IYT Newsletter – Hope, Faith, & Community
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021
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Letter from Michael Lynch
I grew up in a single-parent home led by a phenomenal father. Despite working fifty-plus hours every week, a father who coached my baseball teams, attended every parent-teacher conference, and came to my elementary school every year dressed up as Santa (despite my objections!). In my neighborhood, I was surrounded by a network of moms who helped fill in the gaps. They took me to practice and, when my dad worked late, they invited me to eat dinner at their house. As a student-athlete, I had coaches, other men who served as role models. They pushed me to be better on and off the field. During my senior year in high school, my dad married my stepmom—an amazing woman, who I call mom, whose love and kindness for her family are unmatched.
What I had growing up was a community—a community of adults who helped me navigate challenges and showed me unconditional love. IYT was founded upon this premise: through mentorship, college exposure, brotherhood, and community, we can close the college opportunity gap.
The power of community was on full display at Natomas Unified School District on October 13, when their board of trustees passed the 1300 Campaign resolution.
The resolution put into policy their commitment to sending 1300 additional young men of color to Sac State and UC Davis by 2025. And ended the harmful practice of suspending students for willful defiance, who are often disproportionately Black males.
On October 29, again, the community came together to support IYT scholars at our first annual Cooking for Change Virtual Fundraiser. At the event, individuals, businesses, and elected officials gave over $155,000 to support the college ambitions of young men of color. IYT's Business Champions like Interwest, Sutter Independent Physicians, and Red Dog Real Estate continue to model the way.
Time and time again, it is evident that when a community focuses on young people, the result is an improved tomorrow.
On behalf of the 3,000 IYT members, Mentor Fellows, and IYT staff, thank you for continuously supporting our community and the young men of color who have unparalleled potential!
Sincerely,
Michael Lynch
CEO and Co-Founder
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Saturday, November 13th | Community Meeting with Mayor Steinberg!
Location: 2115 6th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818
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IYT is a proud partner of Sac Kids First (SKF), the region’s largest grassroots coalition advocating for investments in the healthy development of youth. Before and throughout the pandemic, SKF has continuously urged city officials to address challenges and prioritize investments for kids living in poverty, Black and Brown children, LGBTQ youth and system-impacted youth.
Please join us and other SKF partners for a community gathering with Mayor Steinberg at Southside Park on Saturday, November 13 at 10:00 a.m., where we can lift our asks! We'll have hot coffee, cocoa, yummy treats, masks, T-shirts, and other fun stuff to celebrate being together.
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BIG THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our event #CookingForChange and helped support our transformational programs and services.
We would especially like to thank our sponsors who continue to show up for the college dreams of our young men of color as well as our event partners, Chef Liesha Barnett, Ryan and Chris at Last Supper Society, and Freddie Silveria at FSA Auctions.
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Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, District 7, Visits
IYT Headquarters
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IYT was excited to welcome Assemblymember McCarty to our headquarters for a tour and briefing! It was a great opportunity to provide an update on the impact of IYT on our brothers, the progress of the 1300 campaign, and future plans for the organization. We're thankful to have a strong supporter like Assemblymember McCarty behind the brotherhood. |
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Project Rise Welcomes First Member!
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Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT) welcomed Roydrick Houston as the first ever Project Rise Scholar. Project Rise is a sub program of College Academy that provides an educational award, wellness coaching and a transition plan to young men age 12 to 18 as they transition from the juvenile justice facility to traditional high school settings across Sacramento County.
Roydrick was welcomed into IYT with a full celebration including family, IYT staff, mentor, food and IYT gear. While enjoying food, Roydrick shared his life story and embraced the IYT mentorship that he began to receive while in the juvenile facility. Roydrick will continue to receive services and an educational award as he participates in an internship leading to future employment and high school success.
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IYT College Academy is in full swing! |
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We have officially launched all IYT college academy schools in Sacramento and Central Valley! This is a new season and a fresh start for our brothers to improve their academic goals and community on campus! With kick-off events happening at all high school and middle schools to celebrate our brothers commitment to their future.
IYT’s College Academy Director, Michaela Edwards, Stated “It has been a refreshing and exciting time to see our brothers showing up and shining out after nearly two years of virtual learning.”
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Join our team of authentic, resilient, and passionate people who are changing the educational equity landscape and making a difference in the lives of young scholars. |
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Director of Finance
Sacramento, California, Full-Time
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Events & Volunteer Manager
Sacramento, California, Full-Time
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The Capitol Corner is dedicated to all things Policy and Advocacy! Our Policy and Advocacy team is focused on tracking and supporting federal, state, and local legislation that aligns with the mission of IYT, as well as managing the Public Policy Internship Program, issuing calls to action, working to advance the 1300 Campaign goals, and supporting our brothers in developing organizing, activism, and advocacy skills.
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Schools Not Prisons Fund – Important Grant Update for Non-profits |
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In 2018, IYT was proud to sponsor AB 2944 (Jones-Sawyer) which created the Schools Not Prisons voluntary tax contribution fund, which is intended to establish a permanent source of funding to help break the school-to-prison pipeline. This fund will be used to grant financial awards to organizations who invest in academic and career readiness programs that divert at-promise youth from the criminal justice system.
For the first time since its creation, the Schools Not Prisons fund is accepting Requests for Applications!
The deadline for organizations to apply has been extended to Tuesday, November 30th.
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Natomas Unified Board Votes to Support IYT Coalition, 1300 Campaign |
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IYT is the lead coordinator for the 1300 Campaign - a community-led and systems change initiative that seeks to permanently transform the historical systematic barriers that have limited opportunities for young men of color (YMOC).
In their October 13 board meeting, the Natomas Unified School District of Trustees unanimously voted to adopt a resolution in support of our 1300 Campaign and it’s policy priorities. It's a big deal for a number of reasons:
- Supporting YMOC district-wide
- Making a commitment to remove barriers.
- Moves forward our mission to get an additional 1300 YMOC to and through UC Davis and Sac State by 2025.
But one thing specifically worth highlighting is that the resolution adopted included a provision committing to ending willful defiance school suspensions district-wide. This makes NUSD a STATE LEADER. Implementing such a policy for all
K-12 students will dramatically decrease the number of YMOC who get suspended.
The ban will have positive implications for all students but will especially help ensure that young men, students of color, and students with disabilities, who are typically disproportionately suspended, will have access to instructional time that will keep them on the path to success and off the road to the criminal justice system.
Read our full press release below for more details:
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Thank you to our Champions of Change |
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We're extending a tremendous thank you and acknowledgment to our Cooking for Change Sponsors. These are some of our institutional supporters that have recently pledged resources in support of the 3,000 young men of color we're providing programs and services to this year.
We can't do what we do without their support and commitment to improving the educational and life outcomes of young men of color across the region.
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Feel inspired by the work we're doing? Join our movement and help us close the college opportunity gap for young men of color! |
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