Urban Navigation serves as a GPS for the inner city and suburban youth culture, helping them navigate life’s many obstacles by meeting them where they are and giving them a voice. We use the culture of the youth and their everyday interests to engage them. Such interests include social media, muscovado gaming education, and more.
Urban Navigation consists of a team of professionals from diverse backgrounds and different fields of life, but all have experience with the youth culture and navigating life. Some backgrounds include certified life coaches, bachelor’s and master’s level mental health professionals, media and music professionals, podcasters, educators, and trade school owners. Urban Navigation provides experience and training within the youth culture, leading to technical skills, entrepreneurial mentorship, and life skills training. Urban Navigation creates a platform for creative minds through our many different programs.
There is a self-destructive ideology in the youth culture. To change the destructive path that many of our youth face, you have to understand the culture entirely. When it comes to youth violence, some people do not relate to or fully understand the culture in which violence exists. When the topic of inner-city/suburban violence is discussed, the first excuse for its existence is always pointed at low socioeconomic status. Violence within youth culture varies from section to section, neighborhood to neighborhood, and block to block. A counterintuitive approach is needed to have a longer-lasting approach to this sometimes-deadly epidemic. In the age of social media, crimes and exploits are often shared for attention. We promise to better connect with the youth through our understanding of the culture to improve young lives and experiences.
In addition Urban Navigation is the umbrella for the Philadelphia Powersports Commission. We strive for growth, smooth transitions, and expansions that positively disrupt the norm within the communities. Our approach also allows the citizens of our city to feel safe, respected, cared for, and connected. The Philadelphia Powersports Commission is a program newly generated to serve the people within the Philadelphia communities. In conjunction with Urban Navigation, our mission is to decrease gun violence, increase the education of gun safety, proper usage, and carrying firearms legally and responsibly. In addition, our goal is to provide powersports enthusiasts with the ability to exercise their passion for powersports in a safe, productive, and responsible manner without disrupting the citizens of our city.
The youth who have taken a liking to the culture of powersports and developed a passion for it, lack the proper environment and freedom needed to fully express their love for powersports in a safe, undisruptive manner. In the powersports program, youth will receive technical training on powersports vehicles and small engine repairs. They will also learn the safety guidelines in properly handling a powersports vehicle as well as fulfilling the required procedures to obtain legal licensing to operate a powersports vehicle. This will be an uninterruptedly evolving program that will allow attendee’s continuous access to exercising their love and freedom for powersports activities without disturbing the streets of our city.
Urban Navigation is located inside Billy Penn Studios in Kensington. For more information visit websites urbannav.com, along with Facebook Group Page titled Urban Navigation Violence/Gun Education Youth Culture Initiative.
— Alim Howell, Urban Navigation Community Liaison
