Barack and Michelle Obama Teen Empowerment Center Officially Opens on Thursday in Rochester
On Thursday, September 19, 2024, The Center for Teen Empowerment will hold a grand opening celebration of its new state-of-the-art Rochester headquarters from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at 373 Genesee St, Rochester, NY. The event marks a significant milestone in the organization’s strategic plan to increase youth-led social change throughout Rochester.
The grand opening will include a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony, a brief youth performance, tours of the new facility, and interactive activities to showcase how the building was designed by and for local teens. Attendees will include public and private donors, nonprofit partners, current and former Teen Empowerment youth organizers, government officials and members of the community.
This new headquarters anchors TE’s southwest neighborhood program site and supports TE Rochester’s expansion, improving efficiency and growing its administrative infrastructure and capacity. The building is also the first new development in decades on Genesee Street and sends a powerful message to the community’s young people that they are valued. Radezia McCullough, a former TE youth organizer, articulated the importance of having a modern facility, saying, “when we are surrounded by beautiful things, we can grow up and know that is what we deserve.”
The completion of the project helped Rochester Teen Empowerment grow from employing 24 young people and 13 adult staff at two sites in 2023, to over 50 young people and 17 adult staff at three sites this year.
Among the new building’s features are the Creation Station, a music and video production studio, for which Teen Empowerment is actively raising funds. The Center also includes a historical library, a meditation room, and both indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces accommodating up to 150 people.
Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Co-Chairs Bob Duffy, President and CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Denise Battles, President of SUNY Geneseo, said, “The Regional Council is so incredibly proud to support the efforts of the Barack and Michelle Obama Teen Empowerment Center. This important organization is committed to employing, training, and empowering youth to create peace, equity, and justice among their peers and community. The training provided to these youngsters at this wonderful facility is truly meaningful, and the civic-focused employment efforts, based in their own neighborhood, will help to fuel their futures, and strengthen the overall community.”
“Teens have important perspectives and the ability to build a better future if they’re given the opportunity to succeed,” said Mayor Malik D. Evans. “This new building is a great addition to The Center for Teen Empowerment’s ongoing efforts to cultivate the leadership and talents of our young people. It’s also a wonderful addition to this neighborhood and the city as a whole.”
Local philanthropist and singer Andy Nahas, lead donor for the project, shared that he, “supported TE in this effort because they needed a new building to further enhance the growth and development experienced by their youth. The fact that TE receives ten applications for every youth organizer position demonstrates the demand for what TE does. I requested the Barack and Michelle Obama name for the building because I couldn't think of a better name to inspire the teens, the staff, and the entire community.”
“Providing safe spaces for our youth allows them to pursue their passions, create positive change in our community, and avoid the cycle of violence,” said Senator Jeremy Cooney.
Founded in 1992, The Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc. (TE) empowers youth and adults as agents of positive individual, institutional, and social change. Each year, TE employs some 120 youth leaders who plan and implement over 150 initiatives involving some 6,000 youth and adults in Rochester, NY and in greater Boston, MA. For more information, visit www.teenempowerment.org.
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