FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blue Heart Foundation Names Nate Howard as Community Activist of the Year
The San Diego-based poet, social entrepreneur, activist and founder will receive the award alongside other prominent San Diegans, including San Diego City College President Dr. Ricky Shabazz.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Dec. 14, 2024 - San Diego-based artist and activist Nate Howard today received the Blue Heart Foundation’s Community Activist of the Year award alongside entrepreneurs Jasmin and Misty Jackson, General Contractor leader Brian Ware, and San Diego City College President Dr. Ricky Shabazz. Howard, a professional speaker, poet, educator, and social entrepreneur, will be recognized for his extraordinary contributions to empowering youth through his nonprofit, Movement BE, during the Blue Heart Foundation’s 18th Annual Christmas Breakfast and Community Awards Ceremony.
Howard's journey of community activism began in 2013 when he made headlines in the Los Angeles Times for challenging racial profiling that occurred during a graduation event he was hosting at the University of Southern California, ultimately founding Movement BE with the powerful motto: "Tell your story before they do." Movement BE’s mission is to help traditionally underserved youth and youth of color discover their voices, share their stories, and find purpose through creativity and self-expression. His groundbreaking approach uses storytelling and other artistic mediums to foster emotional resilience, build confidence, and help young people envision and pursue brighter futures. His organization has directly impacted thousands of students, providing them with platforms for self-expression and personal growth.
"Nate Howard exemplifies the spirit of community leadership that we celebrate," said April Ray Morris, Co-Founder and COO of The Blue Heart Foundation. "His commitment to empowering Black and Brown youth through education, poetry, and storytelling aligns perfectly with our mission of creating equitable paths to success."
The Movement BE Center, launched in 2021, has hosted over 200 students through free summer and after-school programs. Howard's approach focuses on proactive, sustainable activism through education, challenging students to find their voice and create meaningful change.
"Movement BE has always been about empowering young people to reclaim their narratives and discover their potential. The Blue Heart Foundation has been an incredible ally in this mission, particularly in supporting African American male youth in San Diego,” said Nate Howard, activist and founder of Movement BE. “This year saw incredible growth for Movement BE, especially as an edtech platform and tool. In 2025, we plan to support even more students and opportunity youth by scaling the Movement BE platform, providing a culturally relevant and tech-enabled social-emotional learning solution to administrators, educators, and more across the nation.”
The award was presented at The Blue Heart Foundation's Christmas Breakfast and Community Awards Ceremony on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Liberty Station Conference Center.
About Nate Howard
Nate Howard is a dynamic social entrepreneur, poet, and educator dedicated to youth empowerment. Selected as one of the inaugural NBCBLK28 leaders and featured on the Today Show as a "Game Changer Making History," Howard has collaborated with notable artists like Kendrick Lamar and appeared on Netflix's "Song Exploder." A University of Southern California graduate, he continues to inspire young people to tell their stories and challenge the status quo. His groundbreaking approach uses storytelling and other artistic mediums to foster emotional resilience, build confidence, and help young people envision and pursue brighter futures. Already, his work has made a transformative impact on hundreds of students’ lives, sparking meaningful conversations about education, equity, and youth empowerment in communities across the country.For more information on Nate Howard, visit natehowardspeaks.com.
About Movement BE
Movement BE is a nonprofit organization and edtech platform committed to helping traditionally underserved students discover their voices, share their stories, and find purpose through creativity and self-expression. Utilizing social-emotional learning programming and tools, Movement BE provides support on both the academic and personal levels through innovative programs, workshops, trainings. The Movement BE Center, located in San Diego, Calif., provides safe spaces for youth to explore self-expression, leadership, and personal growth. To learn more about Movement BE, visit movementbe.com and movementbeyou.com.
About the Blue Heart Foundation
The Blue Heart Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underserved African American male youth through mentorship, leadership development, college preparation, and emotional well-being programs. Founded in 2013, the Foundation has positively impacted hundreds of students in the San Diego area by providing equitable paths to success in education and life.
For more information, visit theblueheartfoundation.org.
Contact:
Shayna Zeigen