The Lineage Project Offering yoga and meditation to at-risk and incarcerated youth in New York City

OUR MISSION: We share yoga, meditation and awareness-based practices to empower youth to find alternatives to stress, violence and incarceration. OUR VISION: We are committed to teaching skills that reduce recidivism and encourage New York City youth to become vital and contributing members of their communities. We inspire personal growth through continued practice and the development of empathy, tolerance and interpersonal skills.

Who are we?  We began conducting classes in New York City’s jail in 1998 and the juvenile detention centers since  We are fiscally sponsored by the Tides Center, a nonprofit that supports programs committed to social change. Organizational structure:  executive director  program director  volunteer coordinator  8 teachers  10 volunteers  11 board members

Who do we serve?  youth ages from the 15 poorest neighborhoods in New York City  60% African-American, 35% Latino  65% male, 35% female  60% have had involvement in the foster care system  75% of females have been physically, sexually or emotionally abused  70% suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome  majority have had substance abuse/alcohol issues

What are our goals?  develop strong and healthy bodies  reduce stress  increase focus, concentration and attention  build self-esteem and confidence  become self-aware and reflective  increase ability to make conscious choices that are life-enhancing  increase resiliency

How do we do it? Model:  yoga, meditation, life skills, discussions  theme-based classes co-taught by a paid teacher and a volunteer Sites:  detention centers  alternative schools  subsidized housing complexes  alternative-to-incarceration programs  Boy’s Club Frequency:  1 to 2 classes per week per site  sessions of 12, 24 and 50 weeks

Our impact  served 900 youth in 2009  served 1,200 youth in 2010  projected to serve 1,500 youth in 25 weekly classes in 2011  ongoing study of 50 youth at an alternative public high school shows increased patience, less stress, more connection to others, and greater self- awareness

What our students say “I feel like someone put a new life inside of me. At this moment I'm feeling calm and relaxed. Nothing is really bothering me and I feel some of my anger melting away. I got in touch with my inner self. I know who I am on the outside but really never knew who I was on the inside.” -- Eduardo, age 17 “My home is really chaotic and I used to get stressed as soon as I stepped in the door. Thanks to the teachings, the minute I get home I can go into a small space I set up for myself and do the breathing. Then I can face the drama in my house in a calmer way.” -- Shawna, age 16 “Well, I can honestly say that me being incarcerated for 11 months, this yoga program is very helpful. I have grown accustomed to my new coping skills, which is learning a lot of multiple methods to stay calm and a new way of expressing myself.” -- Roseanne, age 14

 The United States incarcerates more of its youth than any other country in the world. More than 500,000 youth are arrested and brought to locked detention centers annually.  In New York City children as youth as 7 can be arrested and placed in a locked detention center. Urgency: Many more NYC youth need our services

 New York City’s juvenile detention centers are filled by youth from 15 neighborhoods: Queens: South Jamaica and Far Rockaway Brooklyn: East New York, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville Manhattan: Harlem and East Harlem Bronx: Tremont, University Heights, Eastchester, Morris Heights, Bedford Park, South Bronx and Soundview Staten Island: Saint George  Age at admission: 3% age 12 and under, 11% age 13, 23% age 14, 45% age 15, 12% age 16, 6% age 17.  The majority of youth in detention, ages 14 to 15, read at a third-grade level. Urgency: Many more NYC youth need our services

Urgency: The opportunity is now  A 2009 U.S. Department of Justice investigation found that New York’s juvenile justice state prison system was rife with abuse, inequity and neglect.  Subsequent changes to the state’s juvenile justice policies include: major reform focusing on shifting from a punitive model of juvenile detention to one of youth development New York City cutting by half the number of children it sends to state prisons by enrolling low- risk offenders in community-based programs

Urgency: The opportunity is now  In response to these changes, Lineage is expanding its classes beyond juvenile halls into multiple community settings.  We must raise our profile so we can raise the funds needed to allow us to keep expanding.