The Heart of Our Organization

Our youth exist in an era of increased access to information and technology, the growth and reach of politically engineered fake news, alongside political agendas that lead to racial injustice. Voter suppression, the intersecting legacies of mass incarceration and educational disparity, and the impact of state sponsored violence continue to shape the destinies of youth of color. Club Stride is committed to the empowerment of youth to repair past damage and shape new destinies for future generations. We do this through storytelling alongside civic engagement. Authentic storytelling has been a tool that has the power to interrupt the engineering of racial and ethnic despair. Narratives of hope and injustice have a history of speaking truth to power. These narratives also inspire civic engagement to build opportunity in places where resources and people have disproportionately been taken away. The prison industrial complex, educational disparity, and police violence have targeted the communities that our youth are a part of. This selective targeting has impacted family, community, and the opportunity structure that our youth have access to.  We provide youth with media tools and training in civic engagement that drives equity centered action. The history of our country hinges on youth taking a stand against injustice. Our goal is to continue this legacy by providing the education and tools to empower tomorrow’s leaders today.