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  • 2nd Annual Kickback and Peacefest

    Since 2013, the Diermeier Future Leaders Now Program (DFLN) has celebrated the DFLN Institute’s graduates along with UCAN’s ‘Youth of the Month’ winners at a summer bash attended each year by staff and youth from various programs.

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  • The 20th Annual Youth Leadership Awards

    Not only is it our 150th anniversary, but this year marked 20 years of the Youth Leadership Awards! We always wonder if can get better, but every year our Youth Leadership Awards raises the bar. We appreciate those who attended and our fantastic sponsors who contributed to this inspiring event that raised over $900,000 for UCAN’s… Read more »

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  • Chicago’s Tomorrow Interviews Chicago Today Episode 7

    In this series, youth poised to be Chicago’s future leaders (UCAN program participants and recent alumni) interview current Chicago leaders in their fields of interest. Finance, the future of Chicago, and how young people from any background can find a career. In this episode of our interview series, Yusuf Aljabri, a UCAN participant and aspiring… Read more »

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  • 150 Years Later…

    Things that turn 150 years old in 2019: The Periodic Table Professional baseball UCAN! We happen to think UCAN is as innovative and original as our 150 year-old compatriots. But how does one innovatively celebrate such a milestone? We kicked off our celebrations exactly 150 days prior to our birthday with the launch of a… Read more »

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  • Chicago Today, Chicago Tomorrow

    A doctor. An actor. A businessman. A reporter. 

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  • Retracing MLK’s Footsteps: A Day of Service

    “Today we are celebrating Dr. King while also coming out to support our community,” said Nadine Toussaint, a student at UIC. 

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  • Mentees to Mentors

    At the very core of UCAN is youth development. It’s the underlying constant within each program, and of the tools used to support their development, mentoring remains one of the strongest and most effective. “Mentor” can mean someone who you look up to or someone you aspire to be. It can be someone who pushes… Read more »

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  • You Can Survive

    UCAN offers services that focus on mental health, from traditional therapy to expressive acting and art programs, but healing is at common theme in our programming.  UCAN Survive is a new program funded via a ICJIA (Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority)/VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant that is dedicated to healing and supporting victims or… Read more »

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  • Chicago’s Tomorrow Interview Chicago Today – Episode 4

    In this series, youth poised to be Chicago’s future leaders (UCAN program participants and recent alumni) interview current Chicago leaders in their fields of interest. In the fourth episode of our series, Maya Hunter, a UCAN participant who aspires to be a physician, interviews Dr. Perpetua Goodall, an Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at… Read more »

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  • Voices Raised Stronger, Last Longer

    In 2002, lightning struck within the halls of UCAN. Three young men took their friendship and talent to new heights by founding the Uhlich Voices program.

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