Youth Empowerment for Advancement Hangout (YEAH) is a Black-led, community-based nonprofit that works with teens in Philadelphia ages 13 to 19 who have witnessed or engaged in violence. With a special focus on those who are labeled to have violent histories in West and Southwest neighborhoods, YEAH acknowledges teens as the experts of their own lives and prioritizes pushing back against oppressive systems and addressing structural barriers that often lead to violence.
YEAH works to create safe and authentic hangout spaces by providing culturally relevant engagement and implementing teen led interventions to address the root causes of violence. Utilizing teen action, YEAH works to interrupt the cycle of youth community violence in West and Southwest Philadelphia neighborhoods through peer led mediation and conflict resolution, community engagement, and economic opportunities.