Empowering the Future: Fostering Resilience Program for Systems Impacted Youth in the Bay Area

The Center for Urban Excellence (CUE) has been awarded a HIRE grant to expand their efforts in supporting justice-involved youth through resilience-building programs.

United States – July 12, 2024 —

Introducing the Center for Urban Excellence

Founded in 2016, the Center for Urban Excellence (CUE) is a beacon of hope for system-involved youth in Solano and Contra Costa Counties and the Greater Bay Area. With a mission to empower these young individuals, CUE provides holistic educational, economic, social, and artistic opportunities that foster resilience and wellness. Central to their approach is the belief in the potential of every youth, preparing them for success in a rapidly changing world.

HIRE Grant: A New Chapter for Justice-Involved Youth

The California Workforce Development Board has awarded the Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment (HIRE) grant to four Solano County nonprofits, including the Center for Urban Excellence. This grant, totaling $1.4 million, will be utilized over the next two years to support formerly incarcerated and “justice-involved” individuals in the county.

“This program resonates deeply with our core values of fostering resilience and creating opportunities for economic and social mobility,” said Chief Executive Officer Reina M. Robinson. “We believe that through holistic art wellness, workforce development, and leadership programs, we can turn adversity into a powerful force for positive change.”

The Fostering Resilience Framework

The Center for Urban Excellence has developed the Fostering Resilience Framework, an innovative lens of trauma-informed care designed to help individuals and communities build resilience. This action-oriented, strength-based model emphasizes leveraging existing strengths and resources rather than focusing on deficits. Key principles include:

• Action-Oriented: Encourages proactive steps to set goals, overcome challenges, and build on existing strengths.
• Strength-Based: Focuses on identifying and building on the strengths and assets of individuals and communities.
• Antifragility: Promotes thriving and growth in the face of adversity by embracing and learning from challenges.
• Artistic Expression: Uses creative expression to foster personal and social transformation.
• Transformational Relationship Building: Stresses the importance of trust, mutual understanding, and shared goals in relationships.
• Critical Thinking and Questioning: Encourages analyzing information and asking questions to deepen understanding and find solutions.
• Community Collaboration: Highlights the importance of working together and utilizing community strengths and resources.

By adhering to these principles, the Fostering Resilience Framework equips individuals and communities with the skills needed to adapt and thrive amid challenges.

“The Fostering Resilience Workforce program at the Center for Urban Excellence has been a game-changer for us. By working closely with the agency, we tackle challenges head-on, turning obstacles into opportunities. This partnership has allowed us to lead by example, showing how resilience and innovation can drive success and make a real difference,” said CUE participant Anthony Smith, who completed the Davidson College Certificate for JiE: Building a Lean Startup and AppliedStory: Applied Storytelling.

A History of Impact
CUE’s efforts have garnered support from various organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, Elevate Youth California, JD Finish Line Foundation, California Arts Council, California Forever, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Museum of Children’s Art, and the Workforce Development Boards of California and Solano County. These collaborations have enabled the organization to increase access to resilience-building, economic, and social opportunities for youth of color and their families in Solano and Contra Costa counties.

Since its inception, the Center for Urban Excellence has achieved numerous milestones in supporting youth through their core services:

• November 2017: Launched our pioneering youth workforce program 
• March 2019: Hosted the Urban Excellence Convention in Oakland, CA, engaging over 95 youth affected by mass incarceration and community violence.
• April 2019: Integrated the CUE Digital Media Literacy Educator Guide into Project L.A.’s San Quentin Prison program.
• December 2020: Featured in Project Censored’s State of the Free Press 2021 for their impactful research.
• April 2021: Launched the Fostering Resilience program in Contra Costa County Juvenile Detention Center, graduating 36 young men.
• June 2021: Initiated a five-year partnership with the Museum of Children’s Art and Oakland Unified School District with Arts Connect research project.
• May 2022: Piloted the Art is Resilience program at three Golden Gate Charter Schools with funding from the California Arts Council.
• May 2022: Received support from the Department of Health Care Services to expand access to resilience, economic, and social opportunities for youth of color.
• December 2022: Co-authored “The Media and Me: A Guide to Critical Media Literacy for Young People.”
• January 2023: Awarded the Community Workforce Grant ARPA from Solano County Workforce Development Board.
• March 2023: Co-sponsored the MBK Bay Area Youth Action Summit, empowering 65 CUE youth leaders and 700 Greater Bay Area youth.
• March 2024: Welcomed to Graduate School of Education Touro University Advisory Board
• March 2024: Welcomed to California State University Maritime Academy Propulsion Lab Advisory Board
• June 2024: Welcomed to the City of Vallejo Youth Strategic Plan Working Group.

A Vision for the Future

The Center for Urban Excellence envisions a world where every young perosn can achieve their full potential, regardless of their circumstances or background. CUE works directly with communities to tackle the root causes of inequality and injustice, providing essential support and resources. Through comprehensive programs in education, art wellness, and career readiness, CUE is dedicated to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and just society.

About the Center for Urban Excellence

The Center for Urban Excellence (CUE) empowers system-involved youth by fostering resilience and wellness through holistic educational, economic, social, and artistic opportunities. Since 2016, CUE has supported over 560 individuals in Solano and Contra Costa Counties, providing support as they heal, build self-confidence, improve academic performance, and develop a positive outlook on their futures. CUE is committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces where young minds can thrive and grow.

Media Contact

Center for Urban Excellence
Website: Center for Urban Excellence
Instagram: centerforurbanexcellence
YouTube: Center for Urban Excellence

Contact Info:
Name: Reina Robinson
Email: Send Email
Organization: Center for Urban Excellence
Website: https://www.centerforurbanexcellence.org/

Release ID: 89135231

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