AURORA, Colo. — Imagine ten inner-city youth brought together with ten business professionals to learn how to dream big!
Im’Unique, a local nonprofit, is creating this experience through their Picture This program. They identified ten young people to participate in this extraordinary experience who have demonstrated ambition but lack resources to achieve their aspirations. Each student will be matched with a mentor who has already accomplished a great level of success in their field of interest. The intent of this match-up is to help the student minimize barriers along the way, for example, financial barriers, transportation challenges, inability to take music lessons, lack of access to S.T.E.A.M programming, youth book publishing, and tutoring. The lack of exposure to new opportunities is also one of the biggest barriers inner-city youth face and this program is designed to reduce this.
Picture This will take place at the beautiful, new Gaylord Rockies Resort facility in Aurora, CO on Saturday, February 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parents and student guardians will also be invited to participate in a portion of the program.
Many of these students come from low-income neighborhoods, single parent homes, and have to navigate food deserts, negative stereotypes and scarce resources.
Im’Unique is also bringing in experts in the field of equity to help close the gap. Author Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler and founder of The Equity Project LLC who wrote the book White People Really Love Salad will be one of the speakers. Dr. Mosby Tyler’s book addresses stereotypes and misconceptions about race and equity. The book also has a reflection portion that helps the reader see themselves and the world in a new way. A world of new possibilities is the epitome of this program.
Speakers will also include nationally recognized saxophonist Harold Rapp who will be matched with a student who wants to increase his skills in playing the saxophone and pursue a secondary education in music. Despite possessing aptitude and displaying natural talent, not having exposure to competitive level training, places him at a disadvantage against other youth vying for the same opportunity.
The goal is to expose these young people to ideas and people who can help them reach their dreams.
For more information: ImUnique.org.
