Empowering Youth to Be Leaders of Tomorrow

This week Grotto catches up with Johnny Allen, Jr. — founder of JK Movement. His organization is on a mission to inspire and empower change in the minds, bodies, and spirits of young people.

“We want to give our youth an opportunity to be successful out here,” he shares.

Video Transcript

St. Paul, MN: Johnny Allen, Jr. is founder of JK Movement.

Johnny Allen, Jr.: My name is Johnny Allen. The JK Movement is a nonprofit organization that empowers and inspires effective change in the minds, bodies, and spirits of young people.

Johnny Knuckles is the mascot for JK Movement and embodies a way to respond to challenges.

Johnny Knuckles is an iconic figure who we all have inside of us — that alter-ego, superhero mentality that needs to come out when a challenge comes about us. We provide in-school, after-school, and evening programming — from life skills enrichment to sports team leadership training. We want our kids to learn how to be leaders and not followers. And if they are followers, learn how to lead and be themselves.

This is what I was set out to do — to lead an organization that believes in our youth. We want to give our youth an opportunity to be successful out here. They can go back and try to utilize those skill sets and have experience and memories that can last for a very long time, so the impact that we’re providing is always gratifying.

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