For over two decades, the Overtown Youth Center has served as a needed safe haven for students in the historic Miami neighborhood — providing families with academic, financial, and health services.
OYC programs are now expanding northward to south Broward County, where its leaders hope to bring these “comprehensive services” to students and their families in the area.
“Our thought is that we could provide supplemental services that perhaps the school district may not be able to offer anymore due to budget constraints,” said Tina Brown, Chief Executive Director of the center.
The arrival of OYC in Broward comes at a time when the Broward school district has cut 1,000 jobs because of the declining enrollment. These cuts didn’t just affect teaching staff positions, they also affected in-school counselors, social workers, and support staff.
READ MORE: Decision day: Broward County school board cuts 1,000 jobs after delays to cast vote
As these Broward schools continue to reckon with a multimillion-dollar deficit before the new school year, the OYC has stepped in to provide additional resources in partnership with Broward County Public Schools.
“Broward local leaders have petitioned for this program to come to Broward. That always feels good when we’re expanding to places where people want our program model.” Brown said. “Our support will be very similar to what we provide in Miami.”
In Miami, the center is known for its after school programs and academic services. But, over the years, the center has become a staple in the community for its more holistic approach to student support.
“It is a dynamic space where at any given moment, you’ll see kids getting their homework done or tutoring, eating dinner, and kids having playtime.” Brown said.
“Which, you know, in communities like Overtown, people don’t let their kids go outside much. But you can walk into our gym at any given time and see kids playing.”
Overtown, once known as “Colored Town”, is one of the first historically Black neighborhoods in Miami. What was once the “Harlem of the South” during its mid-20th century golden age, it has experienced both disinvestment and gentrification over the years.
Brown, who grew up in Overtown, has seen this shift with her own eyes.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t have an Overtown Youth Center. I didn’t realize that the world was so much bigger," Brown said. "There was like an invisible wall around Overtown, as it is in so many urban communities.”
Part of the mission of the Overtown Youth Center is to pave the way for students to walk beyond the invisible walls of their neighborhood. Alonzo Mourning, founder of the Overtown Youth Center and former Miami Heat player, relates to this mission on a personal level.
“I was a product of the foster care system. I was a young child that had the ability, just didn't have the resources,” he said during last week’s ceremony in Broward that commemorated OYC’s expansion.
“It's amazing what can happen if we provide the support and resources for these young people. And it’s been proven with the services we’ve provided for 23 years," he said.
"This proven enrichment blueprint is just the type of empowering infrastructure that our Broward communities deserve," said Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz during last week's ceremony.
According to the Overtown Youth Center, 100% of its program participants to date have gone on to graduate from high school — and Mourning said he intends to bring this success to Broward schools.
Behind him stood Deirdre Benka-Coker, Principal of McNicol Middle School in the city of Hollywood. She commended Mourning's work through this organization.
“At McNicol, we’re always attempting to bring unique experiences to our students. And this OYC partnership is inline with that vision," Benka-Coker said.
Overtown Youth Center programs will be offered at her middle school and four surrounding elementary schools by August 10.
