Bringing Hope to Life: (A memoir) Creating pathways out of poverty for youth through the beloved YouthBuild community

In Bringing Hope to Life, Stonemanbeautifully weaves together the story of YouthBuild’s growth and success over 45 years and her own story of moving from Harvard to Harlem as a young woman in the Civil Rights movement, being schooled and broadened through deep cross-racial relationships, learning to navigate government to obtain lasting funding, building a dynamic national movement, and enlisting the help of thousands of allies in all sectors to create a national treasure that is YouthBuild.This fascinating story is for anyone interested in how to scale up a good idea for social justice into a hugely impactful program. Stoneman shares how to navigate across the tricky waters of class and race; how to generate bi-partisan political support for federal funding to diminish poverty and increase opportunity; how to handle inevitable roadblocks and disappointments along the road, while also caring for family; and how to sustain a large and diverse movement with love and integrity at the center. It is a true story, shared to inspire the younger generation to trust your judgement and go for the prize. It includes many key lessons for change makers.It is the story of creating YouthBuild, a unique and inspiring national program that has allowed over 200,000 young people from low-income backgrounds in the USA to rebuild their communities and their lives, while building over 35,000 units of affordable housing for low-income and homeless neighbors. Stoneman is the wise and savvy veteran social entrepreneur who joined with young people to imagine and shepherd the development of YouthBuild from one small program in East Harlem, NY, to a network of 250 programs in the US supported by an annual $100 million federal appropriation. The YouthBuild programs are led by hundreds of local directors and staff loyal to the love and opportunity embedded in the YouthBuild way. They are a welcoming home for thousands of out-of-school youth who become proud, productive, tax paying citizens and community leaders.Her work has been honored by countless national awards, including the MacArthur genius Fellowship and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, but this personal story has not previously been told. Enjoy, learn, and be inspired to take powerful action of your own by Bringing Hope to Life! Read more