WEBINAR

Opportunity Youth: Understanding Our Communities’ Most Vulnerable Teens and How Libraries Can Serve Them

Opportunity youth—defined as young people ages 16-24 who are not in school or employed—face unique challenges that can limit their economic mobility and future success. Libraries are well-positioned to provide meaningful support, yet many struggle to effectively engage and serve this population.

This one-hour webinar provides an in-depth look at opportunity youth, their experiences, and the barriers they face. A foundational presentation explores who opportunity youth are and why they often remain disconnected from traditional support systems. A second presentation from Sarah Hemminger, CEO of Thread introduces a long-term program framework that libraries can use to build sustainable, impactful services for these young people. The session concludes with a discussion and Q&A.

Moderator: Katie Sullivan

Senior Program Manager, Urban Libraries Council

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Katie Sullivan joined the Urban Libraries Council in 2022, where she manages a number of programs and initiatives for public libraries focused on food justice, education, entrepreneurship, and race and social equity. She came to ULC with experience in project management, event planning and content development from several Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organizations. Most recently, Katie served as a program manager for the National Association of Counties, providing local government leaders with programming related to economic mobility, arts and culture and equitable economic recovery. Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and Hispanic studies from the College of William & Mary and is working on her Master of Public Administration (MPA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Sarah Hemminger

Co-founder & CEO, Thread

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Dr. Sarah Hemminger is a social entrepreneur and scientist who co-founded Thread, a non-profit that harnesses the power of relationships to support exceptional young people facing extraordinary opportunity and achievement gaps. Sarah has overseen the development, expansion, and replication of an innovative, paradigm-shifting model that has led to exemplary outcomes for young people and a deeply knitted diverse community of thousands of Baltimoreans. This work fuels her belief that building strong relationships across lines of difference can transform the lives of all involved and weave a more equitable social fabric that improves educational, economic and health outcomes.