Avenues for Justice
100 Centre Street, Room 1541
New York, NY 10013
info@avenuesforjustice.org
©Copyright 2022 Avenues for Justice. All rights reserved.
At Avenues for Justice (AFJ), we serve a range of Court-Involved young people. Some are referred to AFJ for short-term engagement through NYC’s Family Court Diversion Program and participate in our HIRE Up workshops, while others are enrolled in our signature ATI program for long-term engagement. Regardless of the length of their mandate, every Participant receives holistic, wraparound support.
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.
Joel came to AFJ in October 2025 after being arrested for subway surfing with a group of friends. Referred through Family Court’s Diversion Program, his path was straightforward. Joel needed to complete four mandatory HIRE Up workshops for his case to be dismissed. He completed the requirements and continued to show up at our community center for daily programming.
Subway surfing has existed in New York City almost as long as the subway itself, but social media trends beginning in 2022, along with dozens of tragic deaths, heightened awareness. According to the NYPD, arrests of alleged subway surfers rose to 229 in 2024, up from 135 the year before – most of them boys, with an average age of around 14. The youngest arrested was just 9 years old. The MTA responded with public safety campaigns. AFJ responded by being the first ATI organization in NYC to incorporate subway surfing into our HIRE Up curriculum. Family Court responded by referring many of the teens arrested for subway surfing to AFJ, of which Joel was one.
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Since last year, Joel has completed 15 Digital Literacy modules and attended more than 30 HIRE Up workshops. His favorite workshops are Art Therapy, where he values the quiet space to express himself, and Digital Literacy, which challenges him analytically. He also meets weekly with one of AFJ’s volunteer tutors for assistance with physics, saying "I have learned more about physics from the AFJ tutor than from my teacher at school.”
This past spring, Joel was invited to join AFJ’s Leadership Council cohort. He made such an impact that he was asked to return for a second cohort, this time leading his peers.
Outside of AFJ, Joel attends a charter school in Queens where he feels genuinely connected to his teachers. He enjoys biking and volleyball and is considering a future in electrical work or engineering. His perspective on what brought him to AFJ has shifted completely.
Joel has advice to share to anyone who might write off a teenager because of a single mistake:
When Carlos arrived at AFJ in early 2024, he was 15 years old and facing serious felony charges. He was mandated to AFJ for over two years while awaiting sentencing. He came in very reserved, often accompanied by his mother, and was not immediately engaged or motivated to participate at the community center.
Over time, with his mother consistently accompanying him and reinforcing accountability, Carlos began to find his footing. He started attending multiple HIRE Up workshops each week, building relationships with staff, and gradually becoming more engaged in both our Lower East Side and Harlem community centers.
His two favorite workshops are Youth Empowerment with Dr. D and Legal Rights and Responsibilities with AFJ’s Manager of Court Advocacy, Brian Stanley. The first offers affirmation and a consistent reminder that people care. The second provides practical knowledge about his rights, which he has since shared with friends.
During the 28 months at AFJ, Carlos has attended more than 130 workshops and completed 11 Digital Literacy modules.
Through AFJ’s HIRE Up paid-internship program, Carlos was placed at Baked Cravings in Harlem. His employer was so impressed with his work ethic that he was invited back for two additional cohorts, this time helping onboard other AFJ interns. His responsibilities included opening the store, running the register, preparing baked goods, managing online orders, and closing out shifts. The role gave him transferable experience he can carry into any future opportunity.
AFJ’s support extended into school as well. Carlos’ attendance was nonexistent when he first arrived. His Court Advocate, Julia, worked with diligently with his school to secure a paraeducator for him. Carlos re-entered school in fall 2024 and has maintained near-perfect attendance.
This summer, the presiding judge in Carlos’ court matter is expected to sentence him with a Youthful Offender status with probation and a conditional discharge to AFJ. It is an outcome that once felt out of reach.
Julia does not minimize what it took to get here, sharing that "Carlos has had a lot of difficulties and setbacks. He has had to learn to be independent at an early age due to his life circumstances. But he continues to show up, and he is really leaning into his potential.”
