Eean Logan Thomas

As the Assistant Director of Education for the Choice Program at UMBC, Eean oversees three programs that are available to youth in Baltimore City and most of Maryland. College Night, a monthly event that brings students on college campuses together with youth and volunteers from the community to enjoy dinner, educational, and recreational activities that introduce young people to university campuses. Eean also facilitates and manages youth-centered teams including the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and Youth in Action (YIA) organized to offer Choice youth participants a Voice in the direction of the organization. Lastly, Eean works with the rest of Choice and the Education team to host educational and vocational workshops to prepare youth for post secondary opportunities including college or trade school.

The Choice Program at UMBC provides mentoring and advocacy services to young people - primarily Black and Latinx - throughout Central Maryland. We utilize a community-based, family-centered approach in order to promote quality outcomes for young people and families. We engage in a collaborative process of service, where young people set goals for themselves and are held accountable by supportive adults along the way. Our approach to youth development is grounded in applied critical race theory and culturally responsive, trauma-informed, restorative practices. We strive to be an anti-racist organization grounded in several core values: holistic development, the belief in humans, dismantling hierarchies, and youth-centeredness.