Participant Spotlight: Meet Carlique

At Avenues for Justice (AFJ), we create opportunities for young people to explore their potential and lead in their communities. Carlique’s journey shows what that can look like when a Participant brings his own ambition and fully embraces the opportunities available to him.

Since joining AFJ in February, Carlique has attended more than 60 of our workshops, earned his OSHA-30 certification, completed several digital-literacy certifications, gained paid internship experience through our HIRE Up program, and presented an original violence-prevention project at Lincoln Center. Today, at 22, he works full-time with The Horticultural Society of New York while exploring a future in youth development and alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) work.

Carlique came to AFJ through a referral from his social worker. He had already graduated from high school, begun college, and worked as a paraprofessional with the Department of Education—experiences that reflect his longstanding interest in working with young people.

From his first meeting with his Court Advocate, Carlique felt welcomed and excited about the opportunities available to him. He quickly became an active presence at our workshops and leadership programming.

In his first month at AFJ, Dr. Dennis Ibude, one of our facilitators, invited Carlique to join the Leadership Council. There, he found a supportive space to connect with his peers, have honest conversations, and strengthen his leadership skills.

Carlique soon became someone others could look to for thoughtful participation and encouragement. Whether helping organize the Leadership Council’s Game Night or encouraging others to join group discussions, he consistently brought people together.

“I love the conversations I have in the groups. Everyone makes each other feel comfortable sharing what we typically might not share. It feels like a safe space and environment, and it has helped me improve my ability to talk about things.”

- AFJ Participant Carlique

Seeing a Future at AFJ

After three months in our HIRE Up program, Carlique was selected for a paid internship with Avenues for Justice under the guidance of AFJ Job Developer Shantel Brooks.

During his internship, he supported Participant communications, learned more about AFJ’s day-to-day operations, and developed a workshop of his own. The experience brought him closer to our staff and helped him envision a future working in youth development or the ATI field.

One of our Court Advocates, Messiah Ferguson, saw that leadership firsthand. He recalls Carlique regularly helping initiate conversations, encouraging participation, and making group activities feel more approachable for his peers. Messiah believes those qualities could one day make Carlique a strong Court Advocate or youth-development professional.

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Taking the Stage at Lincoln Center

Carlique’s leadership was on full display at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Power of Prevention: Community Is Safety event at Lincoln Center in August.

As part of our Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI), Carlique and his peers developed and presented an original, interactive skit demonstrating how nonviolent intervention can help de-escalate potential gun violence.

Although he initially felt nervous, Carlique delivered a compelling performance. He was later invited to join his peer Rasheed for a featured interview about the GVPI program and its impact across New York City.

Reflecting on that opportunity, Carlique said:

“It shows that my growth and maturity isn’t going unseen.”

‍Building What Comes Next

Carlique’s long-term goal is to return to working with young people. He is considering becoming a paraprofessional again and has begun exploring what a career in the ATI field could look like. He also hopes to continue developing, and eventually facilitate, the workshop he created during his AFJ internship.

For now, he is gaining new professional experience through an eight-month paid position with The Horticultural Society of New York, where he works full-time and develops skills in urban green-space planning and implementation.

Carlique’s journey reflects what becomes possible when young people are given meaningful opportunities to lead, learn and envision their futures. Already a trusted voice among his peers, he is building the skills and experience to support other young people in the years ahead.

AFJ is proud to be part of his journey—and excited to see where his leadership takes him next.