On June 20, join CLASP for our annual forum on youth of color. “Realizing Youth Justice: Advancing Education, Employment, and Youth Empowerment,“ co-sponsored by Cities United and the Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Young Men of Color, will highlight effective policies and practices that can help youth avoid the criminal justice system, access employment, achieve stability, build on their innate assets, and realize their full potential.

CLASP’s forum will feature government officials, community leaders, and youth of color discussing practical policy solutions to these transcendent challenges. You’ll hear how investments at all levels of government in workforce development, education, training, social-emotional supports, and mental health services can help youth of color successfully transition to adulthood. Featured speakers include:

• Karen Freeman-Wilson, Mayor, Gary, Indiana
• Roy L. Austin, Jr. Deputy Assistant to the President for Urban Affairs, Justice and Opportunity, White House Domestic Policy Council (invited)
• Aaron Kirkland, PowerCorpsPHL Alumni, City of Philadelphia
• Allison R. Brown, Executive Director, Communities for Just Schools Fund
• Amanda Matos, Young Women’s Advocacy Council, NYC Young Women’s Initiative
• Clyde McQueen, President and CEO of Full Employment Council, Kansas City
• Enchanta Jackson, Criminal Justice Campaign Manager, Color Of Change
• Jamal Jones, Co-Executive Director, Baltimore Algebra Project
• Juan Gomez, Co-Founder and Director of Programs and Innovation, Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement
• Morning Star Gali, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Pit River Tribe
• S. Atyia Martin, Chief Resilience Officer, Mayor’s Office of Resilience & Racial Equity and
• Steven C. Teske, Chief Judge, Juvenile Court, Clayton Judicial Circuit, State of Georgia

Light lunch included

RSVP to attend in person.

Sign up to watch the webcast.

Be sure to use the hashtags #UnrealizedJustice and #RealizeYouthJustice to continue the conversation on social media. Here are a few sample tweets to get you started!

• REGISTER NOW for @CLASP_DC #YouthofColor forum #RealizeYouthJustice on June 20 from 12pm-3pm EST @PressClubDC http://bit.ly/1OnFg1I
• Black and Hispanic young men compose 36 % of the population but 85 % of homicide victims #UnrealizedJustice http://bit.ly/1UirtbU
• 1/10 Native boys and 1 /20 Native girls suspended each year #UnrealizedJustice http://bit.ly/1UirtbU
• Black and Hispanic girls are 40% of female students & 55% of referrals to law enforcement #UnrealizedJustice http://bit.ly/1UirtbU
• How can advocates leverage #ESSA #WIOA & #ACA to support #opportunityyouth? Find out @CLASP_DC #RealizeYouthJustice http://bit.ly/1OnFg1I
• Those closest to the problem, are closest to the solution #youthvoices #RealizeYouthJustice http://bit.ly/1OnFg1I
• Most incarcerated youth of color don’t have a HS diploma b4 they were arrested #OpportunityYouth #UnrealizedJustice http://bit.ly/1UirtbU
• Many incarcerated young people of color were unemployed before arrest #OpportunityYouth #UnrealizedJustice http://bit.ly/1UirtbU
• #CJReform = Investments in #youth #jobs #education & #nationalservice #RealizeYouthJustice http://bit.ly/1OnFg1I
• #JuvenilleJustice = Racial Equity, Healing, & Policy Change #RealizeYouthJustice http://bit.ly/1OnFg1I

For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be webcast. For additional details please click here. We hope to see you soon!