Avenues for Justice - Andrew Glover Youth Program

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An Alternative to Incarceration Program By working with hundreds of youth each year for a span of over 30 years, eventually a community can change.

The Andrew Glover Youth Program’s central challenge is to halt the revolving-door cycle of incarceration and poverty for youthful offenders in two NYC neighborhoods– East Harlem and the Lower East Side. The Andrew Glover Youth Program breaks this terrible cycle specifically through bypassing incarceration and replacing it with accountability, education, job training, and employment. And our numbers speak for Glover’s success: 94% of Glover’s successful graduates avoid incarceration within the three-year period upon their completion of our program. And it costs just $3,700 to provide life changing, 24-hour a day, 365 days a year support to each youth we serve.

10/06/2026

In honor of , George Evageliou hosted a truly special Founder’s Club evening as we welcomed back Avenues for Justice Co-Founder, Angel Rodriguez, to our flagship Lower East Side community center.

Angel spoke to a packed room of Participants about the history of AFJ—which he co-founder close to five decades ago alongside the late Robert Siegal (initially as the Andrew Glover Youth Program). After Robert’s tragic passing in 1978, Angel took the reins as Executive Director, dedicating his life to our mission until his retirement in 2024 when Liz Frederick succeeded him, carrying his legacy forward.

While Angel’s legacy is woven into the very fabric of AFJ, almost all the young people in attendance yesterday have joined us since his retirement. This created an incredible, full-circle moment—bridging the history of the space they now share with a powerful history lesson straight from the source.

We are endlessly grateful to Angel for coming back to where the story began and inspiring a whole new generation of NYC youth and young adults!

10/01/2026

Today marks the start of Youth Justice Action Month, a time to ask: What could youth justice look like if opportunity, support, and community came first?

This month, we’ll be highlighting how we work toward that answer every day. Here are just a few of the ways we support youth justice.

Head to our stories to learn more and catch this week’s newsletter.

09/25/2026

When Carlique walked through AFJ’s doors in February, our team immediately knew he was a special young man. Today, at 22 years old, he is proving everyone right every single day.

In just a few short months, Carlique has built an incredible launchpad for his future:

🛠️ 60+ Workshops attended since February
📜 OSHA-30 Certified & holds multiple digital literacy certifications
💼 Paid Internship Graduate through AFJ’s HIRE Up program
🌱 Full-Time Employment currently working with The Horticultural Society of New York

Carlique hasn’t just focused on his own growth—he has established himself as a true leader and a source of inspiration for his peers. Looking ahead, Carlique is exploring a future in youth development and Alternative-to-Incarceration (ATI) work once his legal matter is resolved. We have no doubt he will continue to change lives and shape a safer, brighter community.

Join us in celebrating Carlique’s hard work, resilience, and leadership in the comments below!

LINK IN BIO to read his full story!

09/22/2026

Last week, AFJ had the privilege of presenting at two incredible community events! These opportunities allowed us to broaden our reach to NYC’s young people and strengthen vital networks with our peers.

Photos 1-2: AFJ’s Executive Director Liz Fredrick was joined by Court Advocate Elsie Flores and Workshop Facilitator Dr. Dennis Ibude to present at the Robin Hood Teen Council, where high schoolers gather one Friday a month to talk with nonprofit, business, and government leaders about the issues shaping NYC. Our team was unbelievably inspired by the curiosity, engagement, and thoughtfulness exhibited by the group. They were willing to challenge ideas about what youth justice can look like, interrogative of our work, and eager to get involved.

Photos 3-4: Court Advocate Ricky Forde, Job Developer Shantel Brooks, and Chief Program Officer Gamal Willis tabled and networked at the Boys Club of New York (BCNY) Conference: The Right to Childhood! This one-day, in-person event celebrated 150 years of brotherhood, youth work, and community. Bridging theory, policy, and practice, this convening explored “The Right to Childhood.” Through tabling efforts and moderated panels, the conference brought together partners in the community who had been working in youth spaces for decades to share success stories, learning experiences, and more!

Huge thanks to Robin Hood and BCNY for allowing Avenues for Justice to share our youth justice expertise with the next generation of leaders! Our work across NYC continues to grow, proving that AFJ’s impact reaches far beyond the walls of our courthouse officers or community centers. We are out in the city every day, changing lives and expanding what’s possible for our Participants.

Robin Hood
The Boys' Club of New York

09/16/2026

What can AFJ teach the world about youth justice?

That question was at the center of a recent visit to our LES Community Center by Catherine Ardagh TD, Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, where she oversees Youth Justice.

Minister Ardagh, along with a delegation from the Consulate General of Ireland in New York, spent time learning about AFJ’s approach to diversion, court advocacy and the long-term support we provide young people beyond the courtroom. One highlight of the visit was hearing directly from AFJ Participant Donald, who shared about what first brought him to AFJ as part of our preventive programming to where he is today. Donald’s story is living proof of our work in action.

Catherine Ardagh TD
Ireland in New York

09/14/2026

Last week, AFJ welcomed special guest, Darryl Epps Jr., to our Youth Empowerment workshop, hosted by AFJ Facilitator Dr. Dennis Ibude.

Currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Office of Higher Education in Prison for the State University of New York (SUNY) system, Darryl shared a deeply inspiring narrative of resilience and transformation. Having been incarcerated at a young age, he openly discussed how early trauma from contact with the justice system shaped his youth. However, Darryl refused to let his past mistakes or his time behind bars define his future. Instead, he channeled his focus into academics, ultimately graduating from Cornell’s Prison Education Program (CPEP). Following his release, Darryl dedicated his career to advocacy and education, holding impactful roles at The Fortune Society and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice before stepping into his current leadership position at SUNY. Our Participants were entirely captivated by his journey. While his presentation carried immense emotional weight, Darryl’s approachable and relatable presence deeply resonated with the audience.

Dr. Dennis, Ed.D
Teach Emotions, Inc ™️
SUNY’s Office of Higher Ed in Prison
PREP at Cornell

09/10/2026

Today, many of our Participants and young people across the city are heading back to school. Your AFJ family is here to support you and cheer you on every step of the way.

We’re wishing you all a successful, exciting year ahead.

Happy back to school, New York City!

09/03/2026

Avenues for Justice just completed our second cohort of our Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI) at our Lower East Side community center. The initiative was made possible through the support of the District Attorney of New York (DANY), which awarded $300,000 this year to ten community-based organizations dedicated to summer youth violence prevention.

Led by GVPI Facilitator Toddrick and AFJ Court Advocate Messiah—both of whom bring lived experience within the justice system—the workshop was anchored in transformative purpose: to untangle the complex ecosystem of gun violence.

A pivotal moment occurred in week five when the cohort welcomed Ms. Barron, Messiah’s mother, who shared her profound perspective as a family member impacted by gun violence. Her testimony deeply moved AFJ Participants, prompting them to reflect on their own loved ones and the far-reaching consequences of a single decision.

“My favorite part of GVPI is being in a safe space to talk about how you’re feeling, things that you went through in life, and how you can evolve from them.” — AFJ Participant, Josh

Read more about our GVPI program by reading today’s newsletter using the LINK IN OUR BIO!

Alvin Bragg

08/28/2026

Remember Barack Obama’s tan suit? Today marks 12 years since its debut, and one of our young people reminded us of something bigger: how quickly the world can reduce someone to a single moment or snapshot.

At Avenues for Justice, we refuse to do that.

We know that no one deserves to be defined by a moment, circumstance, or label. Every young person has a full, unique story. That’s why we meet every Participant where they are and help them build toward what comes next through education, career readiness, mentorship, mental health support, and more.

Our job is to make sure our young people have the support, opportunities, and confidence to decide for themselves what comes next. Regardless of their outfit of choice.

Photo: Pete Souza / National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), via Flickr

08/27/2026

This week’s newsletter highlights AFJ Participant Darrian, who through his own volition and ambition joined AFJ’s HIRE Up programming to assist with a legal matter. Working with Court Advocate Elsie Flores, Darrian created an Individual Action Plan (IAP) focused on gun violence prevention and employment.

Darrian sought out several paid-internships, a full time job, multiple certifications, and took advantage of every opportunity offered to him at the community centers. As a result, he was offered an alternative to incarceration (ATI) for young adults called the Youth & Congregations Partnership (YCP) through the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office ( Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez ).

Read Darrian’s full story using the LINK IN OUR BIO!

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