About

Vision

The vision of Gateways for Incarcerated Youth (Gateways) is to break the cycle of incarceration, recidivism, and community violence.  By utilizing methods of popular education, self-determination and cultural identity, Gateways envisions a world that values youth, their development and contributions as future members of society.

Mission 

The mission of Gateways is to encourage incarcerated youth to achieve self-determination through youth-driven leadership in a collaborative learning environment. Gateways brings together people of different backgrounds to offer and exchange quality educational opportunities and community involvement as an alternative to incarceration.

Values

Because Gateways recognizes the disproportionate rates of economic and racial injustices towards disadvantaged populations, we subscribe to the following values:

  1. Youth Development: We believe that acquiring genuine pro-social, cognitive, and emotional identities prepare incarcerated youth to successfully re-enter  society. 
  2. Cultural Awareness: We believe that individual and group cultural awareness is a means to counteract and prevent violence in the community.
  3. Education: We believe that developing critical thinking is essential to understanding oneself and one’s environment. 
  4. Academic Success: We believe that access to and investment in education, especially higher education, provides alternatives during and post incarceration.
  5. Community Collaboration: We believe that our success is built upon the awareness, strength, resources and support of our community and its ability to work together. 
  6. Compassion: We believe that to have a genuine impact on people, we must exemplify positive and healthy behaviors.

Gateways continues to grow and work with hundreds of incarcerated youth, college students and community members alike.

 

For more information, check out our website: Gateways.evergreen.edu