Code Switch: Restorative Justice for Girls of Color

08/21/2026

"What Does Youth-Led Mean?"

Youth don't inherit leadership. Youth practice leadership.

Youth-led does not mean adults disappear.
Youth-led means adults intentionally share power.
It means mentoring instead of controlling.
Supporting instead of directing.
Building with youth instead of for youth.
That is the future we're building. Come build with us.

There are opportunities to join us as a Youth Governance Fellow, Transition Steering Committee member, or Ally & Mentor. Check out the 'Transition Initiative page on our website or click on the link in our bio.

🔥 Don’t be left out. Join the movement NOW!
🔗 Learn more & get involved: tinyurl.com/mt8jx2s6
🌐 Visit us: codeswitch.org

Our voices. Our power. Our future. 💜✨

08/20/2026

CODE SWITCH MINI SHOUTOUT!

Y’all better make some noise for Lil’ Miss Chaylee!🏃🏾‍♀️💨🏅✨

We first met Chaylee and her amazing mom, Ann, through our advocacy work in 2025—and THIS is one of the reasons we love doing this work so much. Advocacy gives us the opportunity to meet, stand beside, and build community with some pretty incredible young people and families. 💜

And Chaylee? Oh, she’s going places. 🚀

She’s an emerging leader, scholar, AND track athlete who spent part of her summer competing at the 2026 Junior Olympics—and baby girl DID HER BIG ONE! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Medals around her neck. 🏅
Confidence on 💯.
Future looking BRIGHT. ✨

And with her mama Ann cheering her on and pouring into her every step of the way, we already know this young queen is headed for the stars—and beyond. 🌟

Chaylee, we see you, girl! Keep running, learning, leading, dreaming BIG, and taking up ALL the space that belongs to you.

Congratulations on an incredible summer, and from your whole Code Switch village, we’re wishing you an AMAZING 2026–2027 school year! 📚💜

Go be GREAT, Mini! The future is yours. ✨

08/19/2026

For six years, Code Switch has invested in the leadership of Black girls and gender-expansive youth.
Now we're asking a new question:

What happens when young people don't just participate in programs—but help govern the organization itself?

This fall, we begin a year-long transition toward a youth-majority governance model rooted in restorative justice, healing justice, and shared power.

There are opportunities to join us as a Youth Governance Fellow, Transition Steering Committee member, or Ally & Mentor.

🔥 Don’t be left out. Join the movement NOW!
🔗 Learn more & get involved: tinyurl.com/mt8jx2s6
🌐 Visit us: codeswitch.org

Our voices. Our power. Our future. 💜✨

08/18/2026

✨ **CODE SWITCH IS BACK — AND WE’RE STEPPING INTO A WHOLE NEW CHAPTER!**

The 2026–2027 program year is here, and we’re excited to reconnect, rebuild our circles, and keep creating spaces where Black girls and gender-expansive youth can heal, lead, dream, and make change.

Some of the Code Switch experiences you know and love are coming back:

💜 Youth Justice Fellowship — developing young leaders and turning ideas into action
🌻 Sankofa Sister Circles — our space for connection, healing, joy, and sisterhood
👑 Black Girl Leadership Retreat— created with and led by our young people
💜Restorative Advocacy - Making sure Black children have access to an equal education and aren't disproportionately impacted by unjust and punitive discipline in schools
🌍 Sankofa Summer Tour to Ghana — returning to our roots, history, culture, and community
🚌 NEW: Sankofa Summer Tour through the U.S. American South — tracing Black history, resistance, movement-building, and joy closer to home

But this year, we’re doing something even bigger.

🔥 We’re launching our Transformative Transition Initiative — a year-long journey to reimagine the future of Code Switch and transition toward a youth-led, intergenerational governance model.

That means our young people won’t just participate in Code Switch programs.

They’ll help lead Code Switch.

Youth leaders will work alongside alumni, mentors, community members, organizational leaders, and allies to examine where we’ve been, reimagine how we operate, shape our governance, and create a youth-authored five-year vision for where we go next.

Seven years in, we’re still growing. Still dreaming. Still healing. Still building.

But this chapter? We’re putting even more power into the hands of the young people this organization was created to serve.

Welcome back, Code Switch family. 💜
2026–2027 is about to be something special.

✨ Our voices. Our power. Our future.✨

08/17/2026

✨ A new chapter is beginning at Code Switch—and our youth are leading the way!
Hear from our Executive Director, Naika Belizaire, as she shares what’s ahead with our Transformative Transition Initiative, launching this fall.

We’re moving toward a youth-led, intergenerational governance model rooted in restorative justice, healing, shared power, and the belief that young people shouldn’t just have a seat at the table—they should help build the table. 💜

There are opportunities to join us as a Youth Governance Fellow, Transition Steering Committee member, or Ally & Mentor.

🔥 Don’t be left out. Join the movement NOW!

🔗 Learn more & get involved: tinyurl.com/mt8jx2s6
🌐 Visit us: codeswitch.org

Our voices. Our power. Our future. 💜✨

08/03/2026

✨ A NEW CHAPTER. OUR FUTURE. OUR LEADERSHIP. ✨

For six years, Code Switch has worked to create spaces where Black girls and gender-expansive youth can heal, lead, and thrive.

Now, we're taking the next step.

This fall, we begin a year-long journey to transition Code Switch into a youth-majority, intergenerationally supported organization rooted in restorative justice, healing justice, Ubuntu, and shared power.

We're building a village, and we're looking for:
💜 Youth leaders to join our Youth Governance Fellowship
🧡 Adult allies to serve on our Transition Steering Committee
💙 Mentors and advisors to join our Intergenerational Ally & Mentor Circle

This isn't just about changing a structure.
It's about reimagining leadership.
It's about trusting young people.
It's about creating a future where Black girls don't wait for a seat at the table—they help design it.

One Year. Many Voices. One Future.

Building the future with youth, not simply for youth!

Stay tuned for application and nomination opportunities coming soon.

06/02/2026

For the past six years, we've been building spaces where Black girls can lead, heal, thrive, and dream.

This year felt especially powerful.

✨ Our Youth Justice Fellowship was led by members of our inaugural 2020 cohort.

✨ Our first-ever Black Girl Leadership Retreat was entirely youth planned and facilitated.

✨ We awarded another round of Overachievers Education Fund microgrants.

✨ We celebrated Fellows graduating from Yale University, Howard University, high school, and stepping boldly into their next chapters.

✨ We continued our advocacy for educational justice, restorative practices, and equity for Black girls.

We've been a little quieter online this year, but that's because we chose to invest deeply in community, connection, and the joy of being in space with Black girls.

Our newest newsletter reflects on six years of impact and shares what's next as Code Switch prepares to transition toward a youth-governed future.

Same commitment. Same mission. Same fight for Black girls.

A new chapter is coming.

📖 Read our Year-End Newsletter here: https://conta.cc/4uLXX50

Email from Code Switch Restorative Justice for Girls A Letter to Our Community   CODE SWITCH   MAY/JUNE '26 SIX YEARS OF SANKOFA. SIX YEARS OF BECOMING. A Letter to Our Community Beloved Community, Ov

02/21/2026

7 days until we step into our power together 💛
Next week, Black girls from across our community will gather to rest, move, lead, dream, and build futures rooted in liberation.
Bring:
🧘🏾‍♀️ Comfortable clothes
🎒 A meaningful object for circle
✨ Your full self
We are ready for you.
RSVP while seats remain. Link in bio.

02/18/2026

We need your help spreading the word about the Overachievers Education Fund. The fund offers a one-time micro-grant of up to $250 to Las Vegas K–12 students of color experiencing financial need, helping to ensure access to educational opportunities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through April, and reviewed at the end of each month. No long applications, no gatekeeping criteria to apply, just an expressed need and the desire to access opportunities deserved.

In the past, the OverAchievers' Education Fund has considered applications requesting funds for cost such as, but not exclusive or limited to:

- Course Fees
- SAT/ACT Exams
- School Supplies
- Club/Program Fees
- Sport Fees
-After school programs
- College Applications
- Transportation Cost

Know someone who could benefit from this opportunity? Share the flyer with them and help them secure the 💰! Better yet, make sure they have access to the opportunities shaping their freedom dreams. We got 'em from there!

02/17/2026

IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND WE WILL NOT BE SILENT!

We are deeply concerned about the continued racial harassment, retaliation, and procedural violations experienced by a Black student and their family within the Clark County School District.

This case represents more than one incident. It reflects a pattern:
• Racial targeting
• Failure to follow district policy
• Retaliatory actions
• Administrative escalation instead of restorative response

We will be attending the CCSD Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, 2/26 at 5PM to demand accountability and policy adherence.

We invite:
• Community organizations
• Faith leaders
• Educators
• Parents
• Students
• Advocates

to stand with us and speak out against racial harassment in our schools.
📍 Location details forthcoming
📣 DM us if you would like to coordinate testimony

Our children deserve safety.
Our families deserve dignity.
Our schools must do better.