Build 2 Lead News

November 2026 By Jimmy Brown, Executive Director, Social Entrepreneur, Community Advocate Adults often describe young people as disengaged, indecisive, and uninspired. I see something different. Many Black and Brown youth are paying attention. They know when neighborhoods feel unsafe, when housing instability makes school harder, when mental health support is too far away or not culturally responsive, and when adults invite them to share pain but not power. Listening only to

Our work is rooted in a simple truth: Our care creates continuity. Everything from the way we interact with young people, build our internal systems, train our staff, and engage our partners comes from a commitment to creating sustainable opportunities that move us closer to our North Star. That North Star is an interconnected system of youth development. One that challenges our institutional partners to move beyond historically siloed approaches and work with us, and with ea

Every season of our work tells a story. This quarter reminded us that meaningful change begins by listening—but it grows when young people are empowered to lead. Over the past two months, Build 2 Lead celebrated several milestones that represent years of relationship building, community partnership, and youth-centered innovation. From releasing our 2025 Annual Impact Report to completing another successful Melanin & Medicine initiative, facilitating statewide Youth Executive

By: Jimmy Brown Founder/Executive Director Build 2 Lead There has been a growing and often polarizing conversation about how taxpayer dollars are managed by nonprofit organizations. That conversation matters. Accountability matters. Transparency matters. Public and philanthropic dollars should be handled with integrity, and misuse of funds should be addressed wherever it happens. But if we are going to have an honest conversation about nonprofit accountability, we also have t