Starting a nonprofit is not for the faint of heart.

It’s part dream, part paperwork, and part sprint toward a mission you believe in with your whole soul.

At Fourth Pov, Inc., our first 90 days have been filled with big decisions, late nights, meaningful conversations—and the kind of momentum that reminds you: this work matters.

We didn’t set out to just “launch a nonprofit.”
We set out to build a space where underserved youth could take back their voices—where literacy becomes liberation, and where storytelling becomes a tool for healing, power, and change.

Here’s what we’ve been up to during these first 90 days.

---

💼 Our First Board Meeting

We gathered for our very first Founding Board of Directors meeting, bringing together a team of educators, financial, legal, marketing, parents, entrepreneurs, and advocates who believe deeply in the potential of our youth.

There was no warm-up. We jumped right into the real work—aligning on mission, reviewing our early roadmap, identifying the gaps, and plotting out the next steps. We walked away energized, connected, and clear: this isn’t a side project. This is a movement.

---

📝 Our 501(c)(3) Application Is In

One of our proudest early moments came when we officially filed for federal tax-exempt status with the IRS. Our 501(c)(3) application is in—and while we wait for our determination letter, we haven’t slowed down one bit.

We know paperwork doesn’t make a mission. People do.

And the communities we serve can’t afford to wait, so neither will we.

---

📚 Designing Our Five Core Programs

Over the past few months, we’ve poured our energy into designing programming that isn’t just reactive—it’s radical. Rooted in equity. Responsive to what young people actually need. And built with a literacy-first mindset that reaches far beyond reading level.

Here are the five core programs that will anchor our work moving forward:

---

📚 1. Fourth Ledger

Focus: Publishing as a tool for financial literacy and economic empowerment
Goal: Equip youth and adults with the skills to publish books, journals, or zines—while learning entrepreneurship, budgeting, and monetization.
Literacy Lens: Writing, planning, marketing, and functional financial literacy

---

✍🏾 2. The Fourth Writers’ Room

Focus: Foundational writing skills and storytelling development
Goal: Foster creativity, voice, and literary confidence through structured writing projects and group collaboration.
Literacy Lens: Reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and peer feedback

---

🧠 3. Fourth Healing

Focus: Mental health and wellness through expressive writing
Goal: Provide safe spaces for reflection, healing, and growth using journaling, poetry, and narrative therapy tools.
Literacy Lens: Reflective writing, emotional vocabulary, and self-guided storytelling

---

🗞 4. Fourth Observer

Focus: Youth journalism and civic engagement through writing
Goal: Teach students how to research, interview, and publish stories that shape their communities and challenge injustice.
Literacy Lens: Expository writing, critical thinking, media literacy, and persuasive communication

---

⚙️ 5. Fourth STEAM

Focus: Creative writing fused with STEM concepts
Goal: Empower students to write science fiction, explore worldbuilding, and tackle real-world challenges through storytelling.
Literacy Lens: STEM vocabulary, narrative logic, experimental thinking, and imaginative problem-solving

---

✊🏽 The Work Feels Big—Because It Is

Some days the list of what’s left to do feels like a mountain. While we wait for that determination letter, we are going to do things to still build the organization, like reaching out to potential funders, meeting with potential community partners, building the website, and sending out lots of emails so people know WE EXIST! It sounds like a lot and that’s the beauty of it—it’s growing, it’s alive, and it’s deeply needed.

We’ve already heard from parents and teachers who’ve said:
“This is exactly what our kids need right now.”

And we’ve seen the light in students’ eyes when they realize:
“Wait… I can actually write this? I can say this? I can publish this?”

Yes. Yes, you can. That’s the whole point.

---

📣 What’s Next?

As we step into our next 90 days, we’re preparing to:

• Launch our first set of writing prompt journals
• Pilot two of our programs in local schools and afterschool spaces
• Host our first family literacy event
• And keep amplifying the voices that have been told to stay quiet for far too long

---

We’re still early in the journey. But what we’ve learned so far is enough to carry us forward:

The need is urgent.
The vision is clear.
The work has begun.

And we’re not turning back.