Just as I Am Youth Empowerment Inc

   

Just As I Am Youth Empowerment, Inc. (JAIA YOUth) supports youth aged 16 to 21 from marginalized communities by helping them shift from trauma & low self-esteem to self-efficacy & leadership.

Our mission is to promote healthy communities through transformative youth personal and leadership development.

Our vision is to develop conscious, confident leaders nationally and globally through youth-led and adult-supported programs created in NYC.

OUR PILLARS: All JAIA's programs offer youth training and experience in ...

MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY/ADVOCACY

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE   

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 

Why You Should Support JAIA:

1. Empowering the Next Generation: JAIA YOUth fosters personal development and leadership skills among teens and young adults. By donating to JAIA, you are directly contributing to the empowerment of young leaders who are equipped to create positive change in their communities.
2. Transformative Programs: Our programs, such as the Mindful Leaders Institute, which includes the Youth Leadership Council, provide essential training in mindfulness, mental health literacy, and ethical decision-making. Participants engage in experiential learning that enhances their social-emotional skills, enabling them to navigate challenges like anxiety and stigma while developing a strong sense of self-worth and purpose.
3. Community Impact: JAIA is about community transformation. Through our Healthy Minds, Healthy Vibes: Mental Wellness and Healing Justice Internships, youth leaders, a.k.a. "JAIAnts," address systemic issues such as racism and poverty, fostering healthier, more inclusive communities. Your support helps us expand these initiatives, reach more youth, and create a ripple effect of positive change.
4. A Proven Track Record: Now in its 11th year, JAIA YOUth has successfully co-created with youth to promote mindfulness and mental health literacy. Our youth-directed, co-led programs and retreats have demonstrated a significant impact, helping participants gain inner awareness, confidence, and the skills to lead meaningful lives. By donating, you invest in a proven model that has already changed countless lives.
   

Join us in making a difference by providing stipend programs, scholarships, resources, and educational and professional opportunities for a future of conscious youth to thrive.  

Impact To Date

• JAIA has served over 3800 youth, over 400 Educators & Youth Program staff, and over 60 parents.
• JAIA employed over 54 YOUth aged 16-24 in our Healthy Minds, Healthy Vibes Summer Youth Workspace!
• JAIA created a workforce pipeline to help youth grow into the fields of social work, psychology, and youth advocacy. After graduating MLI, four youth advanced to our Peer Education Training Program, moving from after-school programming to part-time staff. Our current Program Coordinator started as an MLI intern at 17 years old,  in 2021 and is now an MSW candidate. 
• Our JAIAn't high school and college graduation rate is 100%.

BECAUSE NOT EVERY YOUNG PERSON HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES. BUT EVERY YOUNG PERSON DESERVES THE CHANCE TO SUCCEED.

Growing up in NYC isn't easy. Young people navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, social pressures, and challenges that can feel overwhelming. According to a September 2026 NYC Health Department report, approximately 35% of NYC public high school students surveyed in 2023 reported persistent sadness.
THAT'S MORE THAN A STATISTIC. THAT'S OUR YOUth. OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR FUTURE.
At JAIA – Just As I Am Youth Empowerment, Inc., we believe every young person deserves to be seen, heard, supported, and empowered.
Through youth-led mental wellness education, peer leadership, mentorship, paid internships, and transformative personal development programs, JAIA helps young people build the confidence, resilience, and leadership skills to navigate life's challenges and create their own opportunities.