This Independence Day, in the midst of an internal war on our democracy and many wars and genocides across the world that Americans could stop or at least influence, what does being an American mean to you?

Whether you are a New American, an exchange student, going through immigration, or born and raised here...we all have different experiences that define what we think it means to be American. Our youth leaders at MY Leaders Lab invite you to join us in participating in the first event under our new "MY Community Conversation Series" at the Hilltop Youth Empowerment Center this Thursday, July 4th from 12-2 PM.

Share your perspectives, listen to others, and engage in meaningful conversations about identity, values, and culture. This in-person event aims to foster understanding and unity within our diverse community. Let's celebrate the beauty of our differences and explore what unites us as Americans. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with others and reflect on what being American means to you!

JULY 27 - Youth For Change Summit

JULY 30 - Hilltop Youth Summer League U8 & U10 Final Games & Award Ceremony 

JULY 31 - Hilltop Youth Summer League U12 & U15 Final Games & Award Ceremony 

AUGUST 17 - Hilltop Youth Rise Back to School Festival 

MY Leaders Lab Participates in the Guns D.O.W.N Community Summit

Youth Discuss How to End Gun Violence in Columbus

MY Leaders Lab youth leaders attended Think Make Live Youth's Guns D.O.W.N Community Summit where they gave speeches discussing the impact gun violence has on their community and how they can each stop gun violence in Columbus. Students also listened to a spoken word performance and participated in an open community discussion on ending gun violence. Feedback of the event will be provided to the Mayor of Columbus, Elected Officials, and City Leaders. This was an excellent opportunity for our youth leaders to advocate for the safety of their community in front of other organizations and elected officials. We are so proud of how well they spoke up and the confidence they portray in themselves. Be sure to attend MY Leaders Lab's July 4th event (details at the top of the newsletter and in the link below) to engage with these amazing youth!

MY Summer Expedition Updates!

Students Visit Several Ohio Landmarks

The MY Summer Expedition program is entering its 4th week and students have been busy visiting multiple Ohio landmarks and parks and learning about Ohio's geography and wildlife. Students are also learning about Respect - respecting their leaders, other students, themselves, the building and supplies. Every child is served two free hot meals every day from MY Community Cafe.

Students have the opportunity to earn "Quest Dollars" based on their behavior throughout the week and get to spend their earned cash at the "Quest Store" to buy prizes at the end of the week. Read the MY Summer Expedition newsletters linked below for more of what our students have been up to!

MY Pathways High School Students Clean Up Trash Around Youth Center

MY Pathways High school students cleaned up the trash around our center! They chose on their own for this to be their community service project of the week and gathered supplies and chose the area. We are so proud of our students and the way they take care of their community, surroundings and environment!

Check out our official Hilltop Soccer Summer League shirts!🔥🥵

Special Shoutout To Our Sponsors!

This year's Hilltop Youth Soccer Summer League is a smashing success and none of it would have been possible without the help of our generous sponsors! Our top grant donors and sponsors include the Ohio Department of Education, AdamH Board of Franklin County, and Pomante Contractors. We are immensely grateful to each of our sponsors for enabling us to provide our youth with a safe and productive summer soccer experience! Please donate to help us continue these programs and to help in making the Issa Jeylani Recreational Center a reality so all youth always have a safe place to play! 

MY Deah's Warehouse:

12 Locations In Columbus To Drop Off Donations – Truck Pick-Up Available For Large Donations

We Are Looking For More Locations

You can now drop off your donations of new and gently used clothes, shoes, books, toys and other small non-breakable items in a donation box near you. These locations include: 

   • Ahlul Bayt Society – 2580 W. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH 43235
   • Bethel International United Methodist Church – 1220 Bethel Rd. Columbus, OH 43220
   • Covenant Baptist Church – 5100 Dierker Rd. Columbus, OH 43220
   • Heritage Christian Church – 7413 Maxtown Rd. Westerville, OH 43082
   • MAS Youth Center – 4615 Northtowne Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229
   • Masjid Nimrah – 4501 Refugee Rd. Columbus, OH 43232
   • MY Deah's Warehouse – 4004 Fondorf Dr. Columbus, OH 43228. (Business Hours Only)
   • Noor Islamic Cultural Center – 5001 Wilcox Rd. Dublin, OH 43016
   • Omar Ibn El-Khattab Masjid – 580 Riverview Dr. Columbus, OH 43202
   • The Destiny Center – 1561 Old Leonard Ave. Columbus, OH 43219
   • The First Congregational Church – 444 E. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43215
   • Turkish American Society of Ohio (TASO) – 2885 W. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH 43235

MY Project USA is searching for more locations across central Ohio where people can leave their donations of new and gently used clothes, shoes, books, toys, and other small non-breakable items. We need your support!

We will collect the items from the bins weekly (or more frequently as needed) and sort them in our warehouse. Once organized, we offer the items for free to clients in the communities we serve. Some items are also sold at Global Gifts & Thrift, a retail location in Hilliard that is based on the Goodwill model. All proceeds of these sales go toward funding our programs.

Our organization will ensure that the area around the bins remains clean. Please contact Noorullah Shinwari at (614) 817-9159 with questions or if you are interested in partnering with us. Thank you!