Currently, University Heights is the operating hub of Uprising and has been since it began in July of 2017. In this section of the, Bronx 42% of residents live below the Federal Poverty Level- making it the 5th poorest neighborhood in NYC. It also ranks 3rd for unemployment and 1st for rent burden. Overall, according to a 2015 Community Health Profile done by the City of New York, out of all the neighborhoods in NYC, our neighborhood ranks:
10th for Elementary School Absenteeism
9th for Non-fatal Assault Hospitalizations
8th for Jail Incarceration
6th for New HIV Diagnoses
6th for Drug and Alcohol Hospitalizations
5th for Living Below the Poverty Line
4th for Teen Births
3rd for Unemployment
1st for Rent Burden
Here at Uprising, we are seeking to bridge the gaps in some of these areas. It is estimated that youth here live in about a 6 block radius of their home yet. Due to financial strain on the families as well as parents and family members working multiple jobs to provide, many kids end up entertaining themselves with activities in the streets, often leading to gang membership, violence, and substance abuse. Research shows that youth who are exposed to new places and experiences are more likely to pursue higher education and achieve higher job positions. Through providing low to no cost opportunities in the neighborhood as well as visits to other parts of the city and beyond, youth are able to occupy their time with new and exciting interactions and gain healthy aspirations for their own futures.
Some of the things we’ve gotten to do thus far include:
Rap Workshop (including producing beats, tracks, and music videos)
Photography Workshop
Cooking Lessons
Arts and Crafts
Mentoring and Coaching
Biannual Awards Nights
Homework Assistance
High School Visits and Application Assistance
Job Skills, Resume, and Application Assistance
Banking Workshop
Boyz and Gurlz Nights
Easter, Halloween, Christmas, and Mother’s Day Parties
Trips to NYC Parks
Trips to Local Events
Trips to City Sites (China Town, Battery Park, etc)
Bowling and Laser Tag
and many many more!
To see how you can get involved, click here!