TFA NC Interim Executive Director Mariam Tisdale Reflects on Partnership with the City of Charlotte's MYEP

Good morning, everyone!

It is a true honor to stand before you today alongside our city leaders, nonprofit partners, corporate champions, and most importantly, the remarkable young people who took part in the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program this summer.

<<Let’s give a big round of applause to our students for their engagement this summer!>> 

We gather here not just to mark the end of a season, but to honor a collective commitment rooted in purpose, powered by partnership, and driven by the belief that opportunity should never be left to chance.

The Mayor’s Youth Employment Program is more than a summer job. It’s a launchpad. It’s a place where students begin to see what’s possible, where they explore careers, step into professional environments, and build the skills that will carry them forward for years to come. And thanks to the commitment of participating companies, these opportunities are tangible and transformative.

At Teach For America, we are proud to have partnered with MYEP for the past two years. While many know us for our two-year teaching corps, over the past 35 years, we’ve expanded our model to include innovative partnerships like MYEP. It allows us to invest in the leadership of our corps members and alumni while supporting students in discovering their own.

This summer, 21 Team Ambassadors mentored nearly 300 students guiding them as they explored career pathways, built confidence, and stepped into their potential. Over the past two years, Teach For America corps members and alumni have made up over two-thirds of the ambassador team. 

We’re proud to serve as a talent pipeline for MYEP, providing mentors who help students develop skills, clarify goals, and engage in experiences that prepare them for college, careers, and leadership. 

When we began this partnership with the City of Charlotte, we weren’t just thinking about workforce development. We were thinking about community not just as a place, but as a practice. A community is not just built—it is co-created through the courage to claim shared responsibility, the willingness to extend trust, and the commitment to act together for the common good. 

We often ask, “Whose city is this?” The answer is simple: it belongs to all of us. But when you invite a young person to take on a real role on a team, in a workplace, with a paycheck, you’re doing more than offering employment. You’re offering trust. Together, we are  opening doors AND standing on the other side, saying, ‘You belong here. This city needs you.’

And our young people rose to that call. They brought their ideas, their energy, and their full selves. They leaned in and made meaningful contributions. And in return, our city, our nonprofits, and our employers showed up with mentorship, guidance, and belief. Together, we ensured that opportunity was not left to chance.

This summer, we created something powerful because we all said yes. Yes to showing up. Yes to investing in each other. Yes to the belief that economic mobility is far more than a policy goal, it’s personal. It requires intention, consistency, and shared effort.

To our partners in the City of Charlotte: Thank you for your vision and your unwavering commitment. 

To the employers who opened your doors: You offered a job and more importantly, you offered a future. 

To our Team of  Ambassadors: Thank you for your leadership, your care, and your belief in every student. 

And to the students: you inspire us all. You are shaping your future and your city right now.

As we look ahead to year 40 of MYEP, let’s carry forward this spirit of community. Let’s keep building a city where every young person sees a future full of possibility. And let’s keep doing it, together.

Thank you.

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