Partner Spotlight: The Steve Fund

Steve Fund Youth Advisory Board members and Gordon Bell- Steve’s Uncle, at a Steve Fund Young Gifted, and Well Conference at Harvard University.

Peloton announced the first pilot portfolio of global community partnerships as part of the Peloton Pledge, our four-year, $100M investment to fight against racial injustice and inequity, and the promotion of health and well-being for all. As part of our work, we specifically committed $20M to community investments and nonprofit partnerships fighting racial injustice and over the next few weeks, we're taking the time to learn more about our partner organizations. Over the last few weeks we were lucky enough to become better acquainted with two of our partners, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a nonprofit dedicated to closing racial health, wealth and opportunity gaps, and Sporting Equals, the UK's leading charity for racial equality and diversity in sport. Today we are hearing from the Steve Fund, the leading organization in the U.S. focused on promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color and their families, to develop and deliver educational mental health programming.

Participants at the Steve Fund's Young, Gifted, and Well conference.

For the Peloton community, could you describe the Steve Fund’s mission and goals?

The Steve Fund is the nation’s leading organization focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color. Our vision is that every young person of color is fully supported by programs, services, and institutional cultures that value and promote their mental health and emotional well-being. The Steve Fund partners with colleges and universities, non-profits, researchers, mental health experts, young people and their families to facilitate a robust national dialogue and increase awareness, understanding and support for the mental health and emotional well-being of students of color.

The Steve Fund president of the board and co-founder (and Steve's brother) describes the organization as having "numerous offerings that benefit young people of color, their families, and their supporters, including mental health educational workshops, support groups, and thought leadership convenings." He continues and shares that "the Steve Fund's relationship with Peloton provides us with the opportunity to give communities of color a greater chance at hope and self-determination at a time when options appear few and far between."

It’s so important to focus on mental and physical wellness. Can you share some of your most recent programs or partnerships that you’re particularly proud of?

Just as many other organizations did during the pandemic, the Steve Fund pivoted from previous in-person activities to creating virtual opportunities to carry out our mission. Last year we launched a series of virtual Community Conversations addressing timely topics at the intersection of race and mental health. These public virtual events provide an opportunity to gather, listen, share, learn, and connect.

Through our partnerships with high schools, higher education institutions, and community-based organizations, we have also reached hundreds of young people of color. Our timely programming has focused on increasing knowledge, promoting resources and tools, and understanding how young people of color can address mental health risk factors such as systemic racism and utilize community and peer networks to foster their mental well-being Another recent addition to the Steve Funds programming is the podcast SpeakOnIt! which is produced and hosted by Steve Fund Youth Advisory Board members Dannie Bell, Kaelyn Huang, and Jay Wang. The SpeakOnIt! podcast brings together students and professionals to discuss the mental health challenges that young people of color may face during their academic and professional careers. The hosts share their insights and experiences and engage professionals in conversations relevant to students of color. The Youth Advisory Board is made up of the high school and college students, all passionate and committed advocates of mental health and wellbeing of young people of color.

What brought you to Peloton and can you tell us a little bit about your work with the company?

We are very excited to partner with Peloton and to highlight the interconnected goals of physical fitness and mental wellbeing. Since we announced the partnership in April, we’ve started getting to know the Peloton community. For example, we participated in Homecoming [Peloton’s annual community] event where we participated in a candid conversation with other organizations advancing antiracism about engagement with physical fitness and mental wellbeing. We are also part of Peloton’s Together We Give Program – a Peloton employee giving platform, where employees could learn about and support the Steve Fund. Through the support of Peloton, the Steve Fund is working to expand the reach of our programs and services and increase awareness and understanding of mental health needs among young people of color. As part of the effort, we will develop resources and host educational workshops for young people of color and their families, emphasizing the trauma caused by today’s unprecedented health, economic, and social crises, and the intersection of physical and mental health. We will also provide programs and services to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and organize and host support groups for young women of color at minority serving institutions (MSIs).

Like Peloton, it seems that you are really involved with communities - whether it be HBCUs or other minority serving institutions. What is the role of community in your work?

Building connections, community and partnerships are at the very core of what the Steve Fund efforts. We work to share information and understanding and share stories and experiences related to the mental health and wellbeing of young people of color. The Steve Fund focuses on the unique needs of today’s young people of color, and is highly committed to helping them become healthy and productive members of our future society. At the same time, we recognize that achieving this vision for the future requires collective communities of action involving individuals, families, institutions, and young people themselves. The Steve Fund envisions a society in which schools, colleges and universities, families, communities, and workplaces act in concert to safeguard emotional well-being of young people of color.