Improve Your Tomorrow

As we kick off the 2024-2025 school year, we wanted to share a recent highlight from one of our senior brothers, Gabe Williams from Del Campo High School at San Juan Unified School District. He was recently accepted on the spot to Livingstone College at an HBCU college fair! Gabe, was not only accepted to Livingston College but also awarded a $7,000 scholarship in recognition of his academic achievements! Pictured next to Gabe is IYT's Del Campo Program Manager, Pete Guerrero. Gabe shared to Pete, "This means a lot to me because I’ve been wanting to get into college since I was 14 years old!" Congratulations Brother Gabe!! We are so happy to be there to support you on your college-bound journey! This is just the beginning of many college acceptances for our seniors this year. We look forward to celebrating many more success stories like this, made possible through your support.

?? Sacramento City Council Approves Measure L. What does this mean for youth programs? In a unanimous vote, the Sacramento City Council passed the strategic investment plan for Measure L with a new funding split for city and community programs. While the outcome wasn’t what we fully championed, it marks progress and the need for continued advocacy for our city's youth. Thank you Sac Kids First and the many young people who have fought for years to get us here! Read the full story and analysis here: https://hubs.la/Q02Rnm6x0

?? Exciting News! ?? We're proud to welcome Karleton Thomas as the new Executive Director for IYT Maryland! With over a decade of experience championing youth and community development, Karleton is ready to lead our mission of empowering young men of color in Maryland. Jamal Turner, Director of the Nolita Project, said it best: “Karleton has been an incredible asset to youth and families across Maryland. His skill in navigating complex systems to ensure families have access to the resources they need, his ability to bring together diverse groups of stakeholders, and his collaboration with state leaders have all been essential to his success. He’s the kind of leader who knows how to get things done and bring people together for the common good.” Join us in welcoming Karleton and read the full announcement below https://lnkd.in/g5_4_GXn #IYTMaryland #YouthLeadership #CommunityEmpowerment #KarletonThomas #Mentorship

We're #hiring a new Student Mentor in Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.

We are excited to announce the appointment of Jesús Andrade as our Executive Director for the Central Valley! Jesús' extensive leadership experience and passion for advocating for young men of color will help elevate our mission and expand our impact in the Central Valley region. Eric E. Alvarez, Vice Mayor of Modesto, shared his thoughts on the appointment, stating, “Jesús is a product of the Central Valley. His leadership and deep commitment to our community make him the ideal person to drive IYT’s mission forward and empower the next generation of leaders.” Read the full announcement below: https://hubs.la/Q02Qml-_0

Our program in #Minnesota starts its first year!

Full story inbound but the short version is this: We just wrapped up our Summer Leadership Program with an epic celebration of 50 emerging leaders! Over the past 8 weeks, they demonstrated incredible drive, compassion, and ambition as they honed their leadership skills, built networks, crafted resumes, and more. So proud of the future leaders they are becoming!

A few weeks ago I finished my summer internship with Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT), working as a policy intern and researching climate change initiatives and renewable energy bills in California. I also completed and earned my certificate in Leadership and Professional Development with IYT where I trained in communication, problem-solving, and project management; had sessions with business leaders and learned about their industry’s operations; and built valuable connections within and outside the company through networking opportunities. I am so incredibly grateful to IYT and this program for teaching more about leadership, how other leaders build and maintain their companies and surround themselves with a strong team, and realizing my own leadership skills and how I can strengthen them. This program helped build confidence in myself as a leader, someone that others and lean on, and someone that has valuable assets to bring to the table. Some things I learned about myself this summer: 1. I'm a Developer. I only ever see potential in others. When I interact with others, my goal is to help them experience success. I look for ways to challenge them. Over time many will seek me out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that my helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to me. 2. I am Contextual. I look back. I look back because that is where the answers lie. I look back to understand the present. I make better decisions because I sense the underlying structure. I understand how my colleagues came to be who they are. And counterintuitively I become wiser about the future because I saw its seeds being sown in the past. 3. I am Restorative. I love to solve problems. Whereas some are dismayed when they encounter yet another breakdown, I can be energized by it. I enjoy the challenge of analyzing the symptoms, identifying what is wrong, and finding the solution. 4. I am Harmonious. I look for areas of agreement. In my view there is little to be gained from conflict and friction. When I know that the people around me hold differing views, I try to find the common ground. I try to steer them away from confrontation and toward harmony. In fact, harmony is one of my guiding values. I can’t quite believe how much time is wasted by people trying to impose their views on others. 5. I am Analytical. I challenge others to prove what they claim to be true. I insist that people's theories be sound. I see myself as objective and dispassionate. I like data because they are value free. They have no agenda. Others see me as logical and rigorous. Over time they will come to me in order to expose someone’s “wishful thinking” or “clumsy thinking” to my refining mind. I have come to learn that there is no leader in the world that is "good at everything" or is a "jack of all trades". All we can do is strengthen the skills we do have and surround ourselves with others who have strengths in other areas in order to reach a common goal.

Our Brotherhood Action Committee (BAC) recently attended a Sacramento City Council meeting with our partners at Sac Kids First to support the Strategic Investment Plan for the Sacramento Children’s Fund. Our brothers delivered powerful testimonies, advocating for youth services that uplift vulnerable communities. Check out the video below featuring one of our Valley High School members who shares powerful thoughts on the importance of this measure and the impact it has on vital youth programs. For context, Sacramento Voters approved a ballot measure in November 2022 that requires the City to spend 40% of its local cannabis tax revenues on child and youth services. The Sacramento Children’s Fund will prioritize youth most impacted by poverty, violence, and trauma. IYT has been a proud partner of the @Sacramento Kids First Coalition, who has led implementation efforts for this new fund, ensuring that our most vulnerable communities have a voice on how the fund should be spent. IYT has assisted with survey collection, hosted youth-led town halls, and supported youth in providing public comments to city officials throughout the development of the Sacramento Children’s Fund #YouthLeadership #CivicEngagement IYT Member Advocates for Measure L at Sac City Hall 9_10_24 / IYT / Air https://hubs.la/Q02PVBkT0

?? NEWS ALERT ?? Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) proudly supports the reauthorization and continued funding of AmeriCorps programs! ?? Our AmeriCorps program has had helped over 600 young leaders build skills and make an impact on the lives of thousands of young men of color. Having partnered with AmeriCorps for over 5 years, we've witnessed the incredible impact service can have on education, mentorship, and youth development. AmeriCorps provides invaluable opportunities for young leaders to engage in meaningful service, while addressing some of our nations most critical needs. Read more about the proposed reauthorization bill: [Link Below] ?? https://hubs.la/Q02PV6Qm0 #IYT #AmeriCorps #NationalService #YouthDevelopment #Mentorship #Education #FutureLeaders #InvestInService #AmeriCorpsReauthorization #Changemakers