This summer, the St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA) gave a group of young people more than a seasonal paycheck. Through the newly launched S.E.E.D.S. Youth Workforce & Leadership Academy, youth ages 15–18 spent eight weeks gaining work experience, developing leadership skills, exploring wellness, and building a stronger vision for their futures.
S.E.E.D.S.—Skills, Experience, Empowerment, Development, and Success—was created in collaboration with Safe Streets Safe Neighborhoods to provide meaningful workforce and leadership opportunities for young people personally impacted by gun violence.
Participants worked at assigned sites throughout the summer, gaining firsthand experience with communication, teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and workplace expectations. One day each week, however, the focus shifted from the job to the individual through the S.E.E.D.S. Leadership Academy.
Grounded in the Wheel of Life framework, the Academy encouraged participants to examine the different areas of their lives—including education, career, relationships, health, financial stability, personal growth, and emotional well-being—and consider how intentional choices can shape a more balanced and fulfilling future.
The weekly sessions brought community leaders and organizations together to help participants explore those connections.
St. Louis native Isaac Keys, known for his role as “Diamond” in STARZ’s Power Book IV: Force, emphasized the importance of building a community of people who believe in and support your future. Beauty Supply Refresh connected personal care, confidence, and presentation to workforce readiness, while Diamond Divas Empowerment Foundation led conversations about healthy relationships and positive support systems.
One of the program’s most impactful experiences came through a partnership with City Faces, led by artist and educator Bob Hansman. Participants explored trauma, mental health, and creative expression, ultimately transforming their thoughts and experiences into a visual mental health and wellness campaign.
The campaign’s imagery is a composite depiction of experiences and circumstances familiar to them and their communities. Each young person contributed to the final design, which contrasts the perils of unhealthy living with the promise of positive mental health, wellness, and a healthier future.
They officially launched their campaign at the Black Male Suicide Awareness Initiative press conference, presented by the Organization for Black Struggle at the Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being, giving the young leaders an opportunity to share their work and amplify their vision for healthier futures.
The first co-hort concluded with an Intergenerational Mixer in partnership with SLHA’s Circle of Friends. Over food, games, gifts, and meaningful conversations, participants and older residents exchanged stories and wisdom across generations.
The celebration ended with one final surprise: a special recognition ceremony honoring the S.E.E.D.S. participants for their dedication, growth, and accomplishments throughout the summer.
“S.E.E.D.S. was never just about providing young people with a summer job,” said SLHA Executive Director Latasha Barnes. “It was about creating an environment where they could learn, grow, be heard, and begin to see a future that they can actively shape. We wanted them to leave this experience knowing that the possibilities are endless.”
For SLHA, the conclusion of the eight-week program marks the beginning of something much bigger. By combining employment with mentorship, leadership development, wellness, creative expression, and community connection, S.E.E.D.S. invested in the whole young person—and in the future of St. Louis.
The summer may be over, but the S.E.E.D.S. have only just begun to grow.