Roberto Rivera - Founder of The GoodLife Foundation (Part 1)

As part of a greater movement with no real center or name, the Common Ground Youth Coalition is interviewing leading young change-makers to create a snapshot of what young people are doing for their generation nationally, and globally. The goal is to showcase young people from all walks of life who have been successful at making a change in the world, in any sector - public, private, political, religious, social, cultural, non-profit, etc. We hope that our collective work can demonstrate how youth can solve today's issues, work across traditional boundaries, and inspire others to do the same.

Roberto Rivera is an educator, artist, and change agent who specializes in applying best practices in engaging youth using practical and relevant methods. He is also the founder of The Good Life Organization and author of the "Fulfill the Dream" curriculum.

Roberto Rivera received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he created his own major entitled "Social Change, Youth Culture and the Arts." He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Youth Development with a focus on Social Justice, Urban Education, and Hip-hop. Roberto is the founder of the Good Life Organization and author of the "Fulfill the Dream" curriculum. The Good Life Organization publishes multi-media educational tools and trains educators, youth workers, and parents about connecting positive youth development to community development.

Roberto's work in organizing and mobilizing youth and community assets have won him awards from former president Bill Clinton, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, and others. Despite these accolades, Roberto sees his work as giving back, since being labeled "at-risk" and "disadvantaged" as a teen himself, his relationships with key educators, positive peers, and youth workers helped him to turn his life around.

Roberto's presentations are unique because they include both scientific research and personal anecdotes from Roberto's journey from being a dope dealer to a hope dealer. In addition, Roberto incorporates stories from his work with communities around the nation. His unique ability to code-switch, from sharing research and data to telling stories and performing poems, leaves audiences with enlightened minds and motivated hearts.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Youth
• Non-profit
• Coalition
• Leaders