“FOSTERING ENVIRONMENTS for our YOUTH to EXPLORE, DEVELOP, and THRIVE!”

“Hello, and welcome to The Urban Leadership Lab™!  My name is T.J. Breeden, and I’m the Founder & Executive Direct of eMerging Entrepreneurs, Inc.; a non-profit organization that provides Startup Services to military, minority, and socially disadvantaged communities.  On behalf of our sponsors and planning committee, I would like to thank you for your interest in our youth development program!”  

“We created this platform as a vehicle for intellectual and social exploration… a place to assemble young people in an effort to advance their professional, community, and educational interests. Thus, The Urban Leadership Lab™ is a “social incubator;” providing our youth with access to the kinds of resources that will advance their capacity to do (and become) their best!  Our program brings together non-profits, community & faith leaders, industry executives, university personnel, and volunteers to introduce creative ways of engaging our community’s under-served youth.  Just as our non-profit organization uses Entrepreneurship as a pathway for community development, our lab aim to surround young people with startup tools, leadership training, and community service opportunities; all in an effort to help our teens unlock the full range of their potential!  We’ve not only joined the White House’s “Computer Science for All” campaign as one of its 2016 service organizations, but have also joined forces with The Emily Krzyzewski Center The First Lego League, The LEGO Foundation, and others to offer a productive & safe environment for kids to explore their creativity. Programs include:

1. STEM programs, ranging from a LEGO robotics teams to an online Coding Academy;
2. An online & classroom-style entrepreneurship curriculum that introduces young people to the core functions of launching a business or social enterprise;
3. Group achievement, mentorship, and community service programs; and
4. Monthly learning labs, designed to help our young people fully envision themselves in positions of leadership!”

“The focus of this project (like others in our platform) is to support the needs of local communities that have suffered (and in many cases continue to suffer) disproportionately in terms of access to economic opportunity.  While I’m honored to have received such a strong response to efforts made in support our veterans programs (having received the White House’s “Champions of Change” award for our commitments to aid transitioning vets and military spouses), our staff is also committed to the work of uplifting our youth; many of which (not unlike myself as a teen) may find themselves at a point where they are struggling to identify and define the broadness of their own intellectual potential. The term ‘lab’ is synonymous with environments that foster groundbreaking advancements… from a social & community perspective, our organization hopes to achieve just that!”  

— T.J. Breeden, Founder & Executive Director of eMerging Entrepreneurs, Inc.