CEO Corner with Dr. Celine Coggins 

Marking Progress in the Online World of Young People  

This month, our COO, Elizabeth Binder, takes over the CEO Corner to share insights from recent convenings with our grantees and other donors.

Breakfast tacos. Music. The buzz and energy of conversation. Color. Sun. Joy. In a world where bad news is all around us, the mood at the Young Futures Block Party in Austin was a breath of fresh air. The Block Party, held May 13-14, brought together innovators, youth leaders, funders, and practitioners for two days of programming, connection, and honest conversation about what it takes to support young people thriving in a digital world.

 

Just two and a half years ago, The Goodness Web helped launch Young Futures alongside Pivotal Ventures and the Susan Crown Exchange, and we have had a front-row seat to what they have been building ever since. The Block Party's success is just one example of a remarkable ecosystem taking shape in support of young peoples’ wellbeing in the digital world. It was inspiring to see how far Young Futures has come, and we are grateful to all of you who have made this possible.

 

Increasing Collaboration across Philanthropy

 

In the two days leading up to the Block Party, I also joined a convening of funders focused on youth mental health, exploring how we can have the greatest impact and how to better collaborate. A few themes emerged: the untapped potential of local and national funders working together; a growing push to work further upstream, addressing root causes even when they're hard to measure; and, as always, the importance of continuing to listen to young people as we do this work. All these themes will stay with us as TGW moves forward.

 

We talk a lot about the crisis in youth mental health, and it is true that far too many young people struggle with loneliness, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. We continue to lose far too many to suicide. But these two convenings are a reminder that there are solutions that work. There are leaders with the energy and conviction to spread those solutions and to keep innovating. There are bright spots, everywhere.

 

Innovators Worth Watching

 

Young Futures identifies and supports extraordinary young leaders doing this work on the ground. Here are a few whose work caught my attention:

 

• CodeSpeak Labs, founded by Jennifer Chiou, empowers young people to create with technology to build a better world. Their Young Futures-funded project, Quest Craft, is a digital role-playing game where youth collaborate through culturally diverse adventures designed to spark imagination, build social connection, and develop life skills.
• Despierta. Founded by Juliana Lozano, this Charlotte-based nonprofit delivers culturally responsive mental health support, education, and leadership development specifically for Latinas, meeting young women where they are with care that reflects their lives and identities.
• Only7Seconds. Executive Director Luke Wall is on a mission to end the youth loneliness epidemic through awareness campaigns, education resources, and youth empowerment programs.

 

With so much on the horizon, the Young Futures Block Party was a reminder of why this space matters so much, and why The Goodness Web is proud to be part of it.