Support for Eight Million Stories, Inc.

Young people, especially young men of color, are disappearing—from schools, from communities and from the workforce. Fueled by zero tolerance policies and in-school policing, the school-to-prison pipeline is sweeping disproportionately high numbers of youth into the criminal justice system. For many, it is the start of a lifelong cycle of poverty and imprisonment: Juvenile offenders who lack support and employment prospects upon release often struggle to re-enter society and face a high risk of recidivism.

Our theory of change is that by providing disconnected youth who have been pushed out of our school system, with an opportunity to complete their education and obtain sustainable employment, we will drastically reduce the recidivism rates of justice involved youth in the city of Houston. Furthermore, the success of our program will assist school districts in finding alternative pathways for students who are not succeeding in traditional school settings.