Striving Together Equals Progress Inc. (S.T.E.P.) is a nonprofit Rites of Passage and Manhood Development Organization based in Newark, New Jersey. S.T.E.P was started in the year 2000 by five concerned men with one central purpose in mind:
" To Raise Strong, Conscious, Productive Men "
Our Mission
The Mission of Striving Together Equals Progress is to act as a charitable and educational organization which provides guidance and cultural instruction to young inner city males. This will enable them to become productive citizens in their community and society.
Our Program
S.T.E.P. involves a program format that addresses the cultural, educational, and emotional well-being of program participants, emphasizing but not limited to the following areas:
-- Low Self-esteem
-- Lack of Self-awareness
-- Juvenile delinquency
-- Adolescent fatherhood
-- Gang Violence
-- Health Deterioration
-- Drugs
-- HIV/AIDS
S.T.E.P. has established a core curriculum
that includes:
-- Culture
-- Spirituality
-- Science
-- Economics
-- Health & Nutrition
-- Leadership
An important aspect of the S.T.E.P. philosophy is "in knowledge there is power". We have placed emphasis on this reality in the drafting of our curriculum format. Additional components of the S.T.E.P. program involve special lectures, cultural and educational field trips, nutrition, self-defense training, and an emphasis on community service.