Our Social Enterprises

Teen-Run Businesses

YEI’s programs  incorporate social entrepreneurship model. All of our student-run social enterprises sell products at retail locations in the community and through online marketing. These youth-led enterprises generate profits that are distributed to the Managing Owners (students), creating employment opportunities for youth to earn a living wage and gain invaluable experience as they transition toward becoming their own business owners.

Our students are involved in every aspect, from recipe testing and refinement to marketing, packaging, and sales.

Your purchases help provide students with meaningful wages, empowering their growth and real-world learning. 

Native Artistic Products

Native Artistic Products

NATIVE is a social enterprise created & run by Youth Entrepreneur Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit in DC. We train and hire "Native Washingtonians" from East of the River DC to create socially & culturally relevant artist products.
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Scented futures Candles

Scented Futures Candles

is a social enterprise that trains and hire youth to learn how to create cosmetic products and candles while building STEM skills.
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Good Hair Beauty

Good Hair Beauty

YEI's in-house Beauty Brand, Good Hair, is dedicated to embracing natural beauty for people of color, challenging harmful norms, and boosting self-esteem by crafting and selling natural body care products.
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Help Us "Put Poverty Out of Business"

Here at YEI,  we believe a youth-led economy is possible. All purchases will support our work to help youth East of the River foster economic independence, creativity, and leadership. This, in turn, will help break the cycle of violence and poverty in our communities.

You can shop online with our social enterprises to buy individual products or sign up for a quarterly subscription that contains 5-10 items handmade by our youth entrepreneurs and interns.

Featured social enterprises

Native DC

Students create socially & culturally relevant artist products. that incorporate art and fashion, from custom printed t-shirts to canvas prints, all handmade.

Scented Future

 YEI’s in-house custom Candle Shop. Students create unique candles products.

Good Hair

 YEI’s in-house Cosmetic Shop (CS), Good Hair, is dedicated to embracing natural beauty for people of color, challenging harmful norms, and boosting self-esteem by crafting and selling natural body care products.

Every $25 you spend

creates one hour of paid-training 💸 💸 💸

for a future young person youth entrepreneur in the community.

Native Seasonal limited edition Subscription Box

Discover Unique Social Good Products

made by youth in SE Washington, DC

Enjoy DC’s best youth made products delivered to your door 4 times a year. Get 5-10  items handmade by youth entrepreneurs and interns each quarter. Each box includes $100 – $200  worth of products from YEI Social Enterprises and/or local Youth Businesses. 
 
Your purchases help provide youth East of the River DC with meaningful wages, empowering their growth and real-world experience in the creative economy. 

How it works

Become a member of YEI’s  Native Subscription box and receive 5 to 10 youth made products from YEI social enterprises and local youth businesses for just $59 each season.

Your seasonally themed Native Box Subscription box ships four times per year the second week of Feb (winter), May (spring), Aug(summer) and November (fall).

Enjoy the best of DC delivered to your door! Don’t forget to use #yeidc when you show your youth make merch❤️ on social media!