About Us

Metropolitan Area Group for Igniting Civilization (MAGIC)—is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 active youth service group based in Woodlawn. Joseph Strickland, a native Woodlawn resident and University of Chicago—School of Social Service Administration graduate, founded the organization in 2001. In 2003, LeVon Stone, Bryan Echols, Vanessa Muhammad, Jesse Jones and others joined MAGIC to help catapult it into an effective youth development organization.

Through its prevention projects, leadership development program for teen women and men, youth organizing initiative, after-school apprenticeships, art and culture activities, string instrument program and teen talk show—MAGIC serves over 200 Woodlawn youth annually.

MAGIC works primarily with youth from Woodlawn, but also serves youth from Washington Park, Kenwood, Oakland and Englewood. These are some of Chicago's most severely under-resourced neighborhoods. The youth we work with in our programs are:
• 100% are low-income
• 20% have had involvement with the juvenile justice system
• 100% are African-American and we will work with the young man who has been kicked out of every other program if he demonstrates initiative. We will work with young women who do not have a home telephone, a parent at home or is not in school, if she shows a desire to attain self-sufficiency.

We have chosen to work with this demographic because this is our community, and many
organizations do not serve this demographic without associated stigmas. We will work with youth who are not in school, homeless or fresh out of jail, if they show a desire to attain self-sufficiency. For many, MAGIC is the only place that is willing to offer them an opportunity to grow and achieve their potential. MAGIC youth are the ones who will be able to conceptualize a vision of change for they are the ones who have lived through all that needs to be changed. We are proud to provide that opportunity to these strong, young people who truly do have the power within them to envision and create a more just society.

For many, MAGIC is the only place that is willing to offer them an opportunity to grow and achieve their potential. MAGIC youth are the ones who will be able to conceptualize a vision of change for they are the ones who have lived through all that needs to be changed. We are proud to provide that opportunity to these strong, young people who truly do have the power within them to envision and create a more just society.