EVOLVE was started by Tolulope Omokaiye in 2011, because she realized that too many youth were not prepared for life after graduation. The passion of the organization remains the same today, to ensure that youth of color have a well-rounded foundation that will prepare them for life and service to their communities. Over the years, our programs have expanded to include a particular focus on life skills development for Black and brown youth, ages 14-24.

In 2017, EVOLVE became the Wake County Affiliate of My Brother’s Keeper Alliance — which was started by President Barack Obama to close the achievement gap for boys and young men of color. Since then, we have expanded this work to include girls and young ladies, and now our affiliate is known as My Brother & Sister’s Keeper.

As we move forward, our hearts are set on a vision of a world that is equitable for all Black, Latino, and Native American youth to thrive. With that vision in mind, we will continue to provide direct services through our flagship training and youth development programs, while seeking collective impact by building a coalition of co-conspiring community leaders who share a similar vision.