Council Member Althea Stevens on Youth Employment, Nonprofit Power, and Equity for The Bronx

What does it mean to represent a community that is continually asked to do more with less?

August 6, 2026

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Gregory J Morris (NYCETC CEO) sits down with New York City Council Member Althea Stevens (D-16) as she reflects on more than two decades in youth development and the nonprofit sector, the young people who encouraged her to run for office, and how that experience shapes her leadership as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Children and Youth.

Council Member Stevens discusses persistent youth unemployment, expanding year-round employment and work-based learning, and why nonprofit professionals must have a stronger voice in government. They also examine contracting challenges, community investment, and Althea’s decision to oppose a city budget she believes did not provide her district with its fair share.

From transportation access and food insecurity to public-private partnerships and collective impact, Council Member Stevens makes the case for a more equitable approach to strengthening Bronx neighborhoods and creating opportunity for the people who live there.