Our Impact in Action
Welcome to our latest updates and community highlights — a space where we share the work, partnerships, and moments that continue to shape our mission. At YPCI, we are committed to uplifting youth, culture, and community through meaningful engagement, prevention efforts, and innovative programming. Here, you’ll find a glimpse into what we’ve been building, the communities we’re connecting with, and the impact we’re creating together.
JMU Nonprofit Leadership Panel
Dr. Harper recently had the privilege of serving as a guest panelist for James Madison University’s Nonprofit Studies Capstone Seminar. Joining fellow panelist Shannon Porter, Executive Director of Central Valley Habitat for Humanity, Dr. Harper engaged with students to explore the intersecting realities of the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. The discussion offered invaluable insights into the inner workings of community impact, covering critical operational themes such as regulatory compliance, strategic grant writing, and the vital role of organizational collaboration. Panelists also shared actionable ways for students to dive into community projects, emphasizing how deep dedication and a strong culture of volunteerism drive meaningful change. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Linda Plitt Donaldson, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean, for organizing this wonderful opportunity to help inspire and equip the next generation of nonprofit leaders.
Interfaith Association of Harrisonburg-Rockingham
Dr. Harper recently had the opportunity to speak at a meeting of the Interfaith Association of Harrisonburg-Rockingham, engaging in meaningful conversation around community, collaboration, and collective impact. During the visit, she connected with community members and leaders and shared time with Interim President Dr. Shannon Dycus. These conversations reflect our continued commitment to building strong partnerships and working across sectors to support youth, families, and communities.
National Prevention Network Conference
Workshop Session 3: Hip-Hop 2 Prevent Substance Use & HIV (H2P):
An Evidence-Based Hip-Hop Development Program 4 Prevention
Presented by P. Thandi Hicks Harper
This engaging, multimedia session was designed for prevention stakeholders working with youth and highlighted the powerful role hip-hop can play in successful prevention efforts. The evidence-based program, Hip-Hop 2 Prevent Substance Abuse and HIV (H2P), was showcased as an innovative approach to reach adolescents. Faces 4 Change was also highlighted during this session, sharing how our coalition is working locally to reduce youth substance use and create positive opportunities for young people.
New Publication Release
"I was commissioned by the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association (www.frederickdouglassmha.org) to lecture on the topic: Frederick Douglass in the Eras of Hip-Hop. The Association was enacted by the United States Congress in the year 1900 to preserve the memory and legacy of Frederick Douglass, and my lecture took place in Washington, DC on the grounds where the honorable and noble statesman lived from 1874 until he died in 1895.
Prior to the lecture, I visited the Frederick Douglass House so that I could reap his spiritual and rhetorical energy, putting me in position to best articulate his 19th century point of view to a 21st century audience. The Xennials, Millennials, and Generations Z and Alpha would likely be more familiar with Hip-Hop culture than with the rhetorical genius, abolitionist, civic educator, and former enslaved. I imagined, however, that the Silent and Baby Boomer audience would be able to finish my sentences pertaining to the legend, and just might recognize familiar nuances in my Black oratorical style of social movement messaging. In any event, I was prepared to connect the diverse audiences."
