When we talk about empowering youth in Chicago, we're not just talking about programs. We're talking about transformation. About giving young people: especially those who've been overlooked, underestimated, or written off: the tools to write their own stories. This is about Youth Voices and Chicago’s Next Gen leading the way: not someday, but right now. At True Believers Community Connections, we've learned something powerful over the years: creativity unlocks potential in

We're not just talking about change anymore. We're building it: block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, young person by young person. Q1 of FY26 (July through September 2025) was all about one thing: the pivot to action . At True Believers Community Connections, we spent this quarter moving from vision boards to visible results. And honestly? The energy across our Big 7 communities has been nothing short of electric. This newsletter is your inside look at what went down

Let me ask you something real. On the South Side, we know resilience isn’t a quote on a wall—it’s how you get up, regroup, and keep going when life keeps coming. Think about the people who changed your life. The ones who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself. Were they around for just eight weeks? Or did they show up consistently, season after season, year after year? If you're like most of us, the answer is obvious. Yet here we are in 2026, and so many Southsid

Let's be real for a second. When we talk about empowering young people on Chicago’s South Side, we can’t just hand them a certificate and wish them luck. That’s not how transformation happens. Real change comes when we put real resources— including real money —into the hands of young people while they’re learning the skills that will carry them forward. That’s what earn-while-you-learn training is all about. And at True Believers Community Connections (TBCC), we’ve seen firs