Avenues for Justice Partners With BlackRock To Provide “Coding for Boys” As We Celebrate A Documentary Award

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At Avenues for Justice (AFJ), we actively seek new ways to equip our Court-Involved and At-Risk Participants with opportunities which lead to long-term success. This week, we are excited to highlight the expansion of our coding workshop, in partnership with our corporate partner BlackRock, along with AFJ receiving a prestigious award for our 45-year legacy documentary: An Avenue Named Justice.

Expanding Access With A “Coding for Boys” Workshop

For the past three years, BlackRock has been instrumental in our HIRE Up Job Readiness programming by leading workshops on resume writing, interview preparation, and workplace etiquette. In February, they helped launch “Coding for Girls”, a workshop initiative designed to introduce our young women to tech careers in a supportive, one-on-one learning environment. After the success of the cohort, AFJ launched Coding for Boys this week to provide our young men with high-demand digital skills.

BlackRock employees volunteered as workshop facilitators, working with our Participants to explore coding through the beginner-friendly coding program Scratch. Participants designed animated games and interactive projects, turning their creative ideas into reality. AFJ Participant Max, who created a Mario-inspired game, commented how "the workshop was really informative. It’s fun to have an idea that you make into reality with coding.”

“The volunteers were hands-on and showed our Participants how to code computer games and digital designs. I love when workshops are immersive and create an environment where our youth really thrive.” ~AFJ Court Advocate, Julia Price

Our continued partnership with corporate partners, such as BlackRock, guarantees that AFJ’s programming remains dynamic, relevant, and leads to workforce opportunities. 

AFJ Documentary Wins Best Social Justice Film Award

We are thrilled to announce that An Avenue Named Justice: 45 Years of Second Chances has been awarded the Best Social Justice Film Award by the 2025 Oniros Film Awards®.

This powerful documentary showcases AFJ’s transformative impact from our grassroots beginnings on the Lower East Side to becoming one of NYC’s most cost-effective Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) programs. Featuring Co-Founder Angel Rodriguez, along with AFJ Program Graduates, board members and long-standing supporters—including Hon. (ret.) Judge Michael Corriero, New York Community Trust Program Officer Roderick Jenkins, and Robin Hood Foundation’s CEO Richard (Rich) Buery, Jr.

The film highlights how AFJ has changed thousands of lives over four decades.  "The work of Avenues for Justice is helping to reimagine a criminal justice system beyond bars, making new starts possible for thousands of New Yorkers.  Your work delivers hope for those once caught in the grips of the criminal legal system, helping each person touched to achieve their full potential. At Robin Hood, our work is driven by a core value: we believe that where you start out in life should not define where you end up.  Every New Yorker deserves a fair shot.  Every day, the team at Avenues for Justice epitomizes this value. We are so proud of the partnership we share with you, and the legacy of transformation your work has left of thousands of New Yorkers in need." ~Robin Hood Foundation CEO Rich Buery, Jr.  

“Our intention with the documentary was to demonstrate the importance of coming together to support our communities,” says AFJ Executive Director Liz Frederick. “It is great to be recognized for the impact that AFJ has made over the past four decades, and to amplify our services through program initiatives like HIRE Up. I am honored to have shared history with AFJ for two decades, and I look forward to continuing to create change in NYC’s criminal justice system.”  

Narrated by AFJ’s Manager of Court Advocacy, Brian Stanley, the documentary takes the audiences on a journey through AFJ’s legacy and ongoing commitment to second chances. As we look forward to AFJ’s next 45 years, the legacy captured in this documentary will guide us as we continue to create a more just future for Avenues for Justice’s Participants, staff, and community.

“In writing the narration of the documentary and interviewing the Participants, my intent was to tell a story that demonstrated what happens when struggles end in strength, and what happens when we remove ego from our lives and dedicate our lives to true, sometimes unseen service. My hope is that people who watch this documentary will want to support Avenues for Justice for the next 45 years, but more so to strive to live like Angel Rodriguez and Robert Siegal, as servant leaders." ~Documentary Executive Producer Melva LaJoy Legrand

If you are interested in partnering with AFJ to facilitate workshops for our young people, please contact Chief Program Officer Gamal Willis at gwillis@avenuesforjustice.org.