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HISTORY & OVERVIEW
The mission of Young People In Action International (YPA) is to provide young people, with intensive
leadership development training, directives and initiatives; in an effort to empower them to focus on self improvement; to
be positive role models; peer advocates and community leaders.
YPA was founded on February 10, 1984, by 17 year old,
formally Troy A. Taylor, now Asad Z. Shabazz. Shabazz, who was an upbeat, outgoing and well liked young man, was also very
troubled. He battled low self esteem, alcohol & drug addiction, violence and homelessness. He was a youth that no one would
have figured was involved in these type of behaviors. Shabazz was a bright student and a very involved community activist.
However, at night, he turned into a totally different person. As he fought his addictions and negative behavior, he decided
that if he was going to live a productive life, he would have to change.
Being motivated and driven by hard times
and the realization of the death he was living, Shabazz took control of his destiny and set out on a journey to learn the
knowledge of Self, the Creator and leadership development. These beliefs produced in him a desire to be the best that he
could be and became the fuel for his idea to create YPA.
Young People In Action is a very unique concept. It is one,
out of a few youth organizations, that is primarily run by its members. In YPA’s case, the youth are truly the leadership.
It is also unique, in that, it is a formally structured organization, but can be better understood as a "leadership movement
of young people."
$ a movement made up of youth who desire to grow and to make a change in themselves and their
surroundings.
$ a movement of positive youth role models who help one another to maintain a positive outlook.
$ a
movement of peer on peer support, comradery, and networking.
$ a movement which stresses that young people are people
too. That their issues and concerns must be given attention and their methods of solving broad-base community issues must
be taken into consideration when attempting to bring about social change.
$ a movement which is facilitated through
an organized structure of competence building training, exercises and activities.
$ a movement which is designed to
ultimately transform leadership development into a socially embraced discipline, which is excepted and promoted by youth as
the adequate way for them to reach their full potential.
Today, after more than 23 years of service and dedication
to youth leadership development, YPA is attempting to spread this movement through developing Leadership Council chapters
all over the world. With the help of dedicated adults who have a desire to see young people as leaders, we can and will continue
this movement.
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