Press Release: Project Legacy Expands to the Twin Cities Through New Collaboration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 20, 2020

St. Paul, Minn. — Project Legacy is proud to announce our work providing support to youth and young adults of color is expanding to the Twin Cities in an exciting collaboration with Project Restore MN, a social benefit corporation founded by Project Legacy alumni and staff member, Elijah Norris. 

Project Legacy and Project Restore MN will be partnering through shared mission and vision to support youth and young adults of color through hope, connections and opportunity. Project Restore Minnesota will be providing a 16-week program for American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS), delivered by Norris, Alexander Hines, former director of Diversity Programs at Winona State University and now with the University of Minnesota, Community Minded Educators (CME), and other leaders in the movement. 

The 16-week program will support students in the understanding of their self-identity, cultural awareness, and improve self-esteem, in addition to focusing on professional development and vocational opportunities.

Project Restore MN has garnered support from Ramsey County Workforce Solutions and Hennepin County Workforce Development, with over $500,000 already committed to support this work. Once programs begin, at least 50 young people will be served through both educational programs and wraparound support provided and subcontracted through Project Legacy. 

Through this partnership, Norris will be leading Project Restore MN, in addition to collaborating with Project Legacy in the Twin Cities.

Project Legacy’s Twin Cities programs will offer the organization’s signature wraparound services, case management and Healing Circles to participants in Project Restore MN’s programs, as well as young people currently being served by Project Legacy in the Metro area. 

“Our work is about removing barriers,” says Project Legacy Executive Director, Karen Edmonds. “Many of these barriers are the lack of resources. Our expansion into the Twin Cities will now allow us to provide concrete supports many young people are lacking, like rental assistance, tuition assistance, basic needs, and medical bills. But in addition to this, we are now able to build and sustain trusting relationships that span the course of many years until these young participants no longer need our support, and they are the ones who decide when that is. Until then, we will work alongside them through the process of life transformation, providing the wraparound care Project Legacy has always given.”

Project Legacy officially began providing services and Healing Circles in the Metro area on August 19th and will continue to work alongside Project Restore MN to engage young people across the Twin Cities while pursuing the overarching goal of making Minnesota a more equitable and just place for youth and young adults of color.

About Project Legacy: 
Project Legacy serves and supports youth and young adults of color* who are breaking cycles of generational poverty, racism, abuse and sexual exploitation or involvement in the commercial sex industry. Since 2006, we have served hundreds of youth through wraparound support including tuition assistance, mental health support and an alternative, positive peer group.

Our mission is to provide hope, connections and support to youth and young adults of color who may have experienced poverty, trauma, homelessness and sexual exploitation; or who are sex workers, refugees from war-torn countries, or any young person who has not had a positive support system; allowing them to heal from trauma, transform their lives, and become involved members of our community.

About Project Restore MN:
Project Restore MN is a youth-founded and youth-led private nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is to provide various services to American Descendants of Slavery (ADOS) organizations, communities and youth across Minnesota. 

The mission of Project Restore MN is to meet youth where they are and provide them with as much guidance and support they may need to be successful. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to solving the many disparities that exist. We have developed a model that will address all of the needs of our youth, while simultaneously investing in small minority-owned businesses to promote entrepreneurship and interdependence through our communities. Project Restore MN believes that through strategic partnerships and community engagement, it can change the narrative of the past four hundred years and reshape what the next four hundred years will be.

###

Press Contacts:

Karen Edmonds, Project Legacy
kedmonds@projectlegacymn.org

Elijah Norris, Project Restore Minnesota
elijah@projectrestoremn.com