Lydia's college said she couldn't graduate early. So she read the policies herself, wrote to the dean, and answered her questions with a plan — the same analyst's instinct that now has her improving service at WMATA. She graduated a semester early and spent that time on the internship that launched her career. "I'd rather challenge myself to learn something new than say 'I can't do it.'"

Community college and certificates aren't a fallback. Some of the D.C. region's most in-demand, well-paying jobs run straight through these credentials, and too few people are trained to fill them

New Futures was founded on a simple but powerful belief: when young people are given access to opportunity, support, and choice, they can build futures that uplift not only themselves, but entire communities. The organization began in 1999 , when Michael Gould (center in photo above with colorful tie) established New Futures with initial funding from the estate of his late brother, Allen Gould. Allen left Michael with a charge to “do something good,” and Michael chose to in