Boston, MA, July 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monday marked the official launch of the 2026 six-week NextRise Summer program session, an initiative pioneered by the nonprofit Next Leadership Development. In strategic alliance with Icanpreneur, the Museum of African American History, New Generation Consultants & Associates, Tayla Made, Boston EMS, and All Aces, Inc.
Twelve (12) youth and two (2) young adults ages 14–24 who reside within the City of Boston, this intensive program tasks participants with building a purpose-driven business, social enterprise, or nonprofit from the ground up. The initiative operates at the intersection of history and the present: The year 2026 marks the 250-year celebration of United States independence, as well as the monumental 500-year celebration of Black people in the United States and the first recorded rebellion on American soil. Guided by this history, youth will utilize AI-integrated technology and digital storytelling to reinforce organizational and community resilience.
“By combining AI-integrated technologies with clear strategic business frameworks, these young entrepreneurs are learning that in the age of AI, success is not just about building faster — it is about building enterprises capable of solving deep systemic problems,” said Vesko Kolev, Founder and CEO of Icanpreneur, the AI co-founder platform for evidence-backed product and go-to-market decisions. “We are thrilled to support them with a platform that helps them apply startup discipline — deciding what is worth building, who it should serve, and how to continuously turn evidence into action.”
To establish a firm foundation for their newly designed ventures, youth participants will have the valuable opportunity to meet directly with local business and community leaders while focusing on three core pillars of resilience: health, wealth, and culture. Gaining deep foundational knowledge of these structural pillars will allow participants to fully develop their own organizational strategy, including explicitly identifying who they will serve, mapping out what problems they are addressing, and deciding how they will brand their organizations.
The young leaders are anchored in the 500-year legacy of the Black presence and resilience, allowing participants to draw direct inspiration from history. “The young people will explore how the past influences today as well as their power to facilitate community health and wealth using institutional design,” stated Dr. Atyia Martin, Executive Director of Next Leadership Development and CEO of All Aces, Inc. The participants will also learn about and apply personal financial literacy and fundamental organizational financial planning. “I am excited to work with the young people again this year, but this time I also get to share my experiences as a purpose-driven business with a strong commitment to helping people with homeownership and wealth creation,” shared Tayla Andre of Thumbprint Realty and Tayla Made.
Rather than relying purely on abstract concepts, youth participants will be structurally guided to conduct their own independent field research through professional interviews to collect primary data. These localized insights will directly contribute to their final project, ensuring their organizational strategy and designs are grounded in actual community realities, wants, and needs.
As these young leaders draw inspiration from the historic milestones of 2026 – celebrating 250 years of United States independence alongside 500 years of Black history and the first rebellion on American soil – the program will culminate in a youth-led end-of-summer showcase. Family, friends, and community stakeholders will be invited to watch the youth present their completed strategies and share their powerful data-driven narratives. Ultimately, these projects will serve as a foundation for young people to lead in accelerating long-term community and organizational resilience in the City of Boston and beyond.
About Next Leadership Development
Next Leadership Development is a nonprofit with a mission to accelerate health, wealth, and cultural resilience in Black communities before and after disasters. We have youth, family, and elder programs based in the Greater Boston area as well as the Black Resilience Network, a national coalition of Black-led and focused organizations partnering with community organizers and organizations after disasters.
Press Inquiries
Dr. Atyia Martin
info [at] nextleads.org
6176750005
https://www.nextleads.org
58 Winter Street, 6th Floor
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