Dorothy Stoneman

In Bringing Hope to Life, Stoneman beautifully weaves together the story of YouthBuild’s growth and success over 45 years and her own story of moving from Harvard to Harlem as a young woman in the Civil Rights movement, being schooled and broadened through deep cross-racial relationships, learning to navigate government to obtain lasting funding, building a dynamic national movement, and enlisting the help of thousands of allies in all sectors to create a national treasure that is YouthBuild.

This fascinating story is for anyone interested in how to scale up a good idea for social justice into a hugely impactful program. Stoneman shares how to navigate across the tricky waters of class and race; how to generate bi-partisan political support for federal funding to diminish poverty and increase opportunity; how to handle inevitable roadblocks and disappointments along the road, while also caring for family; and how to sustain a large and diverse movement with love and integrity at the center.

It is a true story, shared to inspire the younger generation to trust your judgment and go for the prize. It includes many key lessons for change-makers.

It is the story of how Stoneman started as a volunteer in the Harlem Action Group setting up schools for children who had missed kindergarten in 1964, then worked as a Harlem public school teacher, then a teacher at the parent-controlled East Harlem Block Schools where she learned key lessons about accountability to the community. Then she started the New Action Party for a Human Society, leading to the Youth Action Program, out of which grew YouthBuild, a unique and inspiring national program that has allowed over 200,000 young people from low-income backgrounds in the USA to rebuild their communities and their lives while building over 35,000 units of affordable housing for low-income and homeless neighbors.

Stoneman joined with young people to imagine and shepherd the development of YouthBuild from one small program in East Harlem, NY, to a network of 250 programs in the US supported by an annual ＄100 million federal appropriation. The YouthBuild programs are led by hundreds of local directors and staff loyal to the love and opportunity embedded in the YouthBuild way. They are a welcoming home for thousands of out-of-school youth who become proud, productive, tax-paying citizens and community leaders.

Her work has been honored by countless national awards, including the MacArthur Genius Fellowship and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, but this personal story has not previously been told. Enjoy, learn, and be inspired to take powerful action of your own by Bringing Hope to Life!