AFJ Catches Up with Teen Empowerment Facilitator: Dennis Ibude

As one of the longest running workshops at Avenues for Justice (AFJ), dating back to early 2019, Teen Empowerment facilitated by instructor, Dennis Ibude, has catapulted into one of our most successful programming endeavors. Back in 2021, we highlighted Dennis and his Teen Empowerment workshop in our newsletter. You can read more about the origin of Teen Empowerment and Dennis’ work here! Teen Empowerment’s format is simple: Dennis brings a topic of conversation to the group, and for one hour Participants discuss it in a judgment-free zone.

Our most-recent Teen Empowerment class had a record breaking 27 Participants in attendance. Since January 2023, Dennis has taught over 80 Participants in at least one of his 13 sessions this calendar year.

We caught up with Dennis recently to see what his thoughts were on the workshop’s success. The foundation of Dennis’ work is rooted in his love for young people. When he gets off work as a Dean at a Staten Island Prep school, Dennis travels over an hour to get to our Lower East Side Community Center. A successful environment for Dennis is one where he is authentically himself and honest about his story and his life. Creating a space where topics are not sugar coated or censored is where community is formed and common ground is discovered. Several Participants have even seen themselves in Dennis and his success has inspired them to make changes in their lives.

By creating safe spaces for young people to open up about what they are going through, Dennis is able to provide honest feedback and share resources. Many of our Participants experience struggles within their communities and families, including substance use, peer pressure, gun violence, family instability and violence in the home. Dennis’ strategy in being nonjudgmental is that the conversations might help Participants find a path forward to making better choices on their own.

In addition to being a skilled facilitator, Dennis is also a compassionate listener. He makes it a point to show up early to get to know each Participant on a more human level. Knowing our Participants’ backstories has taught him a lot about AFJ’s population. After AFJ tragically lost one of our Participants to gun violence earlier this summer, Dennis found that his class was hit hard by the loss of one of their peers. It made Dennis think about the incredibly difficult and dangerous environments our Participants have to maneuver around on a daily basis.

Avenues for Justice is fortunate to have amazing facilitators like Dennis, and we look forward to more Teen Empowerment conversations about school, work, friends, and relationships as Participants return to school.

“AFJ youth have kept me humble and honest about who I am and what I bring each day.” ~Dennis, Teen Empowerment Facilitator

“Dennis is an incredible facilitator and AFJ is lucky to have him as a facilitator. He has a unique ability to reach our Participants in a way that gets even the quietest Participant to speak up. He sees them and they see his authentic genuine approach and respond to it with fervor! That's why they keep coming back week after week.” ~Samantha, AFJ’s Program & Activities Coordinator

“Teen Empowerment is always a hit at Avenues for Justice! Participants are always engaged and asking questions. Dennis is relatable and knows all the kids by name which shows he genuinely cares. I think it's been successful because it's something to look forward to, especially in the middle of the week. Participants are always asking "Do we have Dennis today? Teen empowerment is great, and I can't wait to see what else it grows into.” ~Shantel, Lower East Side Court Advocate

“Dennis’ ability to communicate his genuine interest in and respect for the Participants is a huge part of his effectiveness. He also understands their world and speaks their language without being condescending and pandering. His energy and enthusiasm are great.” ~Brian, Harlem Court Advocate and Legal Rights & Responsibilities Facilitator