We've been around.

Young Leaders, Strong City is designed to elevate the experiences, perspectives, and voices of high school students across the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Our students focus intentionally on identifying opportunities to promote racial justice, equity, and action in their home and school communities to drive lasting outcomes. We engage with youth in partnership and support them as the future, and growing, leaders of tomorrow.

Building Racial Justice, Equity, & Action Across Communities.

Est. 2014

"I felt like I belonged."

- 2019 YLSC Alum

"My Favorite Part of the Day was all of it"

- 2018 YLSC Alum

YLSC IS A CAREFULLY CURATED SPACE

Communicating and Collaborating Across Lines of Difference

Each year, YLSC brings together hundreds of students from public, private, and charter schools to talk about race. Facilitated by local educators, artists, and historians, our programming offers students the opportunity to critically engage with their peers from different backgrounds and identities. Each YLSC program begins by grounding students in their local history and explores their individual concepts of race and identity.

Who We Are

"I learned about a history that was mine but I didn't  know it."

- YLSC Alum 2019

Our Mission
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Founded in 2014, Young Leaders, Strong City's (YLSC) mission is to equip a network of students, educators, and adult allies with tools to analyze, advocate, and dismantle systemic racism in themselves, their schools, and communities.

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Who We Are

Young Leaders, Strong City is the student-centered arm of local nonprofit organization The Imagining Freedom Institute (IF). The IF Institute focuses on dismantling institutional and structural racism, providing a historical analysis of inequitable policies and practices, addressing intersectionality in issues and solutions, and envisioning a more equitable society.

What We Do

As a youth-centered extension of The IF Institute, we offer unique community programming year-round and annually as well as partner with local school districts, higher education institutions, and other nonprofits. We host learning labs, district-specific summits, student councils, and an annual summit. YLSC also works with educators and administrators to create systemic change on campuses and in communities. Visit our District Summit page to learn more.

All YLSC community programming is free for students and available as funding allows. Become a Patron and help us meet the increasing demand from our students for ongoing programming and expand to more young leaders in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

Meet The Team