A diverse group of ten people standing in a circle, reaching into the center and stacking their hands together, smiling and looking down at the camera.
The word 'MISSION' written in stylized black and white text, with the letters forming a bold, graphic design.

By All Means Leadership Alliance is a non-profit organization that engages New York City youth from disenfranchised neighborhoods, to participate in active social justice and community servant leadership projects. We empower young people by providing experiences that encourage personal development and build leadership skills, to positively transform their communities through kindness and mindful actions.

The logo for Core Values in bold, stylized white letters on a black background.
Three young adults sitting on a park bench, enjoying pizza and laughing together on a sunny day with trees in the background.

BAMLA’s core values are rooted in several principles that are relevant to under-resourced and marginalized communities locally, nationally, and globally.The first of those principles is Leadership. Specifically, leadership by men of color in our communities. BAMLA believes that reform of systems and the creation of opportunity for BIPOC youth is rooted in increasing the agency of its participants. To increase the agency of a young person, it is necessary they see themselves as leaders in a variety of environments and have access, mentorship, and dialogue with BIPOC men that have overcome similar obstacles and transformed their own trajectory with simple strategies and the use of their social capital alongside education as tools of empowerment. The relationship we build between young people and BIPOC male leaders is an intentional transformation of the notion that BIPOC men are not suited for or capable of equal participation in the nurturing of our communities alongside leaders of different genders and races.

Leadership

A woman in a plaid shirt and apron holding a wooden crate filled with fresh vegetables including leafy greens, carrots, radishes, peppers, and zucchinis, standing outdoors in a garden or farm setting.

The second principle of BAMLA is Community Service. We at BAMLA believe that civic responsibility is at the crux of the evolution of all great leaders. Both younger and mature persons should care about the communities they live in and the action of caring  is a critical component of empathetic leadership. BAMLA fosters conversations and experiences for its participants to understand the goals, needs, and interests of different factions and stakeholders in their local communities. Through these moments, BAMLA participants increase their understanding of how to best contribute to the development of their community and create engaging service projects that are both responsive and effective.

Community Service

Multiple hands of different skin tones grasp a globe, symbolizing unity.

The last principle that makes up our tripartite approach is Equity. BAMLA centers equity in all of its interactions. BAMLA leadership defines equity as transactions and exchanges between parties of different resource levels, genders, cultural and racial backgrounds, and diverse identities; interactions where there is equality of voice and a balancing of both inputs and positive outputs for all stakeholders. BAMLA shares this vision of equity with partners, participants, donors, and communities we work with. BAMLA claims no exclusive expertise or ownership of solutions and reform. We believe that the responsibility for change has to be shared in order to break the stranglehold of systemic oppression.

Equity