Youth Advocacy Foundation

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Youth Advocacy Foundation

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The Youth Advocacy Foundation, Inc. (YAF) works to ensure equitable access to quality education and That's why the EdLaw Project is one of our key initiatives.

For the past sixteen years, we have been working to protect and defend Massachusetts' most vulnerable youth. Some of our key successes include:

-Changing how Massachusetts youth interact with the criminal justice system;
-Fighting for the establishment of regional juvenile public defender offices in Massachusetts;
-Advocating in favor of raising the age to be tried as an adult to eighteen years of age;
-Calling attention to the grave injustice that is sentencing juveniles to life without parole. There is an acute relationship between the juvenile justice and education systems. We see, over and over, that when children drop out of the educational system they end up in the court system. The EdLaw Project is a team of lawyers who provide education advocacy to court-involved youth. They also train lawyers, parents, and administrators statewide in expert education advocacy. Since EdLaw's formal inception in January 2000, EdLaw attorneys have directly advocated for the educational rights of over 1800 Massachusetts youth. We have realized, however, that as a small team based in Boston, our impact through direct education advocacy and legal representation will still leave the thousands more systems-involved youth without this crucial resource. Thus, to broaden our impact statewide, we have shifted our focus from providing direct representation to focus on expanding the network of those trained in education advocacy, primarily through training, mentoring, and capacity building. We're changing the standards of the statewide juvenile bar to include education advocacy for the 20-25,000 youth who interact with the court system each year in Massachusetts.

10/06/2026

A child’s socioeconomic status has significant, visible effects on their brain development.

With over 2,300 9- and 10-year old participants, the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study found that decreases in household income, neighborhood quality, access to education, and economic security impede a child’s sensory processing and motor control. Noted as the “dominant variable in brain development,” low socioeconomic opportunities increase stress and decrease sleep, thereby damaging the sensory processing and motor control centers.

These findings are critical in affirming our conviction at YAF: all children, regardless of background, setbacks, or ability, deserve a fair chance at an equitable and enriching education.

Read the full article here: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/11/nx-s1-5849937/child-brain-development-stress-sleep-neighborhood-economics

09/29/2026

Here with a friendly reminder that we have FIVE charity bibs for the 2027 Boston Marathon! If you are interested in joining TeamYAF 2027, please fill out the application form at
bit.ly/TeamYAF2027 . Applications are closing tomorrow night!

This is more than just a race. When you run with YAF’s marathon team, every mile you conquer and every dollar you raise helps Massachusetts’ most vulnerable students, young people facing court involvement, school pushout, and systemic barriers, get the education, stability, and opportunities they deserve. Together, we can shut down the cradle-to-prison pipeline and open doors to brighter futures. 🌟

Not a runner? You can still make a huge impact by sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or colleagues who have dreamed of running Boston and want to run for a powerful cause.

09/28/2026

Congratulations to our board member, Darnell Thigpen Williams, on the publication of his new book, Black Excellence by Design: A Critical Framework for Transforming K-12 Education! (https://a.co/d/00A6LPKu) 🎉

Grounded in his doctoral research and interviews with Black educators and school leaders, Darnell's work introduces Protective Enactment Theory, a framework for understanding how educators safeguard the dignity and brilliance of Black students within systems that weren't built with them in mind. His research also lifts up the stories of gifted and twice-exceptional Black learners.

It's a real accomplishment, and we're proud of the scholarship and care he brings to this work. We're grateful to have him on our board. Congratulations, Darnell!

09/18/2026

Happy Hispanic Heritage month from the Youth Advocacy Foundation!

This month, we celebrate the achievements, resiliency, and contributions of the Hispanic community. At YAF, we are especially grateful to the legacy of Hispanic educators and activists, and we’d like to recognize three leaders in the field: Gabriela Mistrak, Jaime Escalante, and Sandro Cisneros. As authors, educators, and activists, they made irreplaceable contributions to the fields of educational excellence and children’s advocacy for the Hispanic community.

Gabriela Mistrak, a Chilean poet and educator, was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Well known for her poetry collection “Desolacíon”. Mistrauk taught in her home country of Chile for two decades before moving to Mexico, where she worked with the Minister of Education to establish a national education system and partook in other diplomatic duties.

Jaime Escalante was a renowned Bolivian-American high school calculus teacher. Recognized for his transformational work with the “unteachable” students of Garfield High School in Los Angeles, his student success rate and pedagogy inspired the blockbuster film “Stand and Deliver”. Escalante’s demand for excellence and unconventional teaching shaped how educators assist “failing” students, particularly in underserved communities.

Sandro Cisneros is an Mexican-American author. Most famously known for her novel “The House on Mango Street,” Cisneros pioneered the Chicano literary landscape. Beyond her lauded writing career, Cisneros taught at the Latino Youth High School in Chicago, established for high school dropouts. Her work broadens Hispanic American literature as it interrogates issues of class, patriarchy, sexism, and poverty.

We are immensely grateful for the contributions of these leaders, both today and all year round. Please join us in celebrating the transformational work of the Hispanic community!

09/15/2026

🎉 It's official and it's in writing! The Boston Athletic Association has announced the full roster of charities for the 2027 Boston Marathon Official Charity Program — and we are so proud to see the Youth Advocacy Foundation on the list alongside so many incredible organizations doing amazing work in our community! 💙🏃

We shared all the details yesterday about what this means for YAF and how you can join Team YAF — but if you missed it, check out our previous post for everything you need to know including our application link! https://forms.gle/jwJm3ADDdo3CiMcz5

A huge congratulations to all of the 2027 Official Charity Program partners — let's make it an incredible year! 🎽

09/14/2026

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news—Youth Advocacy Foundation has FIVE charity bibs for the 2027 Boston Marathon! 🎉 If you are interested in joining TeamYAF 2027, please fill out the application form here: https://forms.gle/awEqaA9oyTeMzWWW9

This is more than just a race. When you run with YAF’s marathon team, every mile you conquer and every dollar you raise helps Massachusetts’ most vulnerable students, young people facing court involvement, school pushout, and systemic barriers, get the education, stability, and opportunities they deserve. Together, we can shut down the cradle-to-prison pipeline and open doors to brighter futures. 🌟

As part of our team, runners receive:

🏋️‍♂️ Professional training through the Marathon Coalition
💵 Personalized fundraising support from our staff
❤️ A community of passionate teammates making an impact together

Not a runner? You can still make a huge impact by sharing this opportunity with friends, family, or colleagues who have dreamed of running Boston and want to run for a powerful cause.

09/01/2026

🎒 September means back-to-school and for the young people we serve, it can also mean overwhelming stress. New clothes, school supplies, transportation, technology — these are things many of us take for granted, but for our clients, they can be the difference between showing up and falling behind.

That's why YAF created our Client Support Fund, because a student cannot focus on learning without food in their stomach, a roof over their head, and the basic tools they need to succeed. 🥪🍎🏠🚌🎒👕👟

This year the Fund helped a student secure the right school placement after covering the cost of a critical evaluator at his school meeting — one conversation that changed the entire course of his fall. And when another student's family lost everything in a house fire, the Fund was there to help them get back on their feet and back to school with stability and dignity. 💙

These are just two of the many students whose lives are touched by your generosity, especially right now, during back-to-school season, when the need is at its highest.

Will you help us work to ensure every student starts the school year strong? A donation to the Client Support Fund today goes directly toward food, clothing, transportation, school supplies and so much more for Massachusetts youth who need it most.

👉 Donate today at youthadvocacyfoundation.org/donate

Thank you for being part of their story! 💚💙

08/31/2026

Young people between the ages of 18 and 25 are in an important period of growth and transition. Research shows that education, employment, stable housing, supportive relationships, and access to healthcare can all play an important role in helping young people successfully navigate this stage of life.

For young people involved in the criminal justice system, those opportunities can be disrupted. Justice system involvement forms barriers, making an already challenging transition into adulthood even more difficult.

"Development Interrupted: Emerging Adults and the Criminal Justice System", by Naoka Carey, Lael Chester and Noor Toraif, a consultant and coordinator for our YAF VOICES program, was recently published in the Policy Insights for Behavior and Brain Sciences (Sage Journal). This new article reviews current knowledge on the key developmental needs of emerging adults, how the adult criminal justice system can undermine healthy emerging adult development, and the social and biological factors that promote psychosocial maturity and desistance from crime. It also provides examples of some of the innovations in the field and emphasizes the need for systemic reforms to ensure young people have the tools they need to not only avoid or end system involvement but to thrive as healthy and contributing members of society.

It is important to understand the developmental needs of young people and the experiences of the families who support them. Developmentally informed approaches can help ensure that young people have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to move forward. YAF works hard to help bridge these gaps and prevent disruptions in young people's lives. This study discusses the impacts that the criminal justice process impacts the health and future outcomes of young people.

Find the full publication at: https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/post/development-interrupted-emerging-adults-and-the-criminal-justice-system

08/10/2026

📣Extra, extra! 🗞 Our latest issue of The Advocate: A YAF and EdLaw Newsletter was just released! To read the fourth quarter newsletter of our Fiscal Year 2026, check your email or visit our website now at: https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/theadvocate

If you're not on our email list yet and want to stay connected with YAF news and updates please join our list at: https://www.youthadvocacyfoundation.org/contactus
(We promise we don't email too often, you won't get spammed, and you can always unsubscribe at any time!)

07/31/2026

The Massachusetts Senate has voted to approve an amendment that would raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include most 18-year-olds. The measure, known as "Raise the Age" by supporters, passed by a 31–9 vote and has been added to the Senate's economic development bond bill (S.2856).

If enacted, most 18-year-olds charged with eligible offenses would be handled in the juvenile justice system rather than the adult criminal justice system. The proposal would not change current law allowing individuals charged with certain serious offenses or those meeting specific criteria to be prosecuted as adults.

The proposal hopes to expand access to rehabilitative services, improve long-term outcomes for young people, and reduce recidivism. The Senate press release highlights the support of organizations including the Celtics, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, Roca, and others.

The amendment will now be considered as part of the broader economic development bill as it continues through the legislative process.

Visit this link to learn more: https://malegislature.gov/PressRoom/Detail?pressReleaseId=112

Address

75 Federal Street , 6th Floor
Boston, MA
02110

Website

http://youthadvocacyfoundation.org/

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