through a full year of special events and programming, including the Elevating Youth Voices Video Series, Bright Promises is by expanding opportunities to showcase the powerful work of Chicago youth leaders, including providing $50,000 of funding to organizations that promote youth-led social change.

The Elevating Youth Voices Video Series is an ongoing series of youth-created videos that spotlight young people across Chicago who are creating positive community change. In their self-produced videos, youth leaders share how they would use a $10,000 grant from Bright Promises Foundation to address issues like youth homelessness, access to safe transportation,violence reduction and prevention, justice reform, workforce development and access to job opportunities, and more.

Five organizations will be selected to receive a $10,000 Elevating Youth Voices grant, which will be presented at the 150th Anniversary Awards celebration on Tuesday, October 15.

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Alliance of the SouthEast’s mission is to build the capacity of leaders, organizers, and associations that carry out community and social change. They envision a powerful grassroots base that impacts decision makers and wins real improvements in our neighborhoods.

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The Arab American Action Network (AAAN) strives to strengthen the Arab community in the Chicago area by building its capacity to be an active agent for positive social change. As a grassroots nonprofit, their strategies include community organizing, advocacy, education, providing social services, leadership development, cultural outreach, and forging productive relationships with other communities.

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Ignite (formerly Teen Living Programs) builds community, hope and opportunity for youth who are homeless.  Ignite addresses their immediate needs and help them achieve independence and stable housing.

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Storycatchers Theatre guides young people to transform their traumatic experiences into powerful musical theatre, inspiring them to develop the courage and vision to become leaders and mentors. By creating support for youth within the criminal justice system, Storycatchers prepares them to change their lives and emerge successfully from court involvement.

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Mikva Challenge develops youth to be empowered, informed, and active citizens who will promote a just and equitable society.