History & Background

The Black Youth Empowerment Network (BYEN) was founded on January 2, 2024, by Jay'Shun Mathews, a high school senior in Warner Robins, Georgia, who envisioned a space where Black youth could lead, build power, and shape their own futures. Frustrated by the lack of intentional investment in young Black voices, Jay'Shun launched BYEN as a grassroots effort to bridge that gap.

In its earliest form, BYEN was a passion project—an informal group chat that connected a handful of young people eager to serve their communities and speak out on issues they cared about. There was no funding, no formal structure, and no guarantee of sustainability. But there was purpose. That spark led to community service projects, digital organizing, and the beginning of a nationwide vision.

By the summer of 2024, BYEN hit a critical point. The heart was there, but the infrastructure wasn't strong enough to match the ambition. Rather than continue at a pace that couldn't be sustained, Jay'Shun made a courageous decision to pause. The organization went quiet, but the vision never died.

Everything changed in the spring of 2025. After enrolling at Morehouse College, Jay'Shun met James Brazzell—another student leader whose clarity, operational mindset, and belief in Black youth leadership would become a defining force in BYEN's evolution. What began as a conversation between two young changemakers quickly became a powerful partnership. James brought structure to the passion, systems to the vision, and strategy to the movement. His role wasn't just supportive—it was catalytic.

With James's partnership and the backing of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) community, BYEN relaunched with renewed energy, clear leadership, and a blueprint for national scale. That moment marked the transformation of BYEN from a hopeful concept into a serious, youth-led organization built to last.

Since its relaunch in spring 2025, BYEN has grown to over 200 members across 25 states—and we're only getting started. Our dual model of national membership and local chapters allows us to reach youth where they are, while building a unified platform for impact, advocacy, and opportunity. From leadership development and youth fellowships to social innovation campaigns and community service, BYEN is building the next generation of Black changemakers.

As we move into fall 2025, our growth is accelerating. New members. New partners. New cities. New impact.