June 11th, 2025

Graduation is just the beginning: Creating pathways to success for Boston’s youth

Steph Lewis

As caps fly and graduation speeches echo at schools across Massachusetts, thousands of young people are stepping into a defining moment of promise and possibility. But for many students in urban communities across the Commonwealth, this moment of celebration and hope is clouded by uncertainty. As graduates pursue their next steps, too many of our urban students have had little introduction to the careers that shape our region. Our young people have tremendous talent and ambition, and as they reach this graduation milestone it is critical that they can see there are viable pathways to their goals. In Boston, we have the opportunity to build these pathways and tap into this incredible pool of local, urban talent.

Boston is a global powerhouse for innovation, with booming industries in life sciences, healthcare, finance, and tech anchoring the city’s economic landscape. But that wave of prosperity has yet to break in urban neighborhoods where a majority of our city’s youth and families live. Countless young people—bright, driven, and full of potential—are ready to contribute. They are fully capable of succeeding at our great universities and beyond. But, with no engagement, too often these opportunities feel out of reach. If we want a truly inclusive and sustainable economy, we must invest in creating this vital exposure and access for youth from every corner of the city.

This is the mission we are urgently pursuing at The BASE. Not just helping young people graduate from high school, but ensuring they are prepared to succeed well beyond it. Supporting Boston’s youth demands more than encouragement; we must create direct, lasting connections and inroads to the city’s most competitive industries. We have future leaders, innovators, and changemakers already living in our neighborhoods, and they are ready to rise. For Boston’s business community, the opportunity is undeniable – invest in this homegrown talent now, and start building a stronger, more diverse, and more resilient economy for generations to come.

As they walk through our doors every day, I see Boston’s urban youth for what they truly are: the city’s greatest assets. Since 2013, we’ve built more than a program – we’ve developed dozens of partnerships to build an ecosystem that fuses athletic excellence with academic support and real-world career development. Each year, we serve over 1,000 student-athletes, equipping them not just to get into college, but to graduate prepared to lead and thrive in today’s workforce.

At a time when efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion have been demonized and many businesses are trying to adapt, partnership provides a clear path forward. Working together, we can expand on career training programs and educational pathways that bring diverse groups of young people into the workplace and give them invaluable exposure. Simply put, we do not have the luxury of time for our young people to overcome false starts. Let’s be intentional about investing in opportunities so that as students reach this graduation milestone, they can seek their next steps with clarity and confidence.

This work also requires a shift in mindset. Growing up in inner-city neighborhoods is an asset. For too long, narratives centered around deficits have overshadowed the strengths of our core communities. Rather, let us shed light on the entrepreneurial spirit and brilliance of our youth. The result will be a generation of young people connected into an ecosystem of success. By believing and investing, Boston has the chance to prosper from talent in its very own backyard.

The nonprofit sector cannot solve this challenge alone – this is a call to action and an opportunity for our entire business community. To truly unlock the potential of Boston’s next generation, we need the city’s business leaders to step up, not just as financial supporters, but as active partners. Let’s open doors to more urban students by providing internship and career opportunities. Building an equitable workforce pipeline means being intentional about recruitment and cultivating urban talent, and it starts in our own neighborhoods.

Boston is proudly known as the city of champions in sports, and now we have the chance to champion something even greater – workforce equity and inclusive growth. The BASE’s graduates are already making their mark at top companies in industries where they have long been underrepresented. They are proof that when preparation meets opportunity, incredible things happen. Graduation is only the beginning of what is possible. By working together, Boston’s business community and youth development nonprofits can build stronger pathways to ensure our urban young people have the same access to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Steph Lewis is President & CEO of The BASE, a youth development nonprofit located in Roxbury. He is a lifelong Boston resident, volunteer coach, and father of two.