Events
The Future is Now Campaign
For “youth at risk,” the rates of high school dropouts, teen pregnancy and STDs all remain high. Every relationship, encounter and teachable moment will determine their future.
Future Is Now is the first-ever, youth-led initiative designed to capture the pulse of youth at risk in metro Atlanta—a campaign surveying their dreams, barriers and needs—identifying relationships, resources and opportunities needed NOW to make a difference.
Encourage Others—The Future Is Now
View the Future Is Now video, and share it with your friends!
A Campaign about Listening
In summer 2009, Future Foundation youth surveyed hundreds of their peers—at summer camps, community centers, transit stations and malls. With Emory University, they produced their first report— Future Is Now: Youth At Risk Speak Out. They found youth:
- Wearing graduation rings, not Bling! Bling!
- Looking inward, not outward, to make their dreams come true.
- Seeing education, personal and peer empowerment as key to overcoming barriers.
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- Envisioning positive outlooks for their futures.
Granting Wishes for a Promising Future
The campaign didn’t end there. Shareef Abdur-Rahim and his “Wish Granters” embarked on a tour throughout metro Atlanta—surprising select respondents and fulfilling their one wish to help them realize a more promising future. See us on Good Day Atlanta, then view the Future is Now Wish List to help make a youth's dreams come true.
We wish to thank those who helped make this possible: Hip Hop entertainer Big Boi’s Big Kidz Foundation; Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves; Cleveland Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith; NBA TV sportscaster Steve Smith; Atlanta City Councilman H. Lamar Willis.
