Era of Purpose, “A YOUTH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MOVEMENT”, is a nonprofit organization established to empower youth through community engagement. Our organization allows the next generation to express its concerns, develop solutions, and impact their community in their own way. With financial support of our partners, incredible volunteers, and small but-passion staff we operate the Y Not Us Foundation Academy. This dynamic program recruits 100 youth ambassadors (ages 12-16 years), trains them throughout a 16-week program, and highlights these ambassadors community engagement programs (CEPs) by hosting an international youth community engagement summit called the Y NOT US INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT.
OUR MISSION: The Era of Purpose mission seeks to place the power of change directly in the hands of the next generation through a unique, multi-faceted community engagement platform that informs, educates, and empowers youth to impact their community in five areas.
OUR VISION: The Era of Purpose vision is four-fold. First we want to empower and inspire inner city disenfranchised populations. Second, we will engage the youth, teach them a social change platform, and provide them with an opportunity to actually engage the community. Third, our ambassadors will learn and exemplify responsibility of character, innovation, and globalism. And finally, our program will develop leadership, critical thinking, and citizenship in program participants.
ERA OF PURPOSE YOUTH SUMMIT: Our inaugural International Youth Summit is set to take place Spring Break 2016. It will be held in downtown Atlanta in famed Centennial Park, and feature youth community activism from all over the world. YNUF is currently forming relationships with other national and international youth organizations, and hopes to partner with Georgia State University’s – Worlds Affairs Counsel. There will be a variety of presentations, workshops, demonstrations, and forums at the Summit, which will be all facilitated by the program’s participants.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Tanjaneca Byrd is an Atlanta-area educator with more than 21 years of experience. A champion for youth, Ms. Byrd observed, that the youth seemed disconnected from the voting process, leadership, and they no longer know or desired to engage their community. Motivated by her community-minded young daughter Zion, Ms. Byrd founded Era of Purpose.
