reimagine atl inc
This organization has already been registered
Someone in your organization has already registered and setup an account. would you like to join their team?Profile owner : a***n@r**********l.c*m
Mission Statement
RE:IMAGINE's mission began in 2014 when Atlanta native Susanna Spiccia founded our nonprofit organization. She envisioned bringing together youth from different backgrounds to learn from each other through the art of storytelling. Over time, the organization's vision, programs, and impact expanded to the comprehensive offerings now available. RE:IMAGINE is dedicated to training, equipping, and inspiring historically under-resourced youth in the Atlanta area to pursue self-expression and careers through film and digital media.
About This Cause
We create educational opportunities that build real-world skills and behaviors that lead to careers in the creative media industry. We employ a portfolio of programs that teach both soft and hard skills to create a bridge from first exposure to apprenticeship to actual job placement proactively reaching youth far from opportunity and empowering youth to tell their own stories through digital media and film as they follow pathways to sustainable employment. We primarily work with youth of color, ages 11- 24 (including justice-involved, LGBTQ+, and other at-risk communities). Some of our youths are neurodiverse, and we have found they thrive both in our programming environments and in creative industries. Many students reflect that Reimagine is one of the first and only places where they can be their full selves and that their full self is valued by adults. Since our founding ten years ago, Reimagine has reached more than 6,000 youth across the Metro Atlanta community and created more than 350 digital assets, including music videos, public service announcements, documentaries, songs, and podcasts. We have served students from more than 100 schools and provided relevant industry training to more than 500 high school audio visual teachers. Approach and Design Reimagine ATL provides positive alternatives to unhealthy behaviors and risk factors affecting youth by focusing on media arts education, mentorship, and career pathways to engage young people in constructive activities fostering creativity, self-expression, and life skills. We offer in school, afterschool, and out of school programs to help bring up academic and social / behavioral levels of 11-24-year-olds. For instance, our socio-emotional storytelling curriculum improves literacy skills while breaking down barriers to creativity and building trust between students and teachers to encourage youth to stay on course to graduate. By offering engaging programs and industry exposure, Reimagine helps students find motivation and purpose in their education, reducing absenteeism. Providing a sense of community and belonging through media and storytelling, we offer youth a positive and creative outlet instead of turning to destructive behavioral choices. Through partnerships and mentorships, we create a stable support system for transient or homeless students, helping them build resilience. By fostering self-worth and purpose-driven engagement in creative projects, we encourage youth to make informed and responsible choices. We provide transportation support assisting participants with public transit passes, ride-share options, or travel stipends to ensure accessibility. Our programs introduce youth to career pathways in film and digital media, keeping them engaged and away from substance abuse. By promoting self-expression and confidence through media storytelling, we encourage a positive self-image and mental well-being. Media literacy education helps youth understand digital responsibility, online etiquette, and the impact of cyberbullying. Reimagine provides mentorship, leadership opportunities, and skill-building experiences that divert youth from criminal activities. Our programs encourage critical thinking about media influence, teaching youth how to create content that promotes positive narratives. By guiding youth in active content creation rather than passive consumption, they help them develop healthier digital habits. Reimagine empowers youth with constructive alternatives to negative influences, promoting safety, justice, and long-term success. We also address mental health, depression, stress, trauma, and anxiety among youth and teens through creative expression, mentorship, and community engagement. Our programs provide a safe, supportive environment where young people can process emotions, build resilience, and develop coping skills. Creative expression is a healing tool. Through storytelling, film, and digital media production projects, youth are encouraged to share their personal experiences. These creative projects help youth process emotions and trauma in a constructive way. We practice journaling and scriptwriting allowing students to write their thoughts and experiences into stories which can be therapeutic and help them articulate emotions they might otherwise suppress. Reimagine connects youth with mentors who offer guidance, encouragement, and a listening ear. This environment offers a sense of belonging and reduces feelings of isolation. Group activities foster teamwork and a support system, which helps youth build positive relationships and overcome stress. Our programs often incorporate mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, meditation, and relaxation exercises to help youth manage stress and anxiety. We also offer workshops on mental health awareness educating youth about emotional well-being, self-care, and how to recognize signs of mental health struggles. Through career and leadership development, Reimagine empowers youth with purpose and confidence giving them a sense of direction and purpose which can reduce feelings of hopelessness and depression. We encourage positive self-identity. By allowing young people to take ownership of their stories and talents they gain confidence and resilience. Our staff and mentors are trained to recognize the effects of trauma and respond with empathy and support. By providing a creative outlet for processing trauma, our arts-based approach to healing helps youth explore and work through difficult emotions in a non-judgmental space. We also promote educational and career readiness for youth (ages 11-24) including those with disabilities. Through inclusive media arts programs, vocational training, and workforce development initiatives, our approach helps young people develop creative and technical skills while fostering an inclusive culture that prepares all individuals for success in education and the workplace. Our programs are designed to be accessible to youth with disabilities, offering adaptive tools, flexible learning methods, and one-on-one mentorship. Hands-on learning through film and digital storytelling allows youth to engage in education in ways that accommodate their needs. Working with schools and educators, we ensure youth with disabilities have access to career-focused media training. Training in editing, cinematography, storytelling, and social media management prepares individuals for creative industry jobs. Participants learn how to work independently, helping them build careers that match their abilities and interests. Personalized support in crafting resumes, preparing for job interviews, and developing workplace confidence also help us achieve our goal of setting youth up for success in their chosen careers. Youth work on real-world projects, gaining practical experience in communication, teamwork, and leadership. Our programs emphasize essential workplace etiquette, problem-solving, client interaction skills, Training in self-advocacy, time management, adaptability, and collaboration to ensure career success. We connect youth to internships and job opportunities in the media, entertainment, and technology industries. Our apprenticeship-style learning offers experiences with media professionals, allowing hands-on exposure in a supportive environment and specialized training and guidance to help youth transition from high school into careers or higher education. Using storytelling and digital media to shift narratives around disability inclusion and highlight success stories, we promote policies that encourage workplaces to hire and support employees with disabilities. Reimagine’s programs foster an inclusive workforce where all individuals can thrive. Hands-on training in film production, graphic design, social media management, and content creation prepare individuals for media and tech careers. Paid apprenticeships & internships in partnership with local companies provide earn-and-learn opportunities, allowing participants to train while earning income. Through entrepreneurship training, we teach individuals how to freelance, start businesses, and monetize creative skills for financial independence. Our employment readiness programs help returning citizens develop soft skills, interview techniques, and job application strategies. Through transitional skills training, we help youth build Life skills and financial literacy to ease the transition into society. Reimagine offers alternative education pathways connecting youth to GED programs, vocational schools, grants and scholarships. We also collaborate with organizations that provide housing assistance, re-entry services, and mentorship. Our technology & media certifications, like the Adobe Creative Suite for video editing and digital marketing, help participants become competitive in the job market. Our earn-and-learn model allows job seekers to receive stipends while training, ensuring they can meet basic needs, and our matched savings program offers additional financial wellness workshops (such as budgeting, investing, and career planning) and tools to build financial stability. Upon completion of Reimagine programming we connect participants to companies seeking skilled workers in digital media, technology, and creative industries. Through career training, mentorship, and wraparound support, Reimagine ensures that opportunity youth, returning citizens, and job seekers have the resources and skills needed to achieve self-sufficiency and long-term success in creative and digital industries. We partner with local and national organizations to ensure we meet the wrap-around supportive services needs of each participant. This includes VITA for tax services, United Way for greater access to employers and additional training through their networks, the Annie E. Casey foundation for career fairs, Frontline Housing for matched saving and financial wellness, local agencies for exposure tours, mentors, and internships, NAMI and PADV for mental wellness and domestic violence support, Nickelodeon for education on disability inclusion, and many more.