January's Nonprofit Spotlight is on Neutral Zone!
Neutral Zone is a diverse, youth-driven teen center dedicated to promoting personal growth through artistic expression, community leadership and the exchange of ideas.
Neutral Zone is celebrating an impressive 25 years of operation! Check out their programming on their website and follow them on social media for updates on the exciting ways they’re celebrating their 25th Anniversary!
Details
Events to support Neutral Zone
Winter Masquerade Ball: A Celebration of the Art of Drag
January 27, 2024
6:00 pm –9:00 pm
Join for drag performances, music, and fun at a twinkling winter ball! There will be free food, fun, and friends. Featuring Artist-in-Residence Kevin Mardirosian. Free and open to all high-school aged teens!
Voting Access Youth Forum
February 11, 2024
Stay tuned to the Neutral Zone website and social media for event updates!
Neutral Zone Battle of the Bands
March 9, 2024
Please see website and social media for updates!
What does NZ offer
Neutral Zone provides a high school youth after-school drop-in space and 15+ affinity, arts, and activism programs. They offer up to ten years of academic, career, and college support for youth to transition successfully to adulthood, engaging youth through 25 years old. The NZ also provides coaching and consulting support for schools and organizations in restorative and youth-driven practice. All programs are free.
How to support NZ
Share and invite youth to participate, volunteer time, drop off snacks and give financial support. All of the programming and projects at Neutral Zone are orchestrated with the help of the young people that spend time there, ensuring their voices are centered and their needs within the community are met as much as possible. Introducing new young people to this incredible opportunity not only benefits them, but also brings new perspectives and voices into the room.
If you're interested in volunteering check out their website at neutral-zone.org/volunteer-1 and read about how to sign up. There's many ways that people can contribute and bring their talents and time to enhance this space.
And of course, donations are always welcome to guarantee the programming at Neutral Zone remains free, accessible, and can continue to enrich many more generations to come! Click the link to donate directly or give cash to the donation bins at Zingerman's businesses throughout January.
Why Zingerman's loves NZ
There aren't many places quite like Neutral Zone, and most of us grew up without such an inclusive and empowering space like this. Many people who did grow up in Ann Arbor have fond memories of times spent at NZ; concerts or shows they attended here, or perhaps this is where they learned to play music themselves, or paint, or write. Visiting Neutral Zone really conjures up the question of where the world could be if more people had access to an opportunity like this during their formative years (truthfully, many adults still would love more spaces like this, too!)
It's remarkable how much greatness comes from giving young people the autonomy, encouragement, and tools to show us what they'd like to create in this world. As cliche as it may sound, youth truly are our future. We're grateful to have a place in our community like Neutral Zone that can guide our local young people towards incredible things.