Our Emerge project has now officially launched in Leeds and Bradford! Its mission is to uplift boys and young men, with a special focus on young black men. This Young Person’s Initiative launched by Nana Abena Owusuwah Hagan helps support youth in abandoning gangs, knife crime and misogyny. It goes after the toxic online environment that perpetuates these problems. With artists like Eve Maloba, who created the Complete Woman project, leading the charge, we’re buoyed by progress and hope for the future.
The Emerge project targets the challenges faced by young males in urban settings, emphasizing the need for positive role models and safe spaces for personal development. Nana Abena Owusuwah Hagan emphasized the need to offer spaces where youth can connect, learn from one another, and thrive.
We’ve erased the spaces where children socialize, inspire each other, and flourish into teens. But if we want to prevent issues from blowing up, we need to return those rooms to them,” she said.
The effort has proved popular with area young people already. Isaac M’Lan, 22, said it was troubling to see what young people have access to today. He pointed out that this inequality sometimes drives them into committing a crime just to survive financially.
“A young person wants to make money, can’t find a job, and ends up getting pulled into crime,” he explained. Isaac emphasized the need for better choices for these youth, saying, “Yes, they should take responsibility – but we need to offer them better choices.”
Through the Emerge project, we are working towards building a positive community where boys can learn how to believe in themselves and bounce back from adversity. Eve Maloba reinforced this mission by stating, “We’re here to remind our boys of who they are.” She added that fostering self-belief is crucial for their success: “If you build a boy’s self-belief, there is nothing he cannot do.”
The impact of racism on young black men was another critical issue brought to light by Steven Sabino, a 20-year-old college student aspiring to pursue a career in the performing arts. He poignantly remarked, “You laugh it off because it’s awkward, but inside it stays with you.” This sentiment highlights the true emotional burden that mental health issues have taken on a young generation with things like societal pressure.
Klarissa, one of the 11-year-olds who participated in the project, said she felt accomplished that she was capable of doing something good. “I’m happy about it,” she said in response to a question on how she feels about the approach taken by her male colleagues. Her comments certainly betray the hope that initiatives like Emerge can inspire, and should inspire, within younger generations.
Elroina, a 16-year-old participant in the pilot program, expressed why she thinks these kinds of programs are needed. “They’re not understood properly and people don’t listen to how they feel. We need more spaces like this, for sure,” she said strongly.
