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Our Free Program

The W.A.N.T.E.D. Project MISSION Statement

 

To ensure that young boys and girls of color are Worthy, Accountable, Named, Thankful, Empowered, and Determined through:

  • Professionally developed curriculum;

  • Expert mentors building community among participants;

  • Real conversations about the challenges our youth face; and

  • Programs that are delivered domestically and abroad.

 

The W.A.N.T.E.D. Project Vision Statement

 

Equipping generations of boys and girls of color to understand they are cared for, valued, and have the right to be protected and safe.

The W.A.N.T.E.D. Project offers the extraordinary experience of hearing from dynamic speakers with backgrounds in social work, education, law enforcement, counseling, politics, and psychology who spend time each week offering practical tools for avoiding and surviving incidences of violence as well as coaching on self-esteem building, clarifying individual identities and purposes, and staying focused and inspired to complete their goals so they, in turn, can give back to their communities.

"According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the United States currently imprisons more human beings than any other county in the world, both in real numbers and in terms of the percentage of the population. As of 2014, more than 6,800,000 adults were living in prisons or jails or under the restrictions and surveillance of probation and parole. More than 2.2 million adults were confined in prisons or jails—more than a quarter of the adult population of this country.

 

More than 54,000 youth were held in juvenile detention during this same period. While Black people represent about 13 percent of the population of the U.S., we represent upwards of 40 percent of those caged in jails, prisons, and juvenile detention."  - The Movement for Black Lives

Statistics

Teen violence has become an increasing problem in the U.S. Teen violence and teen gang involve-ment escalated in the 1990’s and has remained high. You are the most likely group to be victims or perpetrators of teen violence, but the results of teen violence affect everyone.

Youth violence can affect anyone, but some groups of teens are more at risk than others.

Violence statistics show youth between the ages of 12 and 24 are the most likely group to be victims of a violent crime.

 

Male teens are more likely to get into fights than females, and much more likely to die as a result of violence.

      Among teens, homicide is the leading cause of death for African Americans, the second leading cause for Latinos, and the third for Native Americans and Asian/Pacific Islanders.

 

     There are some factors that make individual teens more likely to be involved in teen violence:

 

  • Teens who have trouble coping with problems in healthy ways are more likely to be involved in youth violence

  • Teens without strong family ties, positive peer influences, or commitment to school are more at risk

  • Teen violence has become an increasing problem in the U.S. Teen violence and teen gang involve-ment escalated in the 1990’s and has remained high. You are the most likely group to be victims or perpetrators of teen violence, but the results of teen violence affect everyone

 

 

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