Tasheema Lucas

Tasheema Lucas (LMSW), Career Advisor for YAOI & Director for the Program for Girls & Young Women holds a Licensed-Master Social Worker-State of New York, 2023, a MSW (2021) from Lehman College, and a B.A. in English (2002) from Binghamton University (SUNY).  Tasheema started at New Settlement in 2005 and has completed extensive training in Youth Development, including arts education, gender equity, youth engagement, financial literacy, college preparedness, self-defense, and sexual health education.

A native of the Bronx, Tasheema spent three summers during college as a lead facilitator of New Settlement’s Bronx Helper’s Super Summer. Her experience working with girls and boys, teen women and men also includes serving as the Site Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Binghamton, NY, as a Program Facilitator in the Broome County YMCA, and as an intern in a Public Elementary School in Binghamton. Currently, Tasheema is the organization’s liaison between New York City’s Teen Connection (NYCTC), Girls Inc NYC, Sadie Nash Leadership Project, and Girls Be Heard. Starting in August 2020, Tasheema served as a Youth Advisor within the Young Adult Opportunity Initiative, now serving as a Career Advisor. The YAOI program is unique in its community-centered, youth development-focused program model that combines a positive youth development approach and a sector-specific career pathways approach. Our program model begins with individual work plans and goal-setting around education, employment, and supportive needs. New Settlement incorporates work-based learning opportunities, including internships and on-the-job training.

Tasheema’s Favorite Quote is: Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain – Vivian Greene