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GIVING BLACK YOUTH THE TOOLS THEY NEEDCulturally specific programs in Portlandand Eugene have been shown to begood methods for reducing Black youthunemployment. They aim to give Black youththe tools they need to enter the workforcewith knowledge, confidence and establishednetworks.Before entering the Urban League ofPortland’s Youth Employment SummerProgram, Sabrina Clark was a motivatedand hard-working student. However, shestruggled with time management andorganization, and she didn’t have a careerpath in mind.Sabrina says, “The Urban League YouthProgram definitely helped me take schoolmore seriously. Before the program, I knewI wanted to go to college, but I didn’t haveas much determination. I didn’t have muchmotivation to look for my college options untilI got into the program. Then I started to see;I saw my options. I figured out a path that Iwanted to take, and I pursued that path.”100% of 2014Young Adult EmploymentSummer Program graduatesgained employment either during theprogram or within weeks of completing it.Sabrina is starting her first year at PortlandCommunity College, where she plans to studychild psychology and education. She recentlyfinished her first job—a summer job at theTrailblazers Boys and Girls Club.57