KANSAS CITY, Mo — Youth Ambassadors was founded in 2010 as a resource for 20 teenagers out of church and school basements.
The nonprofit employs youth and empowers them with resources they can use to build their skill sets.
On Oct. 24, the group will officially move-in to their new brick-and-mortar location in Kansas City's Hyde Park neighborhood off Linwood Boulevard and Troost Avenue.
Before the grand opening, Youth Ambassadors is attracting the community's attention with a mural that publicly displays their mission.
"So much we hear about young people, it's difficult, it's tragic, it's sad," said Monique Johnston, executive director for Youth Ambassadors. "We want to flip the narrative."
The mural being painted by the nonprofit's former art instructor, Chico Sierra, intends to help revitalize the look of the neighborhood with several abandoned buildings tagged over time with graffiti.
Sierra has work displayed throughout the city, including at Union Station and in the West Bottoms.
His spray-painted art work at Youth Ambassadors contains inspirational images that reflect the change youth can make in their communities.
"Everyone has a connection with art," Sierra said. "It's a connection between themselves and the environment."
The mural in progress is a refreshing sight for neighbors who stopped and asked questions about the artwork.
"How the community looks matters to people who live there and drive by everyday," Johnston said.
They're showing youth from all over the city, who drive or walk by, what they can aspire to.
Inside the building, they will show them how to accomplish their dreams.
Youth Ambassadors started their fall programming this month. They had 100 teens on the wait list.
Applications will open again on their website in early December.
They will have a ribbon cutting and tour of their new space, followed by a ticketed empowerment celebration at their grand opening.
—
KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including neighborhoods in Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
