Taking Back Our Youth (TBOY), founded in 2018, works with at-risk children and incarcerated young adults in Northern Ohio to break the school-to-prison pipeline and recidivism cycle. The predominantly Black and low-income residents TBOY serves in Cleveland and neighboring cities face historic redlining, industrial pollution, and urban blight. “If you’re in a community where every other house is boarded up, where the water’s been poisoned with lead, that affects you,” said TBOY founder Mikki Smith. In Ohio and nationwide, Black residents are incarcerated at more than five times the rate of white residents. TBOY’s youth diversion efforts include basketball tournaments, career expos, and mentorship programs. Its reentry services help former inmates navigate obstacles within the justice system, from expungement paperwork to mental health referrals and job placement. They also offer programs on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, time management, nutrition, and self-love.
Taking Back Our Youth founder Mikki Smith works with inmates at the Toledo Correctional Institution. Photo provided by Mikki Smith.
Mikki Smith is TBOY’s sole staff member, supported by more than a dozen volunteers, contractors, and partner organizations. Their annual Protecting Youth Mental Health speaker series and Above the Rim basketball tournaments provide safe spaces where young people can have fun, access community resources, and set themselves up for success. Each month, TBOY assists around 30 inmates with case management support. This includes finding apartments, applying for jobs, and opening bank accounts – anything to help smooth their reentry into society. Several former inmates TBOY served now own their businesses, and many volunteer to help others find their footing. Taking Back Our Youth plans to launch a new summer program for school kids and a cycling initiative called Wheels of Wellness that will teach youth how to fix bicycles, an entrepreneurial way to boost their physical and mental health. As TBOY continues to grow, Smith aims to hire more staff and open a permanent after-school program.
Smith with her TBOY mentees at a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game. Photo by Mikki Smith.