Forest Ave Youth is a semester-long program for high school students of color that introduces them to the skills, framework, and exposure needed to become socially-conscious, uniquely skilled, and regenerative leaders who transform neighborhood culture through their local food system. Due to the lack of unique opportunities that exist for low-income youth of color and our commitment to investing in local and intergenerational knowledge, we are prioritizing youth who live in the following communities in the North Shore: Mariners Harbor, Arlington, Port Richmond, and Graniteville.

Throughout the six-month program, students will have the opportunity to:

• Attend self-exploration workshops that explore themes of power, identity, privilege, and community healing 
• Choose 1 - 2 skill-building activities in cooking and nutrition, farming, community organizing, or digital activism & storytelling to prepare them for future careers in the food justice sector and teach important life-skills
• Build meaningful connections with leaders and activists in Staten Island who are trailblazers in their communities for future employment opportunities
• Enjoy field trips to community gardens, mutual aid spaces, and other sites of interest to gain exposure to take them outside of their comfort zone and expand their perspective 
• Lead and develop a food market on Forest Avenue that addresses the root cause of food insecurity and provides access to healthy food

With the money raised, we will be able to feed students on citywide field trips and day-conferences and cover workshop material costs for farming, cooking, and media-related activities. We want students to be able to own the materials they use during these activities so that they can continue their passions even after the internship is over. We will use majority of the money raised to go towards the final project students will create. This project will be primarily led by students with the following goals 1) provide the community with access to free healthy food 2) create a space of connection, reciprocal giving, and knowledge/skill sharing around healthy food 3) creatively build upon or challenge the existing neighborhood culture. Lastly, we'll be able to use a portion of the funds to hire local leaders and invest in Staten Island's emerging and untapped food justice network - we intend to pay local farmers, chefs, artists, and educators a modest but equitable stipend as they invest in the next generation of local leaders in food justice.