By: Nic Abelian
The Center for Urban Excellence (CUE) is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the California Workforce Development Board’s Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment (HIRE) grant. This prestigious grant in partnership with the Workforce Development Board of Solano County, totaling $1.4 million, will be distributed among four Solano County nonprofits over the next two years. The awarded funds aim to enhance the impactful work being done to support formerly incarcerated and justice-involved individuals within the county.
The HIRE grant is a significant milestone for the Center for Urban Excellence, aligning with its mission to empower system-involved youth through holistic educational, economic, social, and artistic opportunities. Since its inception in 2016, CUE has been a beacon of hope and economic transformation for over 560 individuals in Solano and Contra Costa Counties, plus the Greater Bay Area. The organization’s commitment to fostering resilience and wellness has prepared countless youth for success in a rapidly evolving world.
The core of CUE’s approach lies in its Fostering Resilience Framework, which equips youth and their families with practical strategies relating to experience, real situations, or actions rather than ideas to overcome adversity. This framework has been instrumental in the organization’s various programs, including youth leadership development, college and career readiness, and media literacy education. Artistic and social-emotional expression are central to the Center for Urban Excellence’s theory of change, enhancing creativity and emotional intelligence among the youth they serve. As part of their holistic approach, CUE has also expanded its efforts to include college tours and subsidized work experiences. These initiatives provide youth with firsthand experiences of higher education and professional environments, inspiring their academic and professional aspirations.
The HIRE grant will enable CUE to expand its services significantly. With this funding, CUE will offer specialized training in resilience building and substance misuse to even more young adults. This initiative aims to create new opportunities for economic and social mobility by equipping participants with the tools they need to turn their past adversities into powerful catalysts for positive change.
“This program resonates deeply with our core values of fostering resilience and creating opportunities for economic and social mobility,” said Chief Executive Officer Reina M. Robinson. “We believe that through holistic art wellness, workforce development, and leadership programs, we can turn adversity into a powerful force for positive change.”
Under Robinson’s leadership, CUE has achieved numerous milestones that highlight its dedication to youth empowerment. Notable achievements include:
- November 2017: Launched our pioneering youth workforce program
- March 2019: Hosted the Urban Excellence Convention in Oakland, CA, engaging over 95 youth affected by mass incarceration and community violence.
- April 2019: Integrated the CUE Digital Media Literacy Educator Guide into Project L.A.’s San Quentin Prison program.
- December 2020: Featured in Project Censored’s State of the Free Press 2021 for their impactful research.
- April 2021: Launched the Fostering Resilience program in Contra Costa County Juvenile Detention Center, graduating 36 young men.
- June 2021: Initiated a five-year partnership with the Museum of Children’s Art and Oakland Unified School District with Arts Connect research project.
- May 2022: Piloted the Art is Resilience program at three Golden Gate Charter Schools with funding from the California Arts Council.
- May 2022: Received support from the Department of Health Care Services to expand access to resilience, economic, and social opportunities for youth of color.
- December 2022: Co-authored “The Media and Me: A Guide to Critical Media Literacy for Young People.”
- January 2023: Awarded the Community Workforce Grant ARPA from Solano County Workforce Development Board.
- March 2023: Co-sponsored the MBK Bay Area Youth Action Summit, empowering 65 CUE youth leaders and 700 Greater Bay Area youth.
- March 2024: Welcomed to Graduate School of Education Touro University Advisory Board
- March 2024: Welcomed to California State University Maritime Academy Propulsion Lab Advisory Board
- June 2024: Welcomed to the City of Vallejo Youth Strategic Plan Working Group.
CUE’s efforts have garnered support from various organizations, including Kaiser Permanente, Elevate Youth California, JD Finish Line Foundation, California Arts Council, California Forever, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Museum of Children’s Art, and the Workforce Development Boards of California and Solano County. These collaborations have enabled the organization to increase access to resilience-building, economic, and social opportunities for youth of color and their families in Solano and Contra Costa counties.
Robinson’s co-authorship of “The Media and Me: A Guide to Critical Media Literacy for Young People” is another testament to CUE’s commitment to empowering young adults with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern media. Adopted for teacher education in one of the nation’s largest public school districts, this book provides foundational critical thinking skills and practical tools, empowering young readers to become independent media users.
The Fostering Resilience Framework, co-developed by Robinson and Bay Area justice-involved youth, is a cornerstone of CUE’s approach. This action-oriented, strength-based model emphasizes leveraging existing strengths and resources to build resilience. Fundamental principles of the framework include action-oriented strategies, strength-based approaches, antifragility, artistic expression, transformational relationship building, critical thinking and questioning, and community collaboration.By adhering to these principles, the Fostering Resilience Framework equips individuals and communities with the skills needed to adapt and thrive amid challenges.
“The Fostering Resilience Workforce program at the Center for Urban Excellence has been a game-changer for us. By working closely with the agency, we tackle challenges head-on, turning obstacles into opportunities. This partnership has allowed us to lead by example, showing how resilience and innovation can drive success and make a real difference,” said CUE participant Anthony Smith, who has completed the Davidson College Certificate for JiE: Building a Lean Startup and AppliedStory: Applied Storytelling while connected to programming.
As CUE continues to expand its reach and impact, the HIRE grant represents a crucial step forward in its mission to empower system-involved youth. With these new resources, CUE is poised to make an even more significant difference in the lives of those they serve, transforming adversity into opportunity and fostering a brighter future for all.
For more information about the Center for Urban Excellence and its programs, visit CUE’s Website. Follow CUE on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Contact: Anija Lee, Experience and Communications Coordinator, Center for Urban Excellence Phone: 707-731-9897 Email: anija@centerforurbanexcellence.org
Published by: Holy Minoza
