WHO ARE WE?

Elementz mission is to engage and inspire youth, unleashing creativity and respect, engaging them in performance, community development and leadership through the values of Hip Hop culture.

ARE YOU A 503(c)(3) DESIGNATED ORGANIZATION?

Yes, we received this designation from the IRS in November 2003. Our tax exemption letter is available upon request.

990 Annual Report?

To see a copy of our 990 Annual Report, go to www.guidestar.org

HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO ELEMENTZ?

We have a pretty consistent average of 40-45 young people aged 14-24 coming to our center every night we are open (Monday through Thursdays from 2:30-9:00 pm).

WHAT IS YOUR TARGET CONSTITUENCY?

We work with youth who gather “downtown” – the Over-the-Rhine/West End area. Though this group is primarily low-income African Americans, many young people in the Hip Hop scene from different parts of Cincinnati and other backgrounds commute to Elementz because of their interest in the programs we offer and the family-like atmosphere. We of course welcome this diversity.

HOW DO YOU GET INPUT FROM YOUTH?

Initially we surveyed over 1000 young people to decide what our work should be based on, over 500 youth to pick the name of our center, and recently we completed nearly 100 member surveys for our yearly review. We also have a leadership committee that is composed of some of Elementz most highly engaged youth and this committee gives our youth a forum to voice their opinions and be involved in the decision making at Elementz.

DID YOU MODEL YOUR PROJECT AFTER OTHERS?

From the very beginning we did considerable national research to see what is working with youth in similar demographic populations. Specifically, we have modeled Elementz after a place in Denver, Colorado called The Spot, founded in 1991. The Spot’s Executive Director made a consulting visit to Cincinnati upon our invitation in June of 2003, then two of our members went to Denver in September 2003 to attend a weekend workshop titled “Starting Your Own Adolescent-Focused Youth Center.” We also have learned a lot about using music to engage and encourage youth through the non profit program called S.T.A.R.S located in Columbus, Oh (www.starscolumbus.org). Through ongoing contact with The Spot and S.T.A.R.S we are confident that we can create a place that will provide young people what they need into the next decade.

WHAT IS THE NEED YOU ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS?

Young people ages 14-24 need more youth-oriented places to go. They need safe and empowering places with access to resources relevant to their interests and talents. Hip Hop is the voice of young people today. Hip Hop has been the biggest selling musical genre since 2000, and the overall culture continues to permeate everything that youth do – from their fashion to their speech. Elementz is a place where young people and their ideas are respected. Youth have input and gain ownership in the space. Young people need somewhere like Elementz.

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER THIS NEED?

We discovered this need because we are young people and we know what we need. Just to be sure, we talked with our friends and our friends’ friends. We surveyed over a thousand youth, set up speaking engagements at schools, and met with others working with youth in Over-the-Rhine and the West End. We know there is a need for a Hip Hop based youth center because we asked youth what they wanted and then truly listened.

DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS?

We have strong relationships with several local organizations. We have worked with organizations such as the YMCA,  Cincinnati Hip Hop Congress, CeaseFire, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra & Symphony, OTR Fresh, the Urban League, as well as local schools and Colleges.

WHAT IS YOUR LONG TERM VISION?

To be a place that inspires and teach creativity to Teens, using Hip Hop culture, arts and other urban-based media.  We also want to insire and motivate young adults to become involved professionally in Hip Hop art.