Beat the Streets Baltimore (BTS-B) and Beat the Streets Cleveland (BTS-C) are pleased to announce their strategic partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity and collaboration between the United States and Africa. This partnership serves as a platform for BTS-B and BTS-C to expand their efforts to empower under-resourced communities and create accessible learning opportunities for youth from different countries.

In August 2023, BTS-B, in collaboration with the United States International University of Africa (USIU) and the Kenyan Amateur Wrestling Association (KAWA) launched a unique program. This initiative sent 36 youth leaders from Baltimore and Cleveland Public Schools to Cairo, Egypt, Mombasa, Kenya, and Nairobi, Kenya for a three-week exchange program.

The program aimed to foster mutual understanding among urban youth from Baltimore, MD; Cleveland, OH; Egypt; and Kenya. It supported the grassroots development of Kenyan Amateur and Olympic-style wrestling in primary and secondary schools and universities, improving the living conditions of promising youth. This offered young men and women exposure, scholarships, and access to the sport of wrestling. The secondary objectives of the project were to strengthen cultural, social, political, and economic ties among the African communities, the African Diaspora, and the United States.

“The young people of the African Diaspora possess immense potential for leading in their respective communities and beyond,” said Lydell Henry, Executive Director at BTS-B. “Their unique experiences within the African Diaspora shape their understanding of cultural diversity and provide a valuable perspective that is crucial in building cross-cultural relations. Our future leaders will have the power and capabilities to positively impact both Africa and the United States.”

Through this unique program, BTS-B and BTS-C have offered urban youth from Baltimore, Cleveland, Mombasa, Nairobi, and Cairo an opportunity to explore each country’s social and cultural history while participating in Olympic-style wrestling.

To support this effort, BTS-B launched a crowdfunding campaign that has enabled students from Baltimore City to participate in transformative experiences in academic enrichment and sports education.

Upcoming Cultural Exchange:

Mark your calendars! The next cultural exchange program is scheduled from April 10, 2025 to April 23, 2025. This will continue to build on the success of our previous initiatives, further enriching the lives and educational opportunities of our participants