The Lineage Project uses mindfulness practices to break the cycle of poverty, violence and incarceration in New York City.
We take youth from the most challenging life circumstances and give them the tools to value themselves and become contributing members of their communities.
Through yoga, meditation and other powerful techniques, we go inside youths’ hearts and minds. We prevent young people at risk of incarceration from ending up there, and we help those already detained from having to return.
We take our proven model inside juvenile detention centers, alternative-to-incarceration programs, public schools for struggling students — anywhere we can reach those who are vulnerable.
Our students, ages 10 to 24, come from New York City’s 15 poorest neighborhoods. Sixty-percent of our students are African American; 35 percent are Latino. The majority have had substance abuse or alcohol issues, 75 percent are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and 75 percent of the females have been physically, sexually or emotionally abused.
We go inside to keep them out.