Trusted community partners are the key to success for Chicago youth. Amazon partners with Project Exploration in the Austin community, The Alliance 98 in Little Village, and The Base in Garfield Park which are serving students beyond creating safe and engaging spaces. They invite students to pursue activities that motivate them to develop connections through sports, STEM, and career exploration. The leaders of each organization know their communities intimately and work with parents and educators in their neighborhoods to identify students who not only can thrive in their programs, but also students who may have struggled to find the right program.
“Amazon’s mission in Chicago transcends mere commerce; it embodies a heartfelt commitment to nurturing the city’s youth, fostering their social and emotional growth, supporting access to STEM opportunities, and empowering them to become the architects of their bright futures, despite the setbacks brought on by the pandemic.”- Natasha Smith-Walker, Executive Director, Project Exploration
Strong community partners also know how to create agency in our youth and build programs around their feedback and life experiences. According to research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, authentic youth engagement not only helps youth to build their self-esteem, leadership, and professional development skills, but they also increase young people’s personal stake in the community. Amazon’s partner MapsCorps is strengthening communities by employing youth with no previous experience as data scientists in their own neighborhoods. At their end-of-year science symposium, students present well-researched case studies and offer solutions to issues that matter to them and their communities.
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