About AYAS
The AYAS framework aims to shift the belief that young people should be punished when they make mistakes and holds that healing and rehabilitation happens in the community, not through confinement and carceral systems.
We believe that if ALL youth are seen through the lens of sacredness and valued as such, then funding priorities will shift toward community-led solutions, policy priorities will shift and transform from punitive approaches, and we would build a “village” response to hold that young person. Our approach to safety would transform to reflect that it is an entire community’s responsibility to provide young people and by extension their families, with the basic needs to ensure they are set up for success rather than failure and incarceration.
As community organizers and advocates we must take it upon ourselves to lead narrative building strategies that address the needs and root causes of violence and uplift the successful community-led solutions that need further investments. Youth community-led safety models are working and their impact could be expanded if they received the proper investments.
Investing in a narrative strategy is necessary to amplify the garner the necessary support to increase solutions and expand community-led programs. The stories we tell, who tells those stories, and what platforms we use are of utmost importance. We want our interests and stories at the forefront, with the data to back it up, and doing this with the leadership of young people who want their stories told, while also making a commitment to support their healing and development.