L.E.A.D.
LAUNCH, EXPOSE, ADVISE, DIRECT
L.E.A.D. Center For Youth is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization operating in Atlanta, Georgia. Through sport based youth development (SBYD) programming, L.E.A.D. is inspiring and equipping Black males with the empowerment they need to live sustainable lives of significance. The organization uses baseball to teach Black boys how to overcome three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty, and racism.
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ORIGIN STORIES MATTER
L.E.A.D. BEGINS WITH C.J. STEWART
C.J. was born into financial, relational, and systemic poverty in 1976.
He was a “Grady Baby”—born African American, poor, and raised in Bankhead, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Atlanta.
He played youth baseball, received a baseball scholarship to Georgia State University, and was drafted twice by the Cubs.
C.J. played in the Minor Leagues of professional baseball and did not make it to the Major League level.
LEADCenterForYouth.org
L.E.A.D. BEGINS WITH C.J. STEWART ORIGIN STORIES MATTER
C.J. worked as a trainer and coach for some of baseball’s top players and rising stars.
It became clearer to him that his calling was to impact boys in Atlanta who were born like him— poor, underprivileged, underresourced, “counted out.”
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ORIGIN OF L.E.A.D. CENTER FOR YOUTH
FOUNDED IN 2007
L.E.A.D. Center For Youth facilitates a range of SBYD programs consisting of activities across four pillars of focus: ACADEMICS
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
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ATHLETICS
COMMERCE
L.E.A.D. FOUNDERS
C.J. STEWART is an Atlanta native, a former Chicago Cubs outfielder, and an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. He has earned the recognition of being one of the top baseball player development professionals in the country. He used baseball to overcome statistics and become a compassionate, engaged member of society.
KELLI STEWART was born in Atlanta and raised in Crawford, Georgia. Under the nurturing and protective guidance of her grandmother, Amy Lou Faust, she learned about work ethic and service. She holds a wealth of knowledge in sport based youth development as a resource for social justice and the impact sports has on the social emotional development of youth.
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In 2007 L.E.A.D. started with 18 BOYS L.E.A.D. now serves 250 BOYS ANNUALLY LEADCenterForYouth.org
THE MVP OF SBYD
L.E.A.D. IS A SPORT-BASED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION
SBYD is the intentional use of sports to break down the various barriers that prevent marginalized youth from having access to the resources they need to live sustainable lives of success and significance.
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THE MVP OF SBYD
L.E.A.D.’S MARGINALIZED YOUTH ARE
Black boys in 6th-12th grades living in the city of Atlanta who are underperforming in the areas of grades, attendance, and behavior
Dysregulated, meaning they experience frequent levels of consistent trauma caused by three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty and racism.
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THE MVP OF SBYD
A child born into poverty in Atlanta has about a 4% chance of escaping it.
WHY SBYD?
About 60% of the crime in Atlanta is committed by youth ages 13-24.
About 50% of crime in Atlanta has no underlying crime connected to it.
The Georgia Juvenile Justice System spends $120K to incarcerate youth while Atlanta Public Schools spends $15K to educate them.
Pay to play format alone does not provide the resources and support that SBYD provides.
Due to the Racial Wealth Gap in Atlanta, about 70% of Black families are liquid asset poor compared to 22% of their white counterparts.
The median household income of Black Atlantans is 1/3 that of white households
Atlanta is #1 in the nation for income inequality along racial lines.
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LEADCenterForYouth.org THE MVP OF SBYD SBYD PROVIDES • Skill development in a culturally empowering environment • Transportation support • Trauma Informed approach to programming • Outreach Support • Educational Support
THE MVP OF SBYD
L.E.A.D.’s progression to performance is the formula we use to prepare our boys to win at the game of life.
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LEADCenterForYouth.org SUPPORT FROM TPA PROVIDED $150K 42 Jr. Ambassadors 21 for summer 2022 & 21 for summer 2023 to support
SUPPORT FROM TPA PROVIDED
THE JUNIOR AMBASSADOR SUMMER
program provided research-based, positive youth development (PYD) experiences within our activities that have been proven to develop social emotional learning capacities in youth. We focus on seven PYD experiences including authentic engagement and the promotion of peer bonds.
These PYD experiences position our boys to lead healthier lives and cultivate healthier relationships.
With the help of our monitoring and evaluation partner, Hello Insight, we were able to track the impact of our programming via statistically validated surveys. Program feedback from campers helps us to understand areas of proficiency and areas to improve.
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JR. AMBASSADOR SUMMER
of our boys reported that they felt positively challenged and that they worked with an adult who encouraged them to take risks and perform beyond their own expectations
86%
of our boys reported that our staff frequently reminds them that we believe in them and their ability to succeed
71%
74% of our boys report that our staff makes them feel safe and supported by consistently and purposefully applying their recommendations and feedback
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THANK YOU
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