• Young People In Action was established on February 10, 1984, by Troy A. Taylor, later known as Asad Z. Shabazz, to commemorate his 17th birthday. Facing homelessness at the time, he initiated YPA at the Driving Park Library on the Southeast side of Columbus, Ohio, marking a memorable beginning. The first person he reached out to for assistance on this endeavor was Stephany Ivory, a close friend, who helped him in advancing leadership, training, ideas, and a movement dedicated to the well-being of black and brown youth. In less than six months YPA had over 500 members.
• Worked side-by-side with John Coates, to bring youth together to support Rev. Jesse Jackson, on his campaign for the Presidency of The United States Of America.

• YPA organized one of, if not the largest gang summit, with more than 550 rival gang members, (or what we call street organizations) showing up, and Mayor Dana “Buck” Reinhardt, was there to greet them. The Mayor was so disrespectful as he challenged the youth by saying that if they did not want to follow the plan that he had laid out for them, then he had more guns than they did. The actions and words of the Mayor were fuel for the fire burning in YPA, to never stop this leadership movement.
• YPA officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization on September 26, 1985

• YPA started its first lecture series on leadership for college campuses at Ohio State University through black Sororities and fraternities. After this time YPA Did the same for Wilbur Forest University and Central State University.

• YPA Began a series of fundraisers starting with a youth gospel concert, followed by a Michael Jackson and a break dance contest at the Eastside YMCA

• YPA Founder gunned down in the Streets by a 14 year old boy who he was trying to help, sparking a national tour against youth violence, gangs and drug activity.

• Participated in an international conference in Montréal Canada and Collaborated with settlement houses to begin a serious dialog centered around aids and the teen population.

• Began offering professional home based family services, counseling and consulting for Child Protection Agencies.
• Developed youth leadership training sessions in recreation centers.

• Implemented the YPA Summer Leadership Camps, to include high ropes and ground initiatives, team building, critical thinking, relationship building, etc.

• YPA youth travel to Tanzania for 30 days on a mission and camping safari.

• YPA Manual Chapter Manual Developed
• Five Core Disciplines Of Leadership Training Manual Developed
• Alliance for cooperative justice funding award to address ATOD prevention and intervention programs.
• Filed for 501 C3 status.

• Obtained 501 C3 status from IRS.

• Participated in the Million Man March.
• Received Funding from the United Way and The Columbus Foundation for Leadership Development in Schools and The Summer Leadership Camps.

• Participated in the Stand For Children event in Washington, DC. We represented YPA with over 300 youth from Columbus, Baltimore and Washington DC.
• Organized and participated in Urban Scouting with Boy Scouts of America, where we helped to register 5,000 urban scouts and formed a Boy Scouts Explorer Post.
• Developed the first of many screening process for candidates running for public office.

• Held press conference on January 9th in Chicago Illinois to announce YPA’s move to   become an international organization.  With our first international Chapter to open in Sierra Leone West Africa.
• Started organizational effort for the Million Youth March.
• Received funding from Main Street Association for an employment readiness and training program we entitled, “get a job-keep a job”, a spin-off of a summer initiative in theater that the founder participated in when he was 14 years old and loosely based on the 1977 comedy-crime movie “A Piece of the Action”, starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby.
• Worked with Government and business officials in US, UK and Guinea to help our     members and their families in Sierra Leone to find safe refuge from the war.
• Columbus city council resolution of expression
• Citation of recognition mayor Gregory Lashutka

• Organized the Million Youth March/Movement-Atlanta, GA.
• Consulted to help create the New Light Leadership Coalition Baltimore, Md. And provided training for them annually for the next 6 years.

• As a spinoff of the Million Youth Movement, YPA helped to establish the Global Youth Movement. We are partners till this day.
• YPA travels to Barbados.

• Implemented a series of Y2K survival and leadership training courses for youth.

• YPA’s first of many travels to Puerto Rico, in an effort to build a training center for the development of true leadership for young people.

• Established dialog and training sessions with youth from Somalia and America, due to the great influx of  Somali’s in Minnesota, Ohio and Toronto.

• Began Lecture series “Identifying-Confronting and Addressing the Ism’s”, on College campuses and community agencies. Commencing at Ohio Ste University-Newark.

• Opened YPA as a full service youth leadership organization where we offer:
• The Development of YPA Chapters:
  • Leadership Conferences
  • Leadership Camps in Puerto Rico and other sites
  • High School Student Council Development
  • Youth & Staff Development Consulting Solutions
  • Specialized & Customized Training Workshops
  • The Creation of Full Service YPA Offices World Wide and Certifying Groups & Individuals as YPA Affiliates and Facilitators.

• Sponsored groups of young men to attend the Million Man March

• Developed the “steps to effective mentorships” concept, where by parents link their children with local business professionals, sports figures, zoos, museums, or whatever the youth is interested in, as a way for them to be placed in an environment  relative to certain disciplines.
• Attended the Stand for Children event in Washington DC with over 300 participants from YPA Columbus, Baltimore and Washington DC.

• Facilitated leadership training with 5 HBCU’s and their students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
• Sponsored a group of young people to attend one of the series of Hip-Hop Summits in Detroit Michigan.

• Entered into negotiations with Boy Scouts of America and The HBCU Foundation, in an effort to collaborate with them to help YPA open new Chapters around the country.
• YPA’s “shoes for Africa” campaign,  with the kick off in Sierra Leone.

• Kicked off 10 year campaign to open YPA Chapters on College Campuses and in other communities and institutions.
• Formalized a professional MOU with Boy Scouts Venturing and The HBCU Foundation.
• Began efforts to provide leadership training solutions and ATOD services in Newark, New Jersey.
• Created the concept we call “who lives in your community”. A comprehensive strategy to galvanize people resources in local communities to action. The simple details are to find out who’s-who and what they have to offer. Then link them with local schools, community centers and/or other community based organizations to offer their special set of skills and hobbies to young people and others in the community for free or at very low cost.

• Officially moved training camp operations to Puerto Rico.
• Developed an annual leadership contest where students from college campuses enter the contest and have an opportunity to win a week-long, all-expense paid leadership training in Puerto Rico. Students are then responsible for taking YPA back to their campus and starting a chapter. (still in process)
• Provided training for Essex County Court staff along with other community organizations and government officials.
• YPA Official opens offices in Newark NJ and Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico.

• Officially moved training camp operations to Puerto Rico.
• Developed annual leadership contest where student from college campuses enter into the contest and have an opportunity to win a week long, all-expense paid leadership training in Puerto Rico. Students are then responsible for taking YPA back to their campus and staring a chapter. (still in process)
• Provided training for Essex County Court staff along with other community organizations and government officials.
• YPA Official opens offices in Newark NJ and Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico.

Young People In Action was founded to support and uplift youth through education, leadership, and community engagement.

Young People In Action was founded to support and uplift youth through education, leadership, and community engagement.

Young People In Action was founded to support and uplift youth through education, leadership, and community engagement.