About Our Work

“We will build the community by healing together through the creation of safe spaces, communicating our traumas, and exploring how to navigate through traumas. In a group setting, we will form a bond that will allow us to hold each other accountable, and rely on these established connections as motivation during our most challenging moments. Struggle University will strive to manifest healing, by utilizing the community as a vital resource in this process.”

Struggle University focuses on supporting both youth and adults, essentially serving late elementary/early middle through adulthood. Also, while there is no exclusion on the racial make up of participants in our programs, there is a priority on serving students of color; specifically, Black students.

2023 Struggle University Goals

Although the statistics show that violence in general has not spiked since the pandemic, we are seeing an uptick in gun violence amongst youth here in Indianapolis. Young people who are involved in these situations are often the young people that we connect with in our programs, including Struggle University. Your sponsorship and/or partnership is vital to support the continuation of providing the necessary spaces and opportunities for these young people.

For example, donations provided would lend to new cultural and learning experiences (i.e. field trips, museums, college tours, conferences, etc.). Also, obtaining necessary resources that our participants and families may need (i.e. school supplies, groceries, clothing, etc.). Finally, these contributions would help cover or minimize the need for college application fees, probation fees, and any other financial burden.

My name is Aaron Green and I am the CEO of Struggle Made Us, a grassroots organization that focuses on social and emotional development, encourages the creation and strengthening of social capital, and supporting educational equity through mentoring and restorative practices.

One of our critical programs includes Struggle University, which specifically focuses on creating spaces to identify past and current trauma, explore individual and collective ways of healing, and build collective efficacy through building rapport and connection. My purpose for connecting with you today is to request your support through possible sponsorship and/or collaboration.

Struggle University is an important opportunity for the at-promise youth* that we serve as it enables them to have a space to grow and be provided the opportunity to overcome their obstacles. Aaron Green also has a clothing line titled Struggle Made Me, a motivational streetwear brand sold nationwide out of Indianapolis, Indiana and 65% of all the proceeds go to supporting the community and the Struggle Made Us charity.