A mentor working alongside an Emergent Works participant
Your chapter begins here

The Next Story
Starts With You

Every transformation at Emergent Works was made possible by someone who chose to act. Mentors, donors, partners, and volunteers — each one became part of someone's story.

Meagan
A volunteer mentor sharing expertise
A Mentor's Story
"I've really enjoyed getting to know Lori. I'm SO impressed by her commitment to learning and how quickly she's picking up all these new skills. This is my second time mentoring for Digital Literacy Skills cohort and it's so different, in a good way. Now, the students benefit from class time with an instructor twice a week, and Lori and I meet weekly. Sometimes we go over exercises or we'll talk in greater depth about concepts she's learning in class. She is thoughtful about how she'll apply what she's learning to her career and I can't wait to see what she does next. She works hard and she is a star." — Meagan, TECK Mentor
Mentorship in Action

Stories From
Our Pairings

Baraka
Voice
Baraka & Voice Mentee & Mentor
"Voice and I have a great relationship and chemistry that makes teaching and learning fun. More than anything he is honest. Our continuous conversations about personal growth and integrity are what come(s) most easy. His patience and understanding have helped me to really grasp the material." — Baraka, TECK Mentee
"Baraka is a really fun time hanging out with Voice and working on stuff. The past weeks we've been working on finishing our Google Sites website, setting up our LinkedIn profiles and making connections. We also setup our Google Drive Page... we definitely dug into google sheets and created a personal budget spreadsheet." — Voice, TECK Mentor
Lori
Meagan
Lori & Meagan Mentee & Mentor
"They are definitely GREAT! Meagan is AMAZING. She has taught me so much, very patient, very kind and very informative. Be it as she what service she provides... nothing is off limits for help and knowledge to share. I really enjoy that about my mentor. She is definitely a GREAT asset to EW." — Lori, TECK Mentee
"I'm SO impressed by her commitment to learning and how quickly she's picking up all these new skills. She is thoughtful about how she'll apply what she's learning to her career and I can't wait to see what she does next. She works hard and she is a star!" — Meagan, TECK Mentor
Alberto
Dylan
Alberto & Dylan Mentee & Mentor
"I echo Dylan's sentiments entirely; our sessions have been fantastic, productive, and enlightening. My mentor, who is specialized in the project we're exploring, has been instrumental in my growth. The AI chat app, web scraping, and AI projects he's encouraged me to delve into have accelerated my understanding of development, and I've found immensely rewarding thus far." — Alberto, TECK Mentee
"Our sessions have been incredibly enjoyable and educational. We've been working on building a custom AI chat app that allows users to engage with multiple AI models in a single conversation, and we've been integrating Twilio for text messaging capabilities." — Dylan, TECK Mentor
Kat
Sneha
Kat & Sneha Mentee & Mentor
"I think that our sessions have been awesome so far! Sneha has been so helpful and informative! I learn something new each time! We're working on Project Management, my website, Figma, my résumé, LinkedIn, networking, getting me familiar with AI tools. Together we even put a portfolio together. Can't wait for graduation, to present my portfolio." — Kat, TECK Mentee
"I think that our sessions have been awesome so far! I believe that our pairing was a great match." — Sneha, TECK Mentor
Blueberry
Dawn
Blueberry & Dawn Mentee & Mentor
"Meeting with Dawn every week has been a seamless and uplifting experience. I truly appreciate her patience as I navigate this new venture; she offers unwavering support every step of the way. Her approach to mentoring makes me feel both seen and empowered, giving me a sense of my own strengths and helping me integrate these new skills into my antiracist movement with confidence. Dawn's insights in UX/UI, filmmaking, and beyond are invaluable, and her encouragement has made all the difference as I work to incorporate these tools into my organizing. In our sessions, we're working on a UX/UI project that not only strengthens my technical abilities but also aligns with my goal of creating impactful, accessible designs that support antiracist values. We're exploring how storytelling and design can amplify social justice issues, making this process both exciting and deeply meaningful." — Blueberry, TECK Mentee
"It was a perfect pairing between me and Blueberry. It's been a pleasure to get to know Blueberry — we have so much in common. Her mindset and outlook is so positive and has already accomplished so much. I see that she can manifest anything she puts her mind to. I am grateful to be a part of her journey and see her grow in design. Right now, we are working on applying design principles in her portfolio. In our sessions, we focus a lot on learning Figma and developing personas to better understand the user we are designing for. Blueberry is advancing her skills in Figma at an impressive pace." — Dawn, TECK Mentor
Get Involved

Four Ways to
Join the Story

Mentor

Share your expertise through our 12-week volunteer mentorship program. Min 2 hours a week transforms lives.

Apply Here →

Donate

Fund the programs that break cycles of incarceration. Every dollar creates measurable impact.

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Partner

Bring TECK or T.RAP to your organization. We customize programs for your community.

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Volunteer

Support events, be a guest speaker, outreach, and community building or join our Advisory Board. There's a place for every skill.

Complete This Form →
Partner Voices

What Our Partners Say

"Through our collaboration, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of your work. Your commitment to providing resources, support, and education to those who need it most has created positive change in the lives of many. Your unwavering collaboration and commitment to social equity inspire us to keep striving to build a brighter future. We look forward to continuing this impactful partnership and creating even more opportunities for the community. Thank you again for all the work you do. We are honored to work alongside you in making a meaningful difference."
— Workforce 1 Harlem
"Having Emergent Works as a part of our NextGen Network, our CCA reentry initiative, has been an immense reward. We truly value this partnership and the positive change it brings to our community. Your collaboration and commitment inspire us to keep building a brighter future for those we serve. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. We look forward to continuing our work together and achieving even greater milestones."
— Center for Community Alternatives
"Emergent Works helped us provide invaluable music programming to the youth on Staten Island. It is because of this partnership that we were able to create a safe space for youth to embrace their talents and dreams. We could not have done this without their dedicated team."
— Staten Island Justice Center
Connect

Let's Talk

Whether you have questions about our programs, want to explore a partnership, or are ready to make a donation — we'd love to hear from you.

Email hello@emergentworks.org
Address 424 W 54th St., New York, NY 10019
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