RYSE

RYSE creates safe spaces grounded in social justice that build youth power for Black, Indigenous and Youth of Color (BIYOC) to love, learn, educate, heal, and transform lives and communities. RYSE was born out of a youth organizing movement in Richmond, CA, where in 2002 young organizers engaged 1,500 local youth in a community-wide needs assessment that lifted up the need for dynamic and cultural youth spaces. These high-school aged youth called on adults to listen, invest, and rethink young people’s place in the city – and six years later, the RYSE Youth Center opened its doors.

RYSE’s integrative program model supports the personal development of young people, stronger peer relationships, and stronger youth-adult relationships. Programming occurs across areas of Health Justice, Education and Economic Justice, Youth Justice, Youth Power Building, and Media Arts and Culture. In all these areas, a range of supports and programs are provided that include drop-in and pop-up programs, weekly and ongoing workshops, cohort-based programs, internships, and fellowships. RYSE’s work is guided by their Theory of Liberation: a value system in which young people have the lived knowledge and expertise to identify, prioritize, and direct the activities and services they need to thrive. The vision, values, beliefs, and impacts contained in the Theory of Liberation were all developed in partnership with young people.

“All RYSE programs are platforms to build loving and healing relationships with and between young people.” – Kanwarpal Dhaliwal, Associate Director & Co-Founder

In 2022, RYSE Commons – RYSE’s newly constructed, 45,000 square foot campus – opened for in-person programming, and fellow youth organizations Hidden Genius Project and Young Women’s Freedom Center (a past Battery Powered grantee) moved into the Commons as first anchor partners. Full activation of RYSE Commons is an organizational priority over the next 1-2 years. During this time, RYSE will complete move-in and implementation of all programming, supports, and services at the new campus; develop infrastructure to serve as a sanctuary and responder to climate, community, or political crises; launch the Health Justice Center, which will include onsite allopathic and homeopathic services, supports, and partnerships for young people in West Contra Costa County ;and construct The Village, an outdoor healing space for performances, art exhibits and installations, gatherings, gardening, and connection.