Non-profit helps Memphis youth navigate career, life goals
by: Quametra Wilborn
Posted:
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A local non-profit organization is helping teach kids at an early age that they can accomplish anything they set their hearts on.
However, due to different circumstances, some kids may have a harder time believing that than others.
WREG spoke to one educator who made it his mission to show children the promising future awaiting them.
These kids are taking the next steps towards their future. They’re all a part of an organization called Urban Promise 901, a non-profit dedicated to supporting at-risk youth through mentorship.
“I do volleyball, too, and I’m in band. I play trombone,” said Kiarrah Rhodes, Urban Promise 901 member.
Kids were preparing care packages for those in the community. Rhodes, 16, was introduced to the program by her teacher, Aaron Litzsey.
“To be honest, I really didn’t think people like him really exist in the world, you know, with all the crazy stuff going on, but I’m very thankful for that to show that he actually cares,” said Rhodes.
Litzsey is the organization’s director. He said he started the non-profit around 5 years ago after experiencing one of the most heartbreaking aspects of being an educator.
“I had several students, during that process of time, who we lost either to gang violence, we lost to the juvenile justice system, and several died violently,” said Aaron Litzsey, Director of Urban Promise 901.
Litzsey said that while at the funeral of one of his former students, he asked himself what more he could do to keep another child from meeting the same fate.
“Whatever I had to do not to experience that loss again, I was willing to invest my time, my energy, and all my strength into doing that because I felt that was something that God wanted me to do,” said Litzsey.
From there, with the support of his family and peers, Urban Promise 901 was born. He said the goal is to help kids between the ages of 10 and 17 navigate their career and life goals and see that there is more to life after high school.
“If we don’t do something with them before they get in trouble, then we’ve already lost the fight with our young people,” said Litzsey.
His son, Aaron Litzsey III, stated that seeing his father’s vision come to life has been inspirational.
“The more people that come, the more youth we can empower,” said Aaron Litzsey III, Litzsey’s son.
Whether it’s in the classroom or outside of it, Litzsey mentioned he is fully committed to providing hope to the next generation.
“Thinking outside the box to give our young people something to live for, something to believe in, and something to hope for has been revolutionary for me,” he said.
Litzsey said his organization is always looking for more mentors.