a 501 (c) (3) EST. 1994
ANNUAL REPORT 2020-2021
igniting creativity | powering possibilities | building community
WWW.URGENTINC.ORG
Report Contents 2020-2021 MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP OUR WHY OUR WORK OUR IMPACT STORIES OF IMPACT EVENT HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOOKING AHEAD FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT THANK YOU STAY CONNECTED
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I recognize with gratitude that I am a part of URGENT's efforts to lead from the front lines to push forward for a better economic future for our leaders of tomorrow. - Dennis Horton, Educator
What I love about URGENT is that we keep innovating, we are not doing the same thing same the same way year after year. We continue to evolve and push forward. - Henry Crespo, Sr., Founder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dennis Horton Chairman and Co-Founder Dr. Patrick Williams, Secretary Marcos Lapciuc, Treasurer Caridad Hernandez
Empowering Young Minds To Transform Their Communities As one of South Florida's most important organizations, URGENT, Inc. continues to live up to its mission of empowering young minds so that they, in turn, can transform their communities. - Dr. Patrick Williams, Learning Strategist
Edgar Duarte EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Henry Crespo, Sr. President & Founder Saliha Nelson, MSEd Chief Executive Officer MANAGEMENT TEAM Irene Tiffany Edwards Finance Manager
Beyond the glitz and glam of Miami, URGENT, Inc. is among those that work with the heart of our community, our youth. Our community is better for it. - Marcos Lapciuc, Former Chairman Jackson Health Trust
Shedia Nelson Operations & Programs Manager Joey Ashley Apprenticeship/Film Manager
A Message From Our CEO “Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it and make it the life you want to live.” – Former NASA Astronaut Mae Jemison
As I reflect on the last two years, change and uncertainty were a constant. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the first of my generation, I was often susceptible to becoming paralyzed with inaction. Yet, I persisted to forge through the uncertainty. I often had to call upon my imagination, creativity, and curiosity. As former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison states, “you have to go on and make the life you want to live." In that spirit, we at URGENT, Inc. had to call on all our creativity, our imagination and maintain a state of curiosity to persist through uncertainty. At the same time, we were also charged to elicit the same response from the youth in our ecosystem. We used creativity, imagination, and curiosity as tools to engage our youth in new ways, operate under a new set of conditions and challenge the status quo. This resulted in accomplishing many first, strengthening our systems, creating new opportunities and persisting in the midst of day-to-challenges. These challenges continue, but in the midst of an ever changing social, economic, racial, and educational landscape we continued to share and build skills, talents and assets that are paving the way for continued success. I am proud of our team, our youth, our families, our supporters and those who keep making great things happen. Let’s keep it growing.
Saliha Nelson, EdD
Our Why Vision URGENT envisions a future where all children and youth have the social, economic, and educational resources to thrive.
Innovate Grow Transform
Mission Celebrating over 25 years of service, URGENT, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) Miami, FL based creative youth arts and community development organization, is dedicated to the mission of empowering young minds to transform their communities.
Values URGENT, Inc. promotes the values of compassion, patience, teamwork, responsibility, innovation, learning, and reciprocity.
Our Work
By Program
By Location By Age 42% K-5 17% Middle School
City of Miami Overtown Little Haiti Morningside 82% Free/ Reduced Lunch
43% High School 3% Out-of-School/ Early College 10% Disability
Youth Empowerment After School Rites of Passage Media Project Film, Arts, Culture, Entrepreneurship (FACE) Internship FACE Camp YES Camp Media Arts and Creative Technologies Apprenticeship
By Gender Race & Ethnicity 64% 36% 73% 32% 25%
Female Male Black/Af-Am Haitian Hispanic ANNUAL REPORT
Our Work
By Skill Development Fitness Endurance Oral Reading Fluency Reading Comprehension Social Emotional Learning Entrepreneurship Workplace Success Skills
By Talent Development ARTS EDUCATION Film Photography
Creative Writing Visual Arts Graphic Design
By Assets Paid Apprenticeships Paid Internships
Mentoring & Support Positive Identity & Values
Commitment to Learning & Growth
Our Impact Building Skills > Talents > Assets URGENT, Inc. is an award-winning creative youth development organization providing asset-based after school and summer programming that helps children and youth uncover and develop their talents, skills, and abilities through skill-building projects, academic support, community engagement, entrepreneurial training, and paid work opportunities in the media arts and creative technologies.
Impact By The Numbers
*Years 2020 & 2021
Academic Growth & Learning
Artistic Expression
864
Hours of Homework Help & Academic Support
205
Family Support
Identity & Positive Self-Image
500
100% Improved Art Skills
Participating Children & Youth
76
Summer Camp Hours
1188 After School Program Hours
Work & 21st Century Skills
90%
Improved Social Emotional Learning
Paid Internships
Paid Apprenticeships
6
Impact Story ACADEMIC
GROWTH AND LEARNING
> From Creative Writers to Published Authors Our middle school girls are on Fire! Elevating their voices and becoming this generation's storytellers. This year, girls in the Rites of Passage Program published four comic books, produced two animated short films, and are now working on a graphic novel, original music, and photography book. Every student writes from experience, learns the value of their voice and promotes their ideas in publishable works of art. Watch a behind the scenes take of the Battle of Love comic as it get transformed into a short fillm. Juberney, 13, Published Author & URGENT's 2021 Rising Youth of the Year
Young Animators & Authors
> From writing on the page to bringing the story alive through animation Rites of Passage middle school girls wrote, illustrated and designed characters for the comic series "ABBE: A Beautiful Black Entrepreneur and helped to adopt it to a short animated film under the guidance of industry professional entrepreneur and published author Chivas Davis.
Interstate Competition Business Pitch Winners YOUNG ENTREPRENEURZ SOLUTIONS (YES)1st an 2nd PLACE WINNERS 2021
Two groups of middle school girls competed in an interstate 5-day entrepreneurship boot camp and pitch competition through Young Entrepreneurz Solutions. Competing against high school students in New Jersey and Broward County, our two teams took both first and second place in the interstate competition.
Impact Story IDENTITY &
POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE
I just want to extend my gratitude towards you for all that you've done for youths like myself and my brother. This entire experience in reference to the reality TV show [4 Days to Save the World] has brought tears to my eyes. You are world-changers who truly care about this community. URGENT is forever family, it has awakened an amount of ambition in my heart that's allowed me to do the things I'm doing now. I truly thank you for everything!! If I haven't said it enough, please allow me to say it once again, I love you so very much for being an uplifter in my life. You poured in knowledge and directed me towards a path that leads to greatness. You've honestly pulled something out of me that I didn't see in myself. Simply for being this beacon of hope, I thank you!! - Leonce, 18, Award-Winning Content Creator, Spoken Word Artist
2020 Creativity in Quarantine Winner for "Endurance", TakingITGlobal and Cast Member on 4 Days to Save the World
Impact Story ARTISTIC
EXPRESSION
> From emerging creative to multimedia producer pre-apprentice "To be honest, what I really expected from this experience was to just come to URGENT, participate in the workshop sessions, and complete the assignments. I honestly thought it would be like any other after school program. However, it wasn’t, it was so much more than that. I had to show up and show out, improve my time management skills, engage with my peers, and grow in the process of creating storytelling content. URGENT opens doors to so many opportunities and becoming an apprentice is just the beginning." - Wood, 18, 2020 Talent Development Network (TDN) Top 10 South Florida Intern
URGENT's apprenticeship for the Media Arts and Creative Technologies Apprenticeship Program, INJ (2022-FL-110528) was approved by and registered with the Florida Department of Education.
Impact Story CAREER
PATHWAY Earning Potential
Henry directed a short film, “Malcom’s Desk,” which was selected by Short Cuts, a tv show featuring young filmmakers on Becon TV.
> From learner to earner Henry Volmar, is currently a freshman attending Miami Dade College. In high school, Henry participated in URGENT’s film program as an intern for two years where he developed an interest in film and photography. As a senior, Henry applied to participate in the pilot media arts and creative technologies apprenticeship. During this time Henry was encouraged by his mentor to continue as an apprenticeship post graduation as as a fulltime AmeriCorps Public Ally. Now as an AmeriCorps apprentice with URGENT he is working fulltime, earning an education scholarship, and receiving health insurance.
Check out the Film Arts Culture Entreprenurship (FACE) Interns
Impact Story WORK &
21ST CENTURY SUCCESS SKILLS
> From learning in the classroom to learning on the job This year, apprentices were able to put their learning to work in the field working on set, in the studio and at various community events. Practice in the real world helped emerging creatives test their skills and build confidence in their abilities.
Event Hightlight
745 79 SUBMISSIONS
SELECTIONS
17 WINNERS
339 12 The annual Miami 4 Social Change Youth Film Festival was a hybrid event held July 23-24, 2021. Activities included film screenings, career exploration workshops, skill-building master classes, and a panel discussion. Save the Date July 21-22, 2022.
YOUTUBE VIEWERS
COUNTRIES REPRESENTED
6
YEARS
YOUTH ARTS EXPO
URGENT, Inc. presented "Our Voice Matters", a multi-media youth art showcase during Historic Overtown's Soul Basel. The event featured our young creatives working in film, photography, graphic design, visual arts and comics.
Event Hightlight
OUR VOICE MATTERS
Community Development The Commons With the development of 24 apartments at The Commons, URGENT Inc. is helping keep rent affordable for seniors in an area that is experiencing continuing increases in housing costs. All apartments are one-bedroom, and public transportation is easily accessible from its location.
Community Development SMATHERS In partnership with Related Urban, Smathers, a six-story mid-rise building for seniors age 62+, was fully renovated. Consisting of studios and one-bedroom apartments, amenities include a laundry room, trash disposal chute on each floor, energy-efficient appliances, a water heater, air-conditioned units, and modern kitchens with granite countertops.
LOOKING AHEAD STRATEGIC GOALS 2022-23 In alignment with our vision and mission, our focus for 20222023 is to advance equitable access and opportunities for young people to develop their creative potential, to live richer, fuller lives, and develop the critical learning and life skills they need to become active contributors to their communities.
Create to Learn
#1 ELEVATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTPRENEURSHIP
Look out for our comics to be available on Amazon soon! But you can always support us now by signing up for AmazonSmile and SELECT to Support URGENT, INC.
Creative Space
#2 EXPAND DEDICATED YOUTH ARTS SPACE IN THE HEART OF OVERTOWN Imagine a creative oasis designed to support youths' real-world work with fellow creatives, clients, while learning from industry professionals, mentoring artists, and digital designers as they practice and build the skills sought after by today's creative and technology-driven industries. Stay tuned for the next iteration of creative space for youth in Overtown, Miami.
Creative Careers #3 CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY’S RACIAL EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (R-DEI) FUTURE We will continue to build a media arts and creative technologies career pathway for creative and entrepreneurial minded youth. The career pathway will include three training/employment tiers: internship, pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship. Over multiple sessions, youth can advance through a series of growth opportunities beginning with an exploration of interest driven learning in the multi-media arts in the media arts and creative technologies.
Financial Snapshot TOTAL REVENUE FY 2021 $1,386,637
Other 15%
Admin 15%
Contributions 2% Earned 15%
In-Kind 7%
Development 17%
Grants 61% TOTAL EXPENSES FY 2021 $1,235,878
Programs 68%
Thank You to our Funding Partners! n A e r A You t c a p m I ! r e n t r Pa $100,000 and Above The Children's Trust SEOPW Community Redevelopment Agency
$10,000-$49,999 Adobe Allegany Franciscan Ministries The Carrie Meek Foundation L & L Copeland Foundation Miami Dade County Miami Dade County, Cultural Affairs Related Group Simkins Family Foundation The Miami Foundation TakingITGlobal $5000-$9,999 Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, Miami Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan, Miami Dade County Dade County Federal Credit Union Gemini Financial Kadir Nelson University of Miami
$1,000-$4,999 BAC Funding Corporation Cardinal Four Foundation Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Coral Rock Development Henry Crespo, Sr. Dr. Alfred and Leatrice Damus Felicia & Gaffney Gunter Emily Gunter Jose Gonzalez Anonymous Alberto Milo Jr Nitin Motwani Marcos and Tiffany Lapciuc Overtown Children and Youth Coalition Joanne Rosen Keith Ward Racial Equity Fund at The Miami Foundation TechSoup That Gallerie 500+-$999 Edgar Duarte Allen Furst Jose Gonzalez Gaffney Gunter, Jr. Caridad Hernandez Saliha Nelson Stephanie Sylvestre
$1-$499 Kenisha Adderley Olanike Adebayo Ayari Aguayo Geneva Bailey Inez Barlatier Metris Batts-Coley Meredith Beattie Robbie Bell Barbara Bisno Anonymous Tina Brown Kareem Brantley Namiya Crespo Thema Campbell Sandra Cherfrere Anthony Del Pozzo JC del Valle Anonymous Diane Connolly Graham Franseta Cooper-Williams Janet Cox-Coleman Phaebra Croft Loren Daniel LaTosha Daniels Grashania Davis Olivier de Lavalette Anthony Del Pozzo Chiara De Luca Anonymous
Valeie Dewitt William Diggs Tanisha Douglas Benjamin Feldman Dorothy J Fields Noelle Fleureau Grace Godoy Anasthasia Grand-Pierre Charisse Grant Darrell & Debra Gunter Anonymous John Hall Matt Haggman Reggie Hannah Ultrina Harris Ieshia Haynie Cynthia HIbnick Jennifer Hill Christopher Humphrey Willis Howard II Douglene Jackson Leroy Jones Venus Ke Melisssa Kelly Miriam King Monica Kirkland Anthony E Lee Amani Macaulay Brett McNaught Kevin Michael
Carly Miller Marco Molinet Tomeka Napper Amin Nelson Shedia Nelson Marie Guerda Nicolas Tiffany Ortiz Steven Pargett William Payton Sr. Njeri Plato Sandy Poellintz Anonymous Kamila Pritchett Robbie Rapson Venita Renfroe Roysette Ritter Ischaji Robertson Cynthia Robinson-Gordon Oslyn Rodriguez Gloria Romero Roses Anonymous Sawyer Family Timothy Schmand Sondra Skelaney Kenneth Solomon Renae Schmidt Linda Schotthoefer Graylyn Swilley-Woods
Carole Ann Taylor Rhonda Taylor Elizabeth Thompson Priscilla Thompson Wallis Tinnie Stephanie van Vark Peter Wagoner Anonymous Joe Wesley Anonymous Marcus Williams Dr. Patrick Williams Gail Willingham Marvin Wilmoth Laura Wood Holly Woodbury Tami Wynn Anonymous Octavia Yearwood
We e t a i c e r App ! You
*Fiscal Years 2020 & 2021
ANNUAL REPORT
Phone Number
Contact Us
We'd love to talk to you about getting involved and staying connected. Join Us On Social Media @urgentinc
786-581-7821
Email Address office@urgentinc.org
Website www.urgentinc.org
Text to Donate Text "donate" 833-565-0777
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Address 100 NW 1st Ave. Ste. 100 Miami, FL 33136
URGENT, INC. 2022