AFJ's Tea with the ED: Leading from Within to Provide Services to NYC’s Youth

‍"A boss has the title. A leader has the people."

I've been thinking about visibility, specifically, the kind of leadership that doesn't always make headlines but transforms organizations from the inside out by empowering the people who live the work.

What You Might Not Know About Me

It's always important in my work to stay informed on what's happening, not only across our five boroughs, but also across the country. Documentaries are a fascinating and insightful way to learn about complex societal challenges, observe human behavior, and note take on how communities bond together to problem-solve.

On my nightstand (on my television screen): Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time and Katrina: Come Hell and High Water

Lately, I've been watching documentaries about Hurricane Katrina's 20th anniversary. While watching, I couldn't help but think about the inequities our most vulnerable communities experience and examine the role nonprofits can play to support the communities we serve amidst tragedy.

My key takeaway from these documentaries is that the people with the titles failed. They failed because they made decisions about the lives of people without listening to the very people who were in the midst of the chaos. More so, they failed because they were too far removed from the situation to really understand what was going on.

The true leaders in the devastation were those experiencing it; the residents who banded together, and problem solved. That’s what I strive to embody as a leader. I show up to listen and problem solve with the amazing team at AFJ. Together, we listen to and actively engage with our Participants, their families and our communities who live, weather, and overcome the storms daily. This reinforces why AFJ's approach to wraparound support matters; we're not just responding to immediate needs, we're working every day to be proactive by building relationships, listening to the needs of our communities, and addressing root causes rather than just symptoms.

The Foundation of People-Centered Leadership

During our July all-agency staff training with Village Nonprofit Solutions, I watched the AFJ team tackle what it means to embody our values daily. The training pushed us to examine not just what we do, but how we show up—for our Participants and for each other. As we worked through these conversations, I realized we're doing something different here. We're not just talking about people-centered leadership; we're doing our very best each day to live it.

This month's theme centers on a truth I've been carrying: leadership isn't about proving your worth. It's about protecting, empowering, and uplifting the people who make the work possible. At AFJ, we're building a culture where our Participants and our team—myself included—feel essential, not invisible.

‍This Month at AFJ: What We're Proud Of

• Celebrating community at AFJ's “Summer on the Avenue” Street Fair: Our Street Fair brought together everything central to this work—young people, their families, neighbors, community leaders, local businesses, and nonprofit partners, all on our block: “Avenues for Justice Way”. Witnessing Senior Court Advocate, Nelson Valentine, receive recognition from Assembly Member Harvey Epstein and District 74 for his 40 years of service was a big highlight. Nelson’s recognition and contribution to the Lower East Side community reminded me that when you lead with people first, you create space for everyone to be seen and valued.
  
  
• HIRE Up Success Story: Success to us at AFJ isn't just when a young person satisfies their court mandate—it's when they go on to graduate school and gain full-time employment. Our 8-week HIRE Up paid internship program places Participants at BIPOC and women-owned businesses across the city. Anyea, an AFJ Participant who completed our most recent internship cohort, just got hired by her internship placement provider as a Teacher’s Assistant. This is major! This is what #JobsNotJails looks like in action—and it happens when you invest in young people as whole human beings, not just as case numbers.

Spotlight: In the Press / In the Community

Last month, I wrote a blog post about moving beyond labels and Raise the Age (RTA). In this blog post, I highlighted the fact that a year and a half into serving as Executive Director, I find myself returning repeatedly to one core principle: if we want fewer young people in detention, we have to start telling the truth about the real issues impacting their lives and factors propelling them into the criminal justice system.

Too often, the debate surrounding youth justice focuses on stereotypes, sound bites, or scapegoating narratives. Instead of naming systemic failures, the conversation blames the very young people most harmed by those systems. For decades, nonprofits, including AFJ, have used language like "at-risk youth"—words that might seem harmless but fail us in important ways. Real leadership means changing not just our programs, but our language—because how we talk about the people we serve reflects how we see them.

What's Inspiring Me Right Now

Leading an ATI organization like AFJ, I often wear multiple hats, from understanding the complexities of the work, to managing team dynamics, to interfacing with our board, funders, and key stakeholders to ensuring that the organization is in good standing. It's easier, than I'd like to admit, to put aside my own wellness in support of propelling the organization forward.

The isolation that comes with executive leadership can be particularly challenging when you're one of the few Black women leading criminal justice organizations. I've had to learn to protect time for my own growth and development. In this season, I am consistently reminded that wellness is not a luxury; it's a necessity for me to show up for our Participants, the AFJ team, the work, and most importantly, myself. Leaders work best when they are well-rested and well-nourished. This isn't just about me. When I model this for my team, I'm showing them that people-centered leadership starts with how we care for ourselves and each other. I've been prioritizing investing in the team’s professional development and mental health wellness. It creates space for me to engage in learning opportunities that ultimately benefit the entire organization.

Hot Takes + Real Talk

A newsletter recently hit my inbox with this headline: "22% of High School Seniors Are Math Proficient." The statistics were alarming and disheartening. The newsletter shared statistics like "only 35% of 12th graders are proficient in reading—the lowest in NAEP history. The steepest decline was for African American students, whose reading levels dropped 11 points, almost twice the rate of their white counterparts."

This is exactly why, when potential funders question whether there's still a need for diversion services and ask about our recidivism rates, I continue to advocate for our programs beyond court advocacy. Statistics like these illustrate that our young people need our wraparound support now more than ever. At AFJ, we emphasize the importance of providing comprehensive support through our three pillars: Education, Job Readiness with Certifications, and Mental Health.

But here's what traditional metrics miss: our programs at AFJ work not because of what we do, but because of our individualized approach. We're committed to opening doors that lead to post-secondary education and careers in nontraditional and emerging industries—and we do it by seeing each Participant as a whole person with unlimited potential and the power to create the future they see for themselves.

The Sweetener (or Splenda) in My Tea

The sweetener in this month's edition is me celebrating 19 years this past August at AFJ. I've reflected on my career arc and how it defies traditional leadership narratives. When I began at AFJ, I didn't arrive to take over; I arrived to learn. My leadership style is rooted in presence—I try daily to lead with full awareness of the social and structural dynamics that shape the work. It requires resolve. But I carry it with grace, directness, and a sharp sense of responsibility to the communities AFJ serves.

I focus on making sure that AFJ continues to make an impact on the lives of AFJ's justice-involved youth. That happens when you lead with people first—when you build a culture where everyone, from staff to Participants to community partners, know their worth and feel their power. I am forever grateful to Angel, to Alanna and AFJ’s Board, to Gamal and the remarkable AFJ team, to our young people, our allies and supporters, and to YOU for my 19-year journey here.

The Takeaway

Leadership isn't about the title. It's about creating environments where people can thrive. I don't claim to have all the answers or believe that my way is the only way. Instead, I look to the AFJ team for guidance on how we can best show up for our Participants, and I listen to Participants themselves to understand what they actually need.

At AFJ, we've learned that when you shift from position-based to people-based leadership—when you look toward the wisdom of the people closest to and most impacted by change—your impact becomes truly sustainable because it's built on relationships and genuine investment in individual potential.

This is the kind of leadership our young people deserve. This is the kind of leadership that changes systems.

Join Us: AFJ Impact Awards Dinner

Join us Thursday, October 23rd, at the Altman Building as we honor artist and philanthropist Derrick "D-Nice" Jones, celebrate Stephanie Burns and Turner Construction as our corporate honoree, and recognize AFJ Program Graduate Katherine Estrella with the Angel Rodriguez Award.

Your presence would mean everything as we continue building leadership that's measured not by titles, but by NYC’s young people we empower.

With sincerity,

AFJ Executive Director

Elizabeth Frederick

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