A Letter From Our Directors
Dear friends of DVULI,
The year 2021 was a year of bouncing back for DVULI. Our five cohorts that began as the class of 2020 were temporarily labeled the "COVID-cohort" until they could resume in-person training in 2021. The standard 15-month training became a 27-month learning journey for urban youth leaders from Denver, Chicago, Cincinnati, Newark, and Oakland/San Francisco Bay. It was amazing to see them graduate from the training, commit to youth ministry, and support each other for the long term.
After 23 years of doing the work of investing in the development of urban youth leaders, our team couldn't be more excited about what the future holds as we reflect on DVULI's history. We've witnessed new nonprofit organizations launched by our alumni in cities of various sizes serving both urban youth and youth leaders. We have engaged in healthy partnerships that have expanded our impact on emerging faith leaders' lives. We have contributed to key conversations that have affirmed and validated the role of an urban youth leader as a credible profession.
Looking ahead, we are re-envisioning the deliverables of DVULI and how to better engage the urban youth worker with relevant skills, tools, and resources. We believe our brand of training, caring, and growing leaders can achieve so much more as long as we remain dialed into the needs and challenges urban youth leaders face today.
Our goal is to continue asking questions, seeking feedback, and inviting others to the synergy of empowering leaders and creating safe spaces for healthy and sustainable transformation. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our trustees and the prayers and cheers from countless stakeholders across the nation.
Thanks for helping us bounce back and leap ahead. With faith, we continue to "trust the process!"
Eileen, Ron, and Gerald
LEARN MORE about DVULI.
Urban Youth Worker IMPACT
Program Stats as of 2021
- expanded training to 37 US cities
- increased alumni population to 1,129
- 106 cohorts have graduated
- reached an estimated 60K second and third-generation youth workers
READ MORE about program impact results.
Alumni Testimonials
Minneapolis
Korey "X-Ross" Dean (Twin Cities 2018)
Executive Director, Man Up Club
"Habakkuk 2:2 tells us not only to write the vision but to make it plain. It was not until I attended DVULI that I was pushed to make the vision plain, clear, and concise."
Often in life, we accept assignments and opportunities because we simply want to give ourselves the best chance of success without being fully confident in the steps we are taking. DVULI has been an endless resource for personal and professional development, a well of urban knowledge and wisdom that never runs dry. There were so many golden nuggets given to me on my first day of orientation, throughout the entire course, immediately upon graduating, and many years after graduating to develop my ministry."
READ MORE about Korey.
Los Angeles
Ana Jara (Los Angeles 2010)
Youth and Family Services Support Coordinator, Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD)
At NC2, systems thinking spoke to my soul. It helped me make the decision to attend grad school and to study policy. It is largely what I learned in DVULI that focused my sights on the Juvenile Diversion Program and all of the system work we are doing here locally.”
READ MORE about Ana.
Houston
Sharee Johnson (Houston 2010)
Pastor of Congregational Ministries, The Luke Church
Personal health is so important to be fit to do His work. So I made radical changes by losing weight, including an exercise plan and eating better. I also created healthy boundaries for rest and relaxation."
I have been deeply impacted by the strength of DVULI's network. I've met some amazing brothers and sisters in Christ who have been pillars of strength and examples to me over the years. The majority of the long-lasting relationships formed during my cohort year in DVULI were with my cohort in Houston."
READ MORE about Sharee.
Collaboration
National Partnership
DVULI and UWYI elevated their longstanding partnership of almost two decades to launch Fuel Networks, a 10-city pilot of a network of urban youth leaders to support, empower, and retool youth workers with enhanced skills, resources, and a more substantial base of community where they minister. DVULI and UYWI both hope to encourage, serve, and support existing networks of youth leaders and potentially build new networks across the nation where none exist.
Tommy Nixon, Executive Director UYWI
I am deeply excited about our (UYWI's) partnership with DVULI and Fuel Network. This partnership is such a picture of the kingdom of God, and I believe we will be more impactful together in seeing healthy urban leaders who have the training and resources to lead young people to Christ." -Tommy Nixon
In 2021, Houston-based youth pastor, Will Cumby, hit the ground running as National Director of Fuel Networks. His role is to help guide each city's network leadership team.
Will Cumby, National Director of Fuel Networks
I love the potential for where this could go," exclaimed Cumby. "We will see greater synergy among cities across the nation and an opportunity for collaborative programming that is necessary in the urban community. I'm super excited about helping leaders build leaders and to share the gift that God has given me on this new and exciting platform." -Will Cumby
READ MORE about Fuel Networks.
Partner Testimonial Spotlight
Brian Dye, Executive Director of Legacy Disciple
DVULI continues to be a faithful partner of Legacy Disciple in equipping urban disciple-makers for Christ. Through finances and relationships, it is great to know there are kingdom-minded organizations such as DVULI that want to support healthy leaders for the urban context."
This spring, Legacy Disciple hosted a series of virtual training sessions for hundreds of young adults from across the country. Oscar Benavides presented on Systems Thinking with a focus on Arbinger Institute's material on peaceful relationships. This was such a needed topic in the midst of a growing divide in our world that affects relationships both near and far. Legacy Disciple is indebted to the influence of DVULI and looks forward to continued partnership.
MEET Brian.
Alumni Impact News I
Dallas/NYC/Oakland/San Diego
DVULI Alumni Collaborate on Art Initiative for National Youth Impact
Thrive Collective in NYC, led by DVULI alum Jeremy Del Rio (NYC 2010), launched School Partners USA, a pilot program designed to equip leaders to partner with public schools to catalyze and lead transformational school partnerships locally.
School Partners USA celebrates and accelerates transformational school partnerships that improve educational and life outcomes for students. Designed to equip leaders to initiate partnerships as a vehicle for awareness, volunteerism, and wrap-around supports necessary for sustainable change, the goal is for all students and schools to thrive–without exception or condition.
The School Partners USA pilot program debuted with three cohorts in Dallas, Oakland, and San Diego in collaboration with local DVULI alumni in each region including Tara Bollinger (Dallas 2019), Kekoa Hubbard (Oakland/SF Bay Area 2021), and Carlo Nicasio (San Diego 2008).
LEARN MORE about School Partners USA.
Alumni Impact News II
Seattle-Tacoma
Sean Goode (Seattle-Tacoma 2012) on National Talk Show
In May of 2021, Seattle non-profit CHOOSE 180 was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show for making a big change by keeping young people out of prison. The program aims to help troubled youth turn their lives around. Executive Director, Sean Goode, shares how his own experiences inspired him to create opportunities for kids before they get caught up in the court system.
Kelly loves what Sean's program is doing and donated $10,000 to the non-profit.
READ MORE about CHOOSE 180.
What's New at DVULI?
Credits:
Created with images by Cody Williams - "The Magical Blue Bridge at dusk" • f11photo - "Kuala Lumper skyline at twilight" • Cory - "Ariel cityscape view of downtown Houston Texas with park in foreground" • spiritofamerica - "JANUARY 20, 2019, LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - California 110 South leads to downtown Los Angeles with streaked car lights at sunset" • Gajus - "Male and female hands joining two matching puzzle pieces together"