named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Abolition & Community Safety Workshops
Youth-facilitated workshops that challenge policing and promote community-based safety through visualization, embodiment, and conflict de-escalation techniques, rooted in abolitionist principles.
Assembly Cohort
6-week in-person program for system-impacted youth that uses art and storytelling to support personal goal-setting and serves as an alternative to incarceration. Includes snacks, metrocards, and peer-to-peer diversion pathways.
Fellowship
1-year, 16-hours-per-week paid fellowship for former Peer Leaders, providing leadership roles, portfolio development, co-creation with artists, and professional growth within Recess’s ecosystem.
Mental Health Support
Onsite group and individual counseling integrating trauma-informed, healing-centered, and anti-oppressive frameworks, including somatic practices and narrative therapy for emotional healing.
Peer Leadership
Paid program (up to $1,000/month) for youth who completed the cohort, offering workshops in artmaking, advocacy, financial literacy, and mental health. Runs January through August with ongoing skill-building and community partnerships.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 2 activities
- Facilitating creative exchanges with incarcerated individualsFacilitates creative exchanges between Assembly youth and incarcerated participants through the Abolition Film Society project, partnering with Parole Prep’s Archive-Based Creative Arts program.
- Producing narrative film projects with youthSupported the development of a narrative short film as a capstone project of the Assembly Fellowship, involving screenwriting, acting, directing, and producing, and hosted a first look screening event for the debut film.
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Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
- Expanding access through digital programmingExpanded reach to youth outside New York City by launching Digital Assembly Programming, enabling broader participation in artistic and leadership development initiatives.
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Community Makerspace Access and Training 1 activity
- Operating a community printmaking studio and producing printed worksOperates a fully functional screen print shop constructed by participants, producing clothing, accessories, paper products, multi-color prints, and vinyl installations. Engages in collaborations with arts programs and Session artists, and supports peer leaders in developing advanced printmaking skills and personal artistic projects.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Operating the Assembly program for system-impacted youthProvides system-impacted young people aged 18–26 with artistic and leadership development through a 6-week in-person program (Maps to Manifest), a paid Peer Leadership program (January–August, up to $1,000/month), and a year-long Fellowship requiring 16 hours per week with staff-level pay. Programming includes workshops in artmaking, leadership, advocacy, professional development, financial literacy, and wellness.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Organizing community events and gatheringsOrganizes public events featuring live music, film screenings, spoken word, open mic sessions, and community meals with live DJ sets. Hosts community mixers and celebrations to foster connection, networking, and public participation.
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Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
- Providing mental health and wellness support in programmingIntegrates group and individual mental health counseling into youth and artist programs using healing-centered, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed frameworks. Offers onsite mental health care and wellness support for staff, artists, and youth participants to promote resilience and healing.
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Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
- Supporting artist residencies and creative projectsSupports artists through short-term residencies offering project stipends, artist fees, technical support, and mentorship over approximately two-month sessions. Facilitates public interactions between artists and communities and supports the creation and public presentation of new artistic work, including exhibitions, performances, and experimental installations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$647K
Contributions & grants$584K90%
Program service revenue$3K0%
Investment income$57K9%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$1.93M
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$1.11M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.47M
Cash$1.85M
Investments$1.18M
Liabilities$524K
Net assets$3.95M
Liquid reserves18.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -84.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDSAY C HARRIS | EX-OFFICIO / CO-DIRECTOR | 40 | $142K |
| SHAUN LEONARDO THRU 93024 | EX-OFFICIO / CO-DIRECTOR | 40 | $101K |
| ANTHONINE PIERRE | SECRETARY | 1 | $3K |
| LACEY LYNCH | TREASURER | 1 | $3K |
| MALCOLM CHE GOSSETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3K |
| WANETT I CLYDE | CHAIR | 1 | $2K |
board members · 3
- JAN POSTMA — FORMER TREASURER
- MARK HATCH-MILLER — FORMER SECRETARY
- PAUL KIM — FORMER CHAIR
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- 3ls3wh3r Partner — Music collective and event organizer participating in performance day
- AG Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- ARTISTS Partner — Collaborates with artists as part of its core programming approach.
- Alloy Development Partner — Provided support for the opening of Recess Assembly at 370 Schermerhorn in 2017
- Amalgamated Bank Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Arison Arts Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Art for Justice Fund, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Artists Against Displacement Partner — Collaborates on a paper-making workshop using reclaimed materials from the carceral system.
- Brooklyn Jail Support Partner — Collaborates on a paper-making workshop using reclaimed materials from the carceral system.
- Brooklyn Org Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Ford Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Fulano Partner — Performing artist at community event
- Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Kristina Bivona Partner — Artist & Educator who co-designed and built the print shop in collaboration with Recess
- Manhattan Theater Company Partner — Engages in partnership opportunities with Assembly for youth arts programming.
- Materials for the Arts Partner — Provides in-kind materials support in partnership with NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
- Mellon Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- NYU Gallatin Partner — Co-hosted the joint exhibition "I Tried to Save Myself" with Assembly.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Government funder and in-kind supporter through Materials for the Arts
- Noah Major AKA Websta Partner — Host of listening and watch party at community event
- Parole Prep Partner — Collaborates with Parole Prep’s Archive-Based Creative Arts program to facilitate creative exchanges between Assembly youths and incarcerated participants.
- Parole Prep Partner — Collaborates with Parole Prep’s Archive-Based Creative Arts program to facilitate creative exchanges between youth and incarcerated participants.
- Pinkerton Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Ruth Foundation for the Arts Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- Shamar Amir Partner — Assembly Fellow whose capstone project was featured in a public screening and community event
- Son of Brandy AKA Premeyung Partner — DJ set performer at community event
- Summertime Gallery Partner — Collaborates with Assembly on youth arts and leadership programming.
- The Gage Fund Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
- The Salomon Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of Recess Activities Inc
+ 5 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Abolitionist Art and Community Safetymethodology: abolitionist_frameworkBy engaging artists and youth in creative exchange, including with incarcerated individuals, and centering joy and community-developed safety practices, the organization advances an abolitionist framework that challenges dominant narratives and reduces reliance on carceral systems, because it believes art and relational care can transform harm responses and build liberated futures.
- Artistic Practice as Personal and Collective Liberationmethodology: artistic-practice-as-liberationBy integrating interdisciplinary artistic practices—such as writing, movement, breathwork, and mapping—into long-term programming, the organization fosters personal transformation and future-building, because it holds that creative expression rooted in lived experience enables liberation and collective reimagining.
- Peer-Led and Shared Leadership Modelmethodology: peer-led leadership developmentBy training formerly system-impacted youth as facilitators and operating through shared leadership with staff who have lived experience, the organization builds trust and accountability, because it believes leadership rooted in community care and mutual responsibility produces more resilient and authentic engagement and reduces recidivism.