Organization: THE HYDE SQUARE TASK FORCE INC
Mission: AT HYDE SQUARE TASK FORCE, YOUTH ARE AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. WE BELIEVE YOUTH HAVE IMMENSE POTENTIAL, YET AT THE SAME TIME RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THEY FACE MANY OBSTACLES. WHEN HSTF WAS FOUNDED IN THE LATE 1980S, A COALITION OF NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS FELT A SENSE OF URGENCY TO ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES FACING THE HYDE/JACKSON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD OF JAMAICA PLAIN.HSTF NOW ENGAGES OVER 1,000 YOUTH AGES 6-25 IN COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATION, AFRO-LATIN ARTS MASTERY AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT, AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING INITIATIVES. IN DOING SO, WE ENSURE THAT YOUTH HAVE THE ARTS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED AND DESERVE IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT THEIR VOICES AND CULTURES ARE VALUED AND CELEBRATED IN BOSTON'S LATIN QUARTER AND BEYOND. OUR WORK IS GUIDED BY OUR MISSION: TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES, SO THEY ARE EMPOWERED TO ENHANCE THEIR OWN LIVES AND BUILD A STRONG AND VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
Activities: CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT & ORGANIZING HSTF HAS PLACED A RENEWED EMPHASIS ON PROVIDING FREE, ACCESSIBLE, AND YEAR-ROUND AFRO-LATIN CULTURE-BASED PROGRAMMING IN BOSTON'S LATIN QUARTER. WE ORGANIZE A SIX WEEK VIVA EL LATIN QUARTER! SUMMER SERIES WITH MUSIC PERFORMANCES, ZUMBA, ART-MAKING, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO ORGANIZE A LATIN QUARTER FIESTA AND A HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IN THE FALL, AND A PARRANDA AND THREE KINGS DAY CELEBRATION IN THE WINTER. OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS GOING A LONG WAY TOWARDS BUILDING A DYNAMIC AND VIBRANT LATIN QUARTER. HSTF BELIEVES IT IS CRITICAL TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH LEADERS AS THEY TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES, AND AS THEY TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY. OUR YOUTH LEADERS HAVE ORGANIZED AND ADVOCATED FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGES WHICH HAVE BEAUTIFIED AND REJUVENATED NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES, SUSTAINED LOCAL BUSINESSES AGAINST BIG BOX STORES, AND GOTTEN COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION AND CIVICS CURRICULA INTO BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANKS TO OUR YOUTH LEADERS, PROGRAM STAFF, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ONCE KNOWN AS NEW ENGLAND'S "COCAINE CAPITAL", HAS TRANSFORMED INTO BOSTON'S LATIN QUARTER. DUE TO THE ADVOCACY OF OUR YOUTH LEADERS, THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS PRODUCED MORE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
ARTS & CULTURAL PROGRAMS OUR YOUTH LEADERS ARE PROUD OF THE DEEP-ROOTED AFRO LATIN CULTURE OF BOSTON'S LATIN QUARTER, AND WE HAVE DEVELOPED OUR RENOWNED ARTS AND CULTURE-BASED YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS WITH THIS IN MIND. EVERY YEAR, 100 YOUTH LEADERS TRAIN IN AFRO LATIN DANCE, MUSIC, AND THEATRE. OUR PROGRAMMING INSPIRES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO INVEST THEIR BEST EFFORTS INTO THEIR CRAFT. THEY PERFORM ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND GREATER BOSTON FOR THOUSANDS OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS. OUR PROGRAMMING IS STRENGTHENED BY PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM. OUR COLLABORATION WITH BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE LEARN THROUGH DANCE PROGRAM REACHES OVER 400 STUDENTS ANNUALLY THROUGH AFRO-LATIN DANCE CLASSES TAUGHT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. OUR MUSIC CLUBHOUSE PROVIDES FREE MUSIC LESSONS TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH OF ALL AGES FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE SUCCESS HSTF YOUTH LEADERS BENEFIT FROM ACCESS TO OUR HOLISTIC MULTI-YEAR COLLEGE AND CAREER PIPELINE. THE MAJORITY OF THE 120 YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE ANNUALLY ARE YOUTH OF COLOR, COME FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS, AND ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. THEY FACE INNUMERABLE BARRIERS AS THEY STRIVE TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND SECURE STABLE EMPLOYMENT UPON GRADUATION. OUR PROGRAMMING IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BUILD UPON OUR YOUTHS' STRENGTHS AND ENSURE THEIR SUCCESS. THEY ARE PAIRED WITH DEDICATED MENTORS FROM LOCAL COLLEGES OR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ARE SUPPORTED BY SEASONED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STAFF. THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL, YOUTH AND THEIR MENTORS EXPLORE COLLEGE AND CAREERS THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD THEIR TRANSFERABLE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND PERSONAL MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO ACCESS DROP-IN AND APPOINTMENT-BASED ACADEMIC TUTORING IN CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. SENIORS WORK WITH THEIR MENTORS TO DRAFT COLLEGE ESSAYS, PREPARE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, SUBMIT FINANCIAL AID PAPERWORK, AND ENROLL IN THEIR COLLEGE OF CHOICE. ONCE THEY ARRIVE ON THEIR COLLEGE CAMPUS, HSTF YOUTH WORK WITH COLLEGE SUCCESS COACHES TO BALANCE THEIR COURSE LOAD, MANAGE THEIR FINANCIAL AID, MAINTAIN THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND INDEPENDENTLY ACCESS CAMPUS RESOURCES AS THEY WORK TOWARD EARNING THEIR DEGREE.
NTEE category: Youth Development
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building