Irreducible Grace Foundation

Creating Safe Spaces and Healing Opportunities with Youth of Color

At the heart of a Frogtown neighborhood stands our Black Youth Healing Arts Center (BYHAC), a unique space dedicated to healing, creativity, and transformation for Black and BIPOC youth, by Irreducible Grace Foundation (IGF). For over twelve years IGF has co-created with young people spaces to heal from trauma, connect with their cultural heritage, and develop into thriving, well-adjusted adults. 

Our Space

In 2022, IGF purchased the former St. Paul City School in Saint Paul's Frogtown neighborhood. The school has a rich history and in the 1970's and 1980's was home to the Red School House, an accredited Indian-Controlled community school. The Red School House provided education opportunities and supportive services for preschool through 12th grade youth, and adults living in the Twin-Cities. The school was a form of resistance of against curriculum and educational opportunities/outcomes that erased native history and culture. The Red School house was founded as an alternative education system–to help Native communities survive and thrive.

Students at the Red School House. 

With the blessing of the Red School House staff, we at the BYHAC, we are striving to create resilient cultural ties to the African Diaspora for young people in our community.  The BYHAC provides cultural, ancestral, and innovative processes to healing for Black youth foremost, while creating safe spaces and healing opportunities for youth of color. Activities at the BYHAC are grounded in holistic integrative health and healing and the African diaspora. Weekly events and classes include Afro-Fusion dance, drumming, healing circles, poetry and spoken word, sewing, yoga, and bi-monthly Sunday events focused on self-care led by local Black and BIPOC healers, artists, and community members.

BYHAC participants with community elders.

Our Participants

In 2023, we welcomed over 700 young people to the BYHAC for our weekly programming which including, Poetry Lab with acclaimed poet Danez Smith, Healing Circles with Drake Powe, singing classes with local theater legends T. Mychael Rambo, Aimee K. Bryant, Thomasina Petrus and more!  

Our participants come from all over the Twin Cities metro with more than half from 55103, 55104, 55106, and 55119 zip codes which include the Frogtown, University, Rondo, Battle Creek, Dayton’s Bluff, and the East Side neighborhoods of Saint Paul. 

36% of our participants are between the ages of 18 - 24 years of age, with 30 - 39-year old’s making up the second largest group at over 23%. Our participants include infants to those over 60 years of age. At the BYHAC many programs are co-led by community elders providing inter-generational learning for all.

Our participants include children to those over 60 years of age. At the BYHAC many programs are led by community elders who share their knowledge with the younger generations

Your Support

While we have developed programs and secured our physical space, we are a 501c3 non-profit that relies on the generosity of our community, city, and greater family of supporters to provide some funding to support the opportunities our young people deserve. Our programming and staffing are supported through financial donations, contracts, and rental income from our space at the BYHAC. 

Your financial contribution will help us create a sustainable future for IGF and in turn the Black Youth Healing Arts Center. Together, we can provide BIPOC youth with a space to heal, lead, thrive, and serve others for generations to come. We also invite you to share our campaign with your network and spread the word about IGF’s mission to foster holistic healing, cultural empowerment, and systemic change for BIPOC youth.