ABOUT US
OUR HISTORY
The Unnamed Youth Organizing Group (also known as Unnamed) grew organically out of a collaboration in the Spring of 2010 when youth organizing groups organized buses of youth leaders and adult supporters to attend the United States Social Forum in Detroit. The group held an initial meeting in August 2010, followed by a retreat in March 2011, bringing together adult staff at six youth organizing groups: Beantown Society, Boston-area Youth Organizing Project, Project HIP-HOP, Reflect and Strengthen, Roxbury Environmental Empowerment Project, and The City School. At that retreat, the group clarified that it saw three main components of its work: supporting organizations, supporting young people’s leadership, and supporting a broader movement. The group has done ongoing work to build relationships among members and move forward these areas: joint social events (e.g., Halloween parties, cookouts, dinners), joint social justice events (e.g., youth organizing scavenger hunt, Thank the Youth dinner, “Jobs Not Jails,” a trip to the 2015 US Social Forum in Philadelphia), trainings and skillshares in topics such as budgeting and grantwriting, applying for joint funding, retreats, collaborative programming (e.g., cross participation in political study groups and workshops), and strengthening partnerships in the Summer Leadership Program and Summer Training Institute. The group has also been a space for organizations, adults, and young people to build relationships and strengthen partnerships and collaborations outside of the formal space of Unnamed. Members have supported each other’s administrative and program work, collaborated on projects, and strengthened work in citywide organizing efforts such as The Youth Affordabili(T) Coalition and Youth Justice and Power Union.
Mission
Unnamed Youth Organizing Network (UYON) unites and strengthens the youth organizing movement in Boston in a fight for racial, gender, queer, disability, economic and environmental justice.
We do this by focusing on building community and capacity for organizational stability, leadership pathways and collaborative organizing.
Our Vision
"Building a Youth Movement for Justice and Equity in Boston"
At UYON, we envision a future where Boston's youth, especially those from Black and POC-led communities, are at the forefront of creating real change. Lead a transformative movement that redefines justice, equity, and community power. We strive to cultivate a dynamic, multigenerational network where youth are not only participants but leaders in shaping a society rooted in racial, gender, queer, disability, economic, and environmental justice.
Our vision is to build a robust infrastructure for youth-led organizing that fosters strong, and interconnected communities. By advancing youth organizer development, facilitating leadership pathways, and championing political education, we aim to create a city where youth are empowered to drive meaningful change, collaborate effectively, and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.
Through shared organizing strategies and collaborative campaigns, we will transform Boston and beyond into dynamic spaces of youth-led social justice, where every young person has the tools, support, and platform to envision and build a better, more equitable future.
Membership + Constituency
Our members include Black-led and POC-led youth groups who share values of transformative justice and/or abolition and who engage in community organizing, youth development, political education, base-building and power-building with youth in Boston.
Amatullah M. Sip
amatullah@thecityschool.org
617-785-7750
Amatullah M. Sip
Amatullah M. Sip, a Boston-Cambridge native, began her organizing journey early with the Boston-area Youth Organizing Project (BYOP), a youth-led group focused on increasing youth power and driving social change. Her work centered on campaigns for access to quality education and transportation. After several years as a youth organizer, she became a community organizer, working with youth to strengthen their organizing skills and sharpen their political analysis. Amatullah also earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology to deepen her understanding of how societal conditions shape people's lives, further clarifying her role in the movement. She later earned a Master's in Theological Studies from Boston University's School of Theology, further broadening her approach to social justice and community healing. Her experience spans youth organizing, social justice program development, and grassroots leadership. She has contributed to campaigns such as Youthway on the MBTA, dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline, and towards creation of the Boston People's Response, a non-carceral mental health crisis response model. As Executive Director of The City School, she co-founded the Ella Baker Young Adult Fellowship, a program supporting young adult organizers and youth workers. Now, as Director of the Unnamed Youth Organizing Network, Amatullah continues building youth and community organizing movements while supporting grassroots leaders and community healing initiatives. Additionally, she teaches at Boston University's School of Social Work, where she integrates her organizing experiences into academic spaces.