Empowering Black Youth Through AI Art and Hoops
February 2025 – This Black History Month, The Children’s Village (CV) empowered Black youth in foster care through two exciting events: an AI Art Challenge on February 24th and the Hoops For Life basketball game on February 27th. Both events connect our youth with their roots and inspire them to create brighter futures for themselves.
CV’s First AI Art Challenge
The national theme for Black History Month was “African Americans in Labor.” Reflecting on this year’s theme, Marjorie Zuniga, a case worker at The Children’s Village and a member of the Black History Month planning team, drew inspiration from insights shared by CV teens in the WAY program. This seven-week initiative helps young people build the skills necessary for career success. Many participants showed a strong interest in technology and engineering, which motivated Marjorie to create CV’s inaugural AI Art Challenge.
The challenge, open to youth across the agency, involved researching a Black historical figure and creating an image using emerging AI technologies such as Canva, ChatGPT, and MidJourney. Teens participated in the activity using the computer lab in the Lanza building, a space where they typically engage in recreational activities. Marjorie hoped the challenge inspired young people to view their artwork through an Afrofuturistic lens—envisioning the future while incorporating elements of African culture and history into their designs.
“I want to give teens opportunities to understand their history because it gives them aspirations for the future,” Majorie related. “We approach these activities with cultural sensitivity.”
By blending creativity, technology, and cultural education, CV fosters a sense of purpose and pride and gives young people the tools to succeed in their communities and beyond.
Hoops For Life’s Basketball Game
Vincent Price, Director for Recreation, teamed up with Jamel Thompson, founder of Hoops For Life, to highlight the powerful intersection of education, athletics, and culture. Hoops for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to helping youth reach their full potential, uses basketball as a vehicle for life skills development and mentorship programs.
The Hoops For Life team, consisting of Black former AAU players, taught CV youth defensive principals. Tips included bending their knees to get a low center of gravity, being at least one arm’s length away from the offense, and keeping their head over the center of their body when guarding the ball.
The Hoops For Life team goes beyond simply teaching basketball skills. Vincent hoped the team served as positive role models for our youth, showing them that education is a key component for achieving success in sports. Through their mentorship, the team can also offer powerful insights on taking the next steps in an athletic career, such as playing on a local team in the Westchester community.
It’s crucial for young athletes to build connections with experienced athletes who share similar backgrounds, as these relationships provide mentorship based on common cultural experiences. By learning from those who have navigated similar paths, young athletes not only gain technical skills, but also a sense of overcoming challenges unique to their communities. These connections foster a sense of belonging, purpose and community support, the same lessons CV coaches, mentors, and staff teach our young people each day.
For many of the youth involved in the basketball game, they experienced organized sports for the first time through CV. Some play on the bowling or basketball teams, both of which are part of New York State’s Public High School league. Others participate in intramural sports such as softball, soccer, or flag football. A few young people participate in external basketball teams in Yonkers, Ossining, and New York City, in addition to playing at CV. “No matter their level, I want to give youth a glimpse of what it’s like to immerse yourself in a path towards an athletic career,” Vincent explained.
Through these exciting events, CV empowers youth interested in art, technology, and sports to learn about Black historical figures, explore their potential, and shape their futures. You can learn more about athletic opportunities at our Dobbs Ferry campus here.
