St. Louis, MO

In St. Louis, AFSC is working to improve the opportunities and conditions for at-risk youth, focusing on youth of color. Chronic exposure to violence, lack of opportunity, and inadequate resources, mean these young people are rarely able to reach their full potential. Too often they drop out of high school, join gangs, get arrested, or enlist in the military without knowing of other options. To counter these conditions AFSC will develop and facilitate workshops for high school students that offer alternatives to violence and militarism through the mastery of personal tools for nonviolence, community building, and civic engagement. We seek to redirect these young people to lead a transformation of their community and to serve as models of peace and social justice.