Episode 146: The Oyate Group Alleviates Poverty
About the Podcast
The Oyate Group is a New York City-based 501c3 nonprofit organization with the mission to alleviate poverty. They aim to close existing gaps in services and resources by directing the city’s abundant resources to those in need. Today, you’ll hear from Jason Autar, their Chief Operating Officer.
About Jason Autar
Jason Autar is the Chief Operating Officer at the Oyate Group. Drawing on his wealth of government and nonprofit experience, he aims to create sustainable programming and provide access to critical resources that will positively impact his home borough of The Bronx.
Prior to joining the Oyate Group, Jason worked at CASES (Center for Alternative Incarceration and Employment Services), where he served as a court representative in Brooklyn and worked to provide young defendants with an alternative to incarceration – offering him a deeper understanding of the dire effects of mass incarceration on Black and brown communities. After several years at CASES, Jason moved to Goodwill Industries of Greater NY & Northern NJ, where he managed a job readiness program for young adults with special needs by partnering with employers and other social services agencies.
He then went on to the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development where he worked closely with nonprofit organizations serving New York City Housing Authority communities and supported initiatives that fostered sustainable partnerships with residents, community stakeholders, governmental organizations and grassroots community institutions.
Jason was born in the Berbice region of Guyana. His father immigrated to the United States in the early 80’s and then sponsored Jason and his mother in the late 80’s. Jason’s family was complete after his siblings joined him and his parents in the early 90’s. His family eventually settled in the Tremont section of The Bronx.
Jason holds a BA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice where he was heavily involved in on-campus groups, rallies and more, which led to his commitment to social justice.
Discussion Takeaways
- The Oyate Group is a New York City based, privately funded 5013c non-profit, with a mission to alleviate poverty by closing existing gaps in services and resources, by re-directing the city’s abundant resources to those in need.
- Oyate is a Lakota Sioux word that means “the people,” paying homage to the native tribes that once lived in New York City as well as embodying the vision of the Oyate Group to be people focused.
- The Oyate Group is most well known for their Bronx Rising Initiative, a trailblazing COVID vaccination campaign, which vaccinated over 40,000 New Yorkers in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this grassroots campaign, they countered vaccine hesitancy, provided vaccine education and promoted vaccination. They partnered with two health clinics, setting up mobile vaccine tours in public housing, community centers and senior housing, and eventually expanded their work to street corners and high pedestrian areas of the city, providing free vaccines and $100 gift cards to incentivize vaccination.
- As the pandemic wound down, the Oyate Group has transitioned their work to other initiatives.
- Poverty marginalizes communities, and at its core is a systemic and structural issue. The Oyate Group aims to continually show up in their communities and provide access to resources, filling the gaps where the government, other non-profits and other entities are not or cannot fill.
- The Oyate Group is committed to identifying community leaders and amplifying their voices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oyate Group partnered with tenant presidents and community leaders, and asked them “What do you need to sustain your communities?” and centered their work in response to the expressed needs.
- Three critical components to alleviate poverty are investing in governmental change, understanding that each community will have different solutions and approaching this work with empathy.
- Each community is different and needs its own solutions.
- To accomplish lasting change, communities need to be asked and listened too. Their voices cannot be diminished because they have a history of being marginalized or they do not have the funding or voting base to make themselves heard.
- The Oyate Group is empowering future leaders through their Beyond Rising Internship Program. In this program, young people work at local universities as well as participate in Oyate Group sponsored enrichment activities, such as resume building, financial workshops and community excursions. At the end of the program, they participate in a Stepping Up Ceremony to graduate. After the program, they receive continued mentorship. The program began in 2022, with an initial cohort of 20 students. For the 2023 summer, the program is expanding to a cohort of 60 students.
- A driving belief behind the Beyond Rising Internship Program is that exposure is a key pillar to form future leaders.
- Building bridges with elected officials is an important tool to enact community change and policy. The Oyate Group’s approach is to utilize this tool to amplify the voices of their community.
- Another key initiative by the Oyate Group to cultivate future leaders is the Brandon Hendricks Scholarship. Launched in 2020, in memory of Brandon Hendricks, a future leader tragically killed by gun violence, this scholarship provides $20,000 over 4 years to two high school graduates from The Bronx accepted into college. This scholarship aims to build sustainability by supporting scholarship winners through their entire college career with financial means and mentorship. To learn more about the scholarship, visit this site.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
- There is no one solution to alleviate poverty. Each community is different, and needs its own solutions. To accomplish lasting change, ask communities what they need and amplify their voices.
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