ABOUT US
I WILL GRADUATE is dedicated to serving and empowering students, families, and the community by communicating the importance of educational excellence. We accomplish our goals through youth development programs, arts-in-education, college and career guidance, mentoring, parent engagement, school and community workshops, exciting events, and the use of multimedia platforms.
WHAT WE DO
We inspire our youth to take responsibility for bettering themselves. We utilize high-profile individual's star power and influence to enlighten young people about the importance of education, personal advancement, and social commitment.
We connect our youth and families to resources and opportunities designed to assist students in overcoming challenges and achieving academic and personal excellence.
We empower our youth by sharing information and knowledge through workshops and events that provide the tools needed to set and achieve goals. We help them believe in themselves and realize their incredible potential.
PROGRAMS WE OFFER
Help Us Empower NYC Students for success
Your monetary donation will help fund academic, art and youth empowerment programs for over 21,000 students across NYC. Together, we are providing opportunities and developing our leaders of tomorrow.
I WILL GRADUATE PROGRAM RELEASES PSA FEATURING THE PARENTS OF POP SMOKE ENTITLED:
“GUN VIOLENCE DESTROYS FAMILIES”
New York, New York – In response to recent shootings in NYC the Entertainers For Education Alliance - I WILL GRADUATE PROGRAM has teamed up with the parents of slain rapper Bashar Barakah “Pop Smoke” Jackson The PSA features Audrey and Greg Jackson, mother, and father of rapper Pop Smoke to release a powerful PSA entitled “Gun Violence Destroys Families” to discourage youth from shooting each other.
Since the beginning of 2020, there have been over 1,000 shootings and almost 300 murders, in New York City. The idea for the PSA came from the Executive Director and co-founder of The Entertainers 4 Education Alliance - I WILL GRADUATE Tonya Lewis Taylor who was distraught after seeing another news story about a teen being shot. “We needed to get our youth’s attention fast and Pop Smoke polarizing music, life, and his untimely death helped us. We reached out to his parents who wanted to honor their son’s legacy by participating in the video. We want the youth to weigh the cost of their actions. You can't go back after that trigger is pulled. One moment of anger is a lifetime of pain for the loved ones left behind”.
The goal of the Gun Violence Destroys Families PSA is to bring media attention and awareness to the most recent shootings, killings, and violence that has been increasing rapidly in New York City since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Gun Violence Destroys Families” PSA has spawned an 8-week program geared toward educating the youth about anti-gun violence called the “Stop The Violence” program. Middle & High school participants will create and implement different solutions to combat gun violence in their communities.
Program Goal: To provide new solutions to combat gun violence in New York City we want to make sure