This summer and fall, Emmaus House is excited to participate in an innovative program called Project Catapult, designed by CEO of My Life and sponsored by The Arthur M. Blank and Annie E. Casey Foundations. The goal of Project Catapult is to propel youth into economic pathways to sustain families and cultivate individual talent. Annie E. Casey’s Changing the Odds report reveals that 76% of Black youth live in high poverty areas and economic activity centers are predominantly white. Atlanta’s entrepreneurship ecosystem offers limited programming designed exclusively for youth entrepreneurship within the Black community.

Evidence of this lack of opportunity became clear when young boys and men entered the City’s highways and byways to sell water with proceeds supplying basic needs and financial support to families. This simple act is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Atlanta’s youth. Moreover, it amplifies the need to offer culturally relevant, innovative solutions that tap into young people’s aspirations versus a punitive approach that continues to mischaracterize the issues and opportunities at hand.

Each year, CEO of My Life, a black-female-led youth entrepreneurship and leadership program provider, offers a 4-week summer and 8-week fall program for 30 high-schoolers. This program immerses students in entrepreneurial courses that will accelerate them into their futures. Students work with a cohort of peers in an agile, fast-paced, experiential environment representing the types of work culture, personal life challenges, and business environments they will soon encounter.

Focusing on the entire family is vital to student success. Therefore, Emmaus House and Helping Empower Youth (HEY!) provide case management, wraparound services, transportation, and meals during the daily convenings. Both organizations also offer two-generation support, including familial access to basic needs, workforce, and adult entrepreneurship classes.

Nurturing the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Atlanta’s Black Youth