Read about our clients and staff successes
Meet Avenues for Justice’s 2026 Impact Awards Angel Rodriguez Award Recipient: Program Graduate Jily Bonilla
We are proud to honor Jily as the 2026 Angel Rodriguez Award Recipient. Join us at our 2026 Impact Awards Dinner on October 14th as we celebrate Jily!
When the Justice System Becomes the Mental Health System
Every July, National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month, established in honor of author and advocate Bebe Moore Campbell, calls attention to the unique mental health challenges facing communities of color in the United States.
Kaylin & Naiyana: Reaching New Educational Milestones Against the Odds
This week, we are proud to highlight Kaylin and Naiyana, who worked diligently with their Court Advocates to check off all the boxes in their IAPs, including graduating from high school and applying for college.
AFJ Voices | The True History of Mass Incarceration in America - Part 2
The next chapter of this history takes us through one of the most transformative periods in American history: the decades leading up to and immediately following the Civil War.
Journey to Graduation Side by Side
AFJ Participants, Brianna and Shania, celebrate receiving their diplomas and officially graduating from high school, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter together for both.
AFJ Voices | The True History of Mass Incarceration in America - Part 1
To understand why the United States incarcerates more people than almost any other nation in the world, we must understand the systems that came before prisons.
A Strong Start to Our Summer
Over the past few weeks, we've celebrated Juneteenth, honored fathers and father figures, premiered an important documentary on fatherhood, and welcomed inspiring entrepreneurs to share their journeys with our young people.
AFJ Voices | When Curiosity Is Mistaken for Trouble
AFJ Participant Max has always had a strong interest in New York City’s trains and the transit system. He lights up when he talks about the old trains, subway lines, and the way he navigates the city – saying that if he can get on a train or a bus, he can find his way home.
When Community Gives Back By Speaking Potential Into Our Young People
AFJ’s Juneteenth Father's Day Panel brought together an extraordinary group of leaders, including Reverend A.R. Bernard, Congressman Dan Goldman, Assembly Member Keith Powers, Commissioner Wade Hardy, AFJ Facilitator Dr. Dennis Ibude, legal analyst Brian G. Buckmire, and AFJ
AFJ Voices | The Experiences We Don’t See
Today, Aaron is preparing to graduate, pursuing additional certifications, building his confidence as a public speaker, and thinking intentionally about his future.
AFJ’s Tea with the ED: The Gap Between Promised and Delivered
As we approach Juneteenth, I've been sitting with its significance: it marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, TX finally learned they were free. Two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had already been signed.
Confronting the History of Mass Incarceration
Many Black and Brown young people are navigating systems shaped by generations of economic disinvestment, housing instability, under-resourced schools, over-policing, barriers to employment, and ongoing racial inequities.
AFJ On the Move
AFJ Participants have been out and about in a big way recently. This week, we're sharing two experiences that show exactly what it looks like when we create pathways of opportunity for our young people.
How Mass Incarceration Impacts the Mental Health of Families and Communities
What happens to a community’s mental health when generations of families live with incarceration, chronic stress, economic instability, and constant exposure to trauma?
Beyond the Mandate: How Wraparound Support Can Change One Life At A Time
AFJ Participants, Joel and Carlos, came through our doors with vastly different circumstances, but they both shared tenacity, determination, and the drive to successfully complete their mandates.
AFJ Voices | Being Seen as a Threat is a Mental Health Issue
We do not talk about this dynamic with complete transparency, because it makes people uncomfortable. But it is the daily reality for many of the young people we work with at Avenues for Justice (AFJ), and it causes a form of chronic stress.
How AFJ’s HIRE Up Program Provides Access
For many teenagers in New York City and cities across America, the challenge is not a lack of drive. It is a lack of consistent access to opportunities. When that access exists, the impact tends to extend well beyond a single job or experience.
AFJ Voices | Generational Trauma in NYC Is a Mental Health Issue
When we talk about mental health most people focus on what happened to someone or how they cope. But for many Black and Brown communities, mental health cannot be understood without also looking at generational trauma.
