by Nikki Lucas

Today many people are celebrating Juneteenth, the liberation from slavery.

However, to truly be free, ownership must be involved. For many years we have been boycotting and marching, without a focus on ownership. I am talking about ownership of property, land, media, business and legislation. This is the time to move forward with a Black EmPowerment Movement that empowers black people with independence and financial freedom.

In 2020 people are looking for a substantial Black EmPowerment Agenda, where black power stands for ownership and generational wealth. Holding your fist in the air and saying the words Black Power is important for the purpose of self affirmation, however in 2020 and moving forward we must place our focus on serious economic development.

Governor Cuomo mentioned that Juneteenth will become a state holiday starting next year and I believe we have to make this a day that reinforces the New Black EmPower Movement’s focus on ownership.

In my neighborhood of East New York we’ve seen billionaire developers come through to build malls and residential properties on lots that were previously vacant. There’s still another 30 years of development in the pipeline but I want to make sure the youth and millennial population in the area are aware of the opportunities that exist for them in terms of ownership and entrepreneurship, outside of the non-profit realm.

KOTA the Friend in front of the commercial building that he purchased in an all cash deal.

We will use this weekend on my weekly VOICES of East New York Video Series to discuss real ownership and freedom with Brooklyn’s KOTA The Friend, who is a global Independent hip-hop artist, with over 3 million monthly listeners of his music and over 100 million streams in 2019. His album, EVERYTHING which was his first for 2020 is expected to reach over 400 million streams. The album debuted at number one on the itunes Top 40 Hip-Hop Albums chart.

KOTA owns the rights and masters to all of his music and production. He also owns real estate, including a commercial building that contains the FLTBYS Shop, which is his apparel brand. The building also houses the FLTBYS recording studio. His first experience with selling his FLTBYS apparel in a brick and mortar store was in East New York, through the B-Shop, which was a barber shop with a skate shop in the back. The store was owned by Joshua Barker, who has now become a property owner himself.

Tune in to the show this Sunday June 21, 2020 at 9am to hear how KOTA the Friend has become a global example of independence and financial freedom for young black entrepreneurs and artists. Find out how he did it and his plans to expand his FLTBYS brand to provide artist services for other hip-hop artists and musicians, globally.

Watch the show on Facebook Live – https://www.facebook.com/EastNewYorkNews/videos/288532285886972/

This is the beginning of providing real solutions for change.

Submitted by Nikki Lucas

New York City has cancelled the Summer Youth Program (SYEP), but the city is launching the NeON Summer Program, which youth ages 14-24 can earn up to $1,200 for a 6 week summer program.  See the details below.  Note that the deadline to apply is June 15, 2020. The application link is at the bottom of this page.

Overview

A six-week (July 6 through August 14, 2020) remote learning summer immersion program connecting New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with paid learning opportunities designed to build skills to succeed in the workplace, strengthen community, and support young people and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Facilitated by community-based providers who specialize in employment readiness, cultural enrichment, mentorship, educational opportunities, arts programming, and mental health/wellness services —the program offers participants the opportunity to explore career interests, develop work-readiness skills, and express themselves creatively through learning experiences designed to strengthen social, civic, and leadership abilities.

Eligibility

NeON Summer is open to youth aged 14 to 24 years old:

• who reside in the seven Neighborhood Opportunity Network (NeON) communities of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York, Harlem, Jamaica, North Staten Island, and the South Bronx (application by lottery),
• and to all youth on probation living anywhere in New York City and other 14 to 24 year-old’s residing in the same household.

Program Components

NeON Summer will meet three days a week for three-hour sessions, totaling nine hours of virtual programming per week. Sessions will be conducted in three time slots throughout the day, to give each participant the option of participating in morning, afternoon, or evening programming. Participants will receive an additional three-hours of self-guided assignments and activities to complete offline on a weekly basis to total a 12-hour weekly commitment from each participant.

Sessions will begin with a group check in, and include group-based conversations using a curriculum presented through the lens of a personal story as told by a teen, designed to promote career readiness, communication, conflict resolution, financial literacy, self-advocacy, and additional skills to prepare youth for success. During the three-hour sessions, participants will also engage in specialized interactive program activities led by community-based providers in a diverse range of creative activities and other programming such as poetry, virtual reality, theater, culinary arts, self-reflection and more!

Weekly Curriculum

• 4.5 hours of work readiness, career exploration and group conversation facilitated by trained staff, using scenarios written by young people as a jumping-off point for guided conversations about their futures and how to build resilience during challenging times
• 4.5 hours of specialized interactive program activities led by community-based providers
• 3 hours of self-guided learning

Stipends

All participants will be eligible to earn stipends for their participation. Participants who attend all 12-hours of weekly programming, complete the three-hours of weekly self-guided activities, and meet other program requirements can receive up to $1,200 over the six-week period.

Application Information

Program dates: Monday, July 6 through Friday, August 14, 2020

Application Deadline: June 15, 2020

Youth Residing in one of the NeON Neighborhood APPLY HERE

Youth on Probation Residing Anywhere in NYC APPLY HERE

See Full Details on the NYC NeON Summer Page