Disrupting cycles of harm.
Cultivating leaders.
Transforming communities.
No More Tears’ Youth Programming meets young people where they are and walks with them toward where they want to go. Rooted in more than 20 years of restorative healing and violence prevention work, our youth-to-leadership pipeline is built and led by credible stewards of transformative change: returned citizens, artists, educators, and community mentors with lived experiences connected to harm and committed to transformation.
We treat youth people, especially Black, Brown, immigrant, and working-class youth–not as “problems to be fixed,” but as leaders to be trusted and nurtured. Through a two-phase pipeline of Youth Healing Circles (HC) and our Youth Accelerated Program (YAP), participants move from processing lived experiences to authoring their own narratives, on the page and on the stage.
Together, this work disrupts pathways into the school-to-prison pipeline and replaces them with pathways into leadership, purpose, and community engagement.
At a glance:
200+ youth reached through outreach, school presentations, and community events
150+ youth engaged in direct healing-circle programming
20 YHC graduates
15-20 youth currently in YAP rehearsals; 200+ projected audience members in 2026
Active sites: Impact Justice, Oakland Tech High School, West Oakland Middle School
Meet our youth fellows
cyncier colbert
Cyncier joined the NMT family in 2022 after Lonnie came to Oakland Technical High School while they were doing an anti-bullying play. Lonnie invited him to be a part of the organization and was thrilled at the opportunity. He is one of two youth who completed the pilot NMT youth internship in 2023 and 2024. Cynicer is now a Youth Fellow who leads facilitation in our youth programs.
He is an inspiring director/writer, and NMT has helped him a lot on that journey and in what he wants to accomplish.
In his free time, he likes to indulge in writing stories and watching films.
Vaughn Grasso
Vaughn joined the NMT family in 2022. Vaughn first became connected with NMT after high school through Lonnie Morris, who served as a mentor to him and several other students. He is one of two youth who completed the pilot NMT youth internship in 2023 and 2024. Vaughn is now a Youth fellow who leads facilitation in our youth programs.
He brings a fresh perspective and valuable knowledge to the program while supporting and connecting with the youth. His experience with NMT as both a participant, intern, and now fellow has allowed him to continue learning while giving back to the program.
Vaughn is currently enrolled at Laney College, where he is studying kinesiology and is also a member of the Laney College football team.
aaron walker
Aaron joined the NMT family in May 2026 as a Youth Fellow. Aaron has a background in youth and community engagement, with a growing passion for making a positive impact and connecting with people from different backgrounds. He is proud to be part of No More Tears because he believes in its commitment to supporting and uplifting the community.
Over the past three months, his experience with NMT has been eye-opening, giving him the opportunity to meet inspiring people from different industries and backgrounds, build new relationships, be an active contributor to something meaningful, and discover new experiences and opportunities to make a difference.
In his spare time, Aaron enjoys playing basketball, spending time with his family, and making kids happy.
YOUTH HEALING CIRCLES (yhc)
Healing starts where young people are heard
“Healing is important because it allows people to understand their own feelings as well as others, and I have learned to do that here."
- r. yhc PARTICPANT
The Youth Healing Circles include 8 sessions of a trauma-informed curriculum for marginalized and justice-impacted youth ages 14-24. Grounded in restorative healing and public health approaches to violence prevention, YHC creates a structured, sacred space where young people gather to reflect, process, and grow together.
Healing is not a destination. It is a lifelong practice. Across the eight sessions, participants are held in community by an intergenerational ecosystem of returned citizens, educators, artists, and community leaders.
What youth explore
Community and storytelling
Relationships: bridges and barriers
Understanding violence and de-escalation
Conflict resolution and emotional intelligence
Self-preservation, consent, and accountability
Communal care and responsibility
Narrative building and rising in agency
What youth build
Emotional regulations and self-awareness
Healthy relationship-building and skills
Conflict resolution and de-escalation practices
Leadership development and agency
“Healing is important because it allows people to understand their own feelings as well as others, and I have learned to do that here."- j. YHC PARTICIPANT
youth accerlated program (yap)
From healing in circles to healing on stage
WhAT IS YAP?
The Youth Accelerated Program is where stories become power. Building directly on the foundation of YHC, YAP is a rehearsal-based, arts-driven leadership intensive where youth transform their lived experiences into a full-scale theatrical production.
Participants work alongside returned citizens, professional playwrights and filmmakers, artists, educators, community organizers, and NMT staff. Together, they co-create a production that amplifies youth voices, challenges of harm and criminalization, and invites community dialogue on liberation, healing, and transformation.
This is more than a play. This is healing, expression and transformations in and with community. When youth tell their stories, they reclaim their purpose and power
YAP JOURNEY
Foundation: healing and story development
Collective creation: stories shaped into script and scenes
Skills-building and production: acting, writing, directing, design
Public performance and community dialogue
Reflection and impact documentation
WHAT YOUTH DEVELOP
Storytelling and performance
Voice and public speaking
Leadership, collaboration, and accountability
Creative storytelling and media literacy
Confidence and agency
“The healing circles created a space where it was easy to find comfort and understanding where we could see what others go through, and how we relate or differ, Now, in YAP, we’re sharing our own personal stories–the ones we want the world to hear and bringing them together to create a play.”
— yap youth participant
We partner with schools, community organizations, and funders to bring Youth Healing Circles and the Youth Accelerated Program to young people across the Bay Area.
Reach out to learn how to get involved or sponsor a cohort!
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