A new report released by the James Irvine Foundation features Youth Radio along with three other community-based organizations in California that work to solve youth unemployment and low post-secondary completion rates.
Former Youth Radio participant De’Markus’s story was featured in the report:
“With a focus on making music, De’Markus entered Youth Radio while in high school. After completing initial training, he stopped coming for a period of time, during which he became a father at age 17 and spent time in incarceration. At age 20, De’Markus reengaged with Youth Radio: “Youth Radio did a lot for me and I always wanted to come back,” he says. Youth Radio’s Digital Media and Technology Pathways Program for older youth gave him that opportunity.
Much more mature, he found “motivation to do better,” he says. After successfully completing the training, he entered an internship with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in the Office of External Affairs.
“I knew I had to stay motivated for my daughter and myself, and represent Youth Radio.” De’Markus not only successfully completed his internship, but was promoted to chief intern and then hired full-time at BART. He now supervises the next round of interns from Youth Radio’s Digital Media and Technology Program and guides them toward success.”
Read the full report, Opening the Door: How Community Organizations Address the Youth Unemployment Crisis, HERE. Thank you to the James Irvine Foundation for its support, and congrats to our organizational partners also featured in the report: Youth UpRising, First Place for Youth, and Taller San Jose.