Created in September of 2006, the agency was a natural extension of a youth reentry project created and implemented by the organization’s Executive Director, Laurie Parise, while an Equal Justice Work’s fellow at the Legal Action Center. While directing this project, it became clear that young people who had been involved in the criminal justice system had a host of legal and practical challenges as they reentered their communities. For example, many were denied public housing or the right to return to school due to their court involvement. Clients often were referred to different agencies for assistance because there was no single agency in New York City that supported this age group and none that addressed the interrelated issues of court-involved youth. The seed to create Youth Represent was planted when it became apparent that many of these young people slipped through the cracks as they attempted to navigate a complicated and bureaucratic system to get the help they needed for successful reintegration. With an Echoing Green Fellowship, Ms. Parise established Youth Represent.

Testimonial:
Jasmine was involved with the criminal justice system at age 16 and had little understanding of what happened. When She started having problems finding a job, a mentor referred her to Youth Represent.
Youth Represent helped Jasmine learn about her rights as she was considering careers, helped her understand employment licensing bars, and referred her to an agency that helped her get a job. They also helped her understand her voting rights and assisted her in applying for housing benefits.
Jasmine is now attending college full-time working toward a nursing degree.