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Founded in 2007, Youth Mentoring in Action Network was created by two veteran educators who wanted to ensure youths were heard and given the power to create their own programs.
The organization believes youths have the potential to shape their schools and communities. Its programs build the power of youths through mentoring, education and wellness.
Critical mentoring is at the forefront of all the network does. It is a way to make programs impactful, ensure they are relevant to communities of color and create goals with youths by addressing issues of race, class, gender and sexuality. Another component is building staff and a volunteer base that reflects the community.
“Our approach to teaching students is making programming that is voiced by them and led by them so they can thrive,” the network’s communications director, Andres Herrera, said.
The group partners with young people looking to be leaders, offering a stipend of $1,000 to those chosen through an application and interview process. Young artists, activists and those with an interest in health and wellness are chosen to build programs, organize other youths and provide resources.
Programs that youths help create include the Youth Artist Collective, which shapes young artists. Students learn the ropes of production, composing their own music and producing their own videos in a professional studio. Working with Nonstop Management from Los Angeles, students learn what it means to be a music industry professional.
“The Inland Empire is a breeding ground for some of the most creative people in the United States and we want it to be a culturally impactful place,” Herrera said. “The students are here and just need someone to give them a chance.”
The organization also offers a wellness program that includes a community garden, a self-care lab, and mental health programs from a professional therapist.
The organization reaches outside the region to increase education and mentoring opportunities for youths. Recently, its Black Girls (EM) Power initiative had a national search for five young Black women who were movement builders and activists doing critical work in their communities. Recipients received a $5,000 stipend, social entrepreneurship mentoring and a weekend retreat. Participants shared their experiences, suggestions and ideas for programs for young Black women.
Recently, the network received a grant from the IE Black Equity Fund through the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The organization depends on grants and donations and it can be challenging to find funding for programs that focus on power building, according to Herrera.
The network’s programs teach young people to leverage their skills and share their expertise and passion with their communities. While this doesn’t involve getting a large number of students in a room like most grant-funded programs, empowering a smaller number of individuals has a ripple effect, Herrera said. All participants are empowered to take what they learn and teach it to others, he said, and  that is how change in a community is created.
“We work with a lot of high school youth,” Herrera said. “I get to see them from freshman year when they are still shy to when they are seniors and they become powerhouses.”
Information: 909-908-1153 or https://www.yman.org/
Inland Empire Community Foundation works to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy.
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