MBA Project, Inc.

Description

In an effort to cope with the formidable task of coming of age in toxic social environments, at-risk youth frequently turn to self-destructive patterns of acting out through gang-related violence, self-medicating with illegal drugs, or other "uncontrollable" behaviors to cope with the enormous stresses they face. These behaviors often result in youth being jailed where they are further acculturated to self-destructive patterns of survival, which can in turn lead to a life-long pattern of crime and incarceration. These destructive behaviors are often misguided expressions of an age appropriate search for vitality, autonomy, and a sense of self and belonging. Through the introduction of self-care practices such as meditation, yoga, and peer counseling, MBA programs address the root causes of this negative cycle and interrupt its momentum before it becomes hardened into habit.