Our Mission

To alleviate structural barriers to Black youth success by working with after-school programs to increase the social capital of Black youth and their families.

 

ATL accomplishes its mission through partnerships with nonprofits, academia, professional athletes, businesses, law enforcement, and community advocates. ATL supports youth development organizations that address educational advancement, social-emotional development, and economic mobility in Black youth from ages 5-24.

We Believe

Inequality starts at the youth level and every Black child deserves the opportunity to flourish and achieve their dreams.

Change is needed in Atlanta to combat systemic barriers preventing equal access to opportunity for Black youth.

Athletes are uniquely positioned to combat barriers in support of Atlanta Back youth and the organizations that serve them.

Message From Founders

In the summer of 2020, we made a public commitment to listening and learning more about the inequities in our city of Atlanta. Like so many others we were moved by everything going on in the world, to be a part of the change we felt our society needed. We created a GoFundMe campaign to not only make our own financial commitment, but to create inclusion and action across our entire community. a We were overwhelmed by the response that helped us raise over 1.3 million dollars. As a result, we felt the need to create an organization that would help make a meaningful and sustainable impact.

The Story of ATL

Matt and Sarah Ryan launched ATL: Advance The Lives in 2020 with the mission to alleviate structural barriers to Black youth success by working with after school programs to increase the social capital of Black youth and their families. By engaging with Atlanta athletes, Advance The Lives will work to combat the systemic barriers that Black youth face by partnering with out of school time programs and local organizations to build long-term community engagement and create educational opportunities.

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