Celebrating 50 Years of Youth Power.
The Work Continues.
For 50 years, the Citywide Youth Coalition has been rooted in a simple but powerful belief: young people deserve more and most importantly have the power to fight for it.
CWYC began as an ad hoc group of youth-serving nonprofits coming together to challenge the material conditions facing young people in New Haven. It was a collective response to real needs, education, safety, opportunity and a recognition that no single organization could meet them alone.
But in 2015, something shifted...
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CWYC transformed into a youth-led, youth-run grassroots organizing organization placing power directly in the hands of young people. No longer just serving youth, we became a space where young people lead campaigns, shape strategy, and organize for the changes they want to see in their lives and communities.
Since then, CWYC has grown into a youth organizing anchor in Connecticut building a base of young leaders, advancing campaigns that impact schools and policy, and creating pathways for young people to step into their power.
This history is not just something we celebrate, it’s something we carry forward.
We honor the young people and organizers who built this foundation: those who pushed for change when it felt impossible, who challenged systems that were never designed for them, and who believed that collective action could transform their realities.
And still, the conditions that brought CWYC into existence remain.
Young people, especially working-class youth and Black and brown youth continue to navigate systems that limit their opportunities and undervalue their voices.
The fight for education justice, economic Justice , and dignity is far from over.
That’s why this moment is not just about reflection.
It’s about recommitment.
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The next 50 years will require us to go deeper, organizing with clarity, building stronger membership bases, and developing the next generation of leaders who are ready to fight for real material change.
CWYC has never been just about programs.
It’s about people power.
And that power lives in young people.
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So as we mark 50 years, we invite you to step into
what comes next and invest in young people's futures:
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Get involved in youth organizing
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Support youth-led campaigns
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Invest in grassroots leadership
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Stand with young people fighting for change
Because when young people organize, they don’t just imagine a better future—they build it.
And we’re just getting started.
CWYC THROUGH THE YEARS
