Helping Young Men Thrive

The Urban Renaissance Center (URC) is committed to supporting young men—particularly young men of color—as they navigate the complex path from adolescence to adulthood. Grounded in research and driven by compassion, the URC Youth Empowerment Program offers targeted support to boys beginning in 6th grade and continuing through high school graduation. The goal is to foster academic achievement, emotional resilience, healthy relationships, and community engagement so that each participant becomes a success-ready student and a confident, capable adult.

Understanding The Challenge

For many young men of color, the journey to adulthood is filled with unique challenges that are often misunderstood or overlooked. Growing up in under-resourced neighborhoods, attending schools that lack adequate support, and enduring racial bias in academic and legal systems can have lasting effects on a young man’s potential.

According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, a success-ready student is one who possesses the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and life experiences needed to reach personal goals and contribute meaningfully to society. Unfortunately, too many boys—especially African American and Latino males—are denied this opportunity due to systemic barriers.

• Disproportionate Discipline: Boys of color are significantly more likely to be suspended, expelled, or referred to special education programs. In some school systems, they represent as much as 67% of special education students and are up to ten times more likely to be diagnosed with emotional or behavioral disorders.
• Mental Health Masking: Cultural norms that discourage emotional vulnerability—messages like “boys don’t cry”—lead many young men to hide feelings of sadness or depression. As a result, their emotional needs often go unrecognized and untreated, leading to risky behaviors or emotional shutdown.
• Economic Disadvantage: Many participants in the URC program come from single-parent households and communities facing high poverty rates. In Jackson County alone, over 20,000 families live below the poverty line. The lack of stable income and access to opportunity places added stress on young people and contributes to poor outcomes in school, health, and social behavior.

A Risk Of Lifelong Consequences

These challenges are not just temporary obstacles. They have long-term effects on the lives of young men and the health of the broader community.

• High Dropout Rates: When boys disengage from school due to academic failure, harsh discipline, or lack of support, they are far more likely to drop out. This dramatically increases their risk of unemployment, incarceration, and poverty.
• Economic Cost to Society: High school dropouts earn an estimated $400,000 to $500,000 less over their lifetimes compared to graduates. They are also more likely to rely on public assistance, become involved with the criminal justice system, and contribute less in taxes—placing a significant economic burden on communities.
• Disproportionate Violence: According to the Kansas City Police Department, 65% of homicide victims in Kansas City in 2023 were African American males, and 55% of suspects were as well. Among these, 31% of the victims and 22% of suspects were between the ages of 1 and 24. The odds of experiencing violence, either as a victim or perpetrator, are tragically high for young Black men.

The URC Solution: Support, Structure & Strength

The URC Youth Empowerment Program was developed to provide a counterbalance to the negative influences and systemic barriers facing young men in Kansas City’s urban core. The program focuses on early intervention, mentorship, emotional support, academic enrichment, and real-world preparation.

Social-Emotional Learning & Mental Health

Boys are encouraged to express themselves openly, process their emotions, and build emotional intelligence. Through group discussions, one-on-one mentoring, and workshops, participants learn how to cope with adversity, manage conflict peacefully, and recognize the importance of mental well-being.

Inspired by research from William S. Pollock’s Real Boys, the program works to unmask emotional suppression and give young men safe spaces to say, “I need help.” By confronting stigmas around masculinity, URC helps boys develop the confidence to seek support and build meaningful relationships.

Academic Support & Achievement

In partnership with local schools and educators, URC staff monitor students’ academic progress and provide targeted tutoring, school advocacy, and encouragement. The goal is to help each young man stay on track toward graduation and avoid the dropout pipeline that so often leads to poverty or incarceration.

Positive Role Models & Mentoring

Participants are paired with adult mentors—many of whom are men of color who have faced similar challenges and successfully navigated them. These relationships offer perspective, accountability, and hope. Mentors guide youth in setting goals, making positive choices, and learning from mistakes.

Character & Leadership Development

The program reinforces values such as responsibility, resilience, honesty, and service. Through leadership activities, community service projects, and structured group conversations, boys build a sense of identity rooted in strength, empathy, and accountability.

Community Engagement & Long-Term Impact

The URC Youth Empowerment Program doesn’t just aim to help individual participants—it seeks to transform communities by raising up a generation of capable, connected, and compassionate young men.

From Risk To Resilience

By beginning in 6th grade and staying with each participant through high school graduation, the program ensures consistent, trusted support. Young men learn to view themselves not as statistics or stereotypes but as leaders, scholars, and contributors to society.

A Safer Kansas City

Reducing school dropouts, improving mental health outcomes, and curbing youth involvement in violence are key to making Kansas City safer for everyone. As Professor Ken Novack of UMKC noted, “It’s safer to be deployed as a soldier in Iraq than to be a young Black man in Kansas City.” The URC program is changing that reality—one boy at a time.

A Call To Invest In The Future

As of July 2022, 179,960 youth under the age of 18 live in Kansas City, making up 25% of Jackson County’s total population. Investing in their future is not just a moral imperative—it’s a strategic one. The URC Youth Empowerment Program offers a proven path to opportunity, stability, and success for young men most at risk of falling through the cracks.

With sustained community support and public investment, this program can continue to prepare young men to overcome adversity, pursue their goals, and positively shape the world around them.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.