What We Offer

Consulting

Concrete Flowers provides consulting services for organizations, programs, schools, agencies, and individuals seeking to deepen their understanding of youth and family engagement and restorative justice approaches.

Drawing from lived experience in both the juvenile justice and foster care systems, as well as years of community organizing and advocacy, consulting services offer practical insight into what communities need, what barriers exist, and what approaches create meaningful and lasting impact.

Consulting is tailored to meet partners goals and reflect best practices.

Snapshots:

  • Advised nonprofit organizations on authentic youth engagement strategies and program development

  • Supported agencies in understanding the experiences of youth impacted by foster care and juvenile justice systems

  • Provided feedback on policies and practices through a lived-experience lens

  • Partnered with organizations to identify gaps, opportunities, & community-centered solutions

Workshops

Concrete Flowers facilitates engaging, interactive workshops that are customized to meet the needs of each audience. Workshops combine lived experience, storytelling, practical tools, and meaningful dialogue to inspire learning and action. Previous workshops include: Culture as care, Girls in the system, Schools as a safe place, Youth Leadership and advocacy, trauma informed practices, and centering youth voice in decision making.

Workshops are available for conferences, schools, nonprofits, government agencies, community groups, and leadership teams.

Snapshots:

  • Facilitated restorative justice workshops for educators, youth workers, and other community leaders

  • Presented at conferences on the importance of authentic engagement and agency

  • Led discussions on the school-to-prison pipeline and creating safer school environments

  • Delivered workshops on culture as care, girls impacted by systems, and youth in the courtroom

Children and adults playing outdoor Twister game on grass and concrete with a crowd gathered in the background.
People gathered in a modern indoor space with high ceilings, wooden beams, and industrial-style ductwork, socializing at tables with orange chairs.

Community Organizing

Community is where change begins. Concrete Flowers partners with communities to identify existing strengths, bridge gaps, build relationships, and create opportunities for people to learn, connect, and take action.

Through community conversations, gatherings, events, and collaborative initiatives, we help create shared spaces where people can exchange ideas, celebrate their community, and imagine new possibilities for themselves and those that are to come after them.

Snapshots:

  • Organized community gathering that connected families and local supports

  • Developed a city-wide youth council

  • Organized events that celebrate culture and creativity

  • Supported grassroots efforts that strengthened local leadership and civic engagement

Group of six diverse teenagers standing together on an outdoor basketball court, with some holding each other, smiling and looking at the camera. In the background, other people are socializing, and a basketball hoop is visible.
Plant a Seed

Other Services

Concrete Flowers does a range of work, like consulting for organizations, workshops at conferences, hosts community discussions, and community organizing but we are not limited to these. Concrete Flowers can be contracted to do other things that align with the mission. Book a time to meet to discuss more!

The work of Concrete Flowers extends beyond traditional consulting, workshops, and community organizing. Services can be customized to align with your organization's mission and community needs. Whether you're looking for a keynote speaker, panel participant, facilitator, strategic thought partner, or support for a special project, we'd love to explore how we can work together.

Snapshots:

  • Delivered keynote presentations and panel discussions

  • Facilitated community discussions

  • Served as emcee

  • Supported organizations with strategic planning and special initiatives

  • Collaborated on projects centering youth leadership

  • Served on Supreme Court Task Force to advise priorities

Youth Justice Action Month

Three young men standing on a basketball court outdoors, one holding a basketball, with a group of people and tables in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A young man holding a girl and a plate with a hot dog and a bottle of ketchup.
Group of six young women performing a dance on stage, dressed in white tops and red skirts, holding green fans, some standing and others kneeling.
Four children stand on a stage with microphones, participating in a discussion or performance, with a black curtain background and a beige wall. One girl is speaking into a pink microphone.
Two police officers standing behind two young girls holding ice pops during an outdoor community event, with police vehicle, cars, trees, and a residential building in the background.
A group of children and teenagers playing basketball on an outdoor court, with some people in the background preparing for a picnic or event under colorful umbrellas.
Group of children participating in collecting candy after hitting a piniata.
Children playing with a colorful parachute outdoors, with one young boy in the foreground smiling. The parachute is spread out overhead, and the children are holding onto the edges while standing on a grassy area with scattered leaves.
A festive balloon with a sign that says 'YOUTH MATTERS!' in gold letters, decorated with pink and green paper and hanging in a park with children and adults engaging in outdoor activities.
A group of people, including children and adults, gathered around a table in a conference room, engaging in a hands-on activity with various items on the table, with a stage and large screens in the background.

The founder of Concrete Flowers, Audi, has organized a variety of community events in recognition of Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM) each October. YJAM is celebrated nationally as a time to raise awareness, inspire action, celebrate the power of second chances, and elevate the experiences of young people impacted by the juvenile justice system.

Past events have included talent showcases featuring cultural performances and creative talents, art contests highlighting the realities and resilience of system-impacted youth, basketball tournaments, dodgeball competitions, and other family-friendly community activities. These events create opportunities for connection, celebration, learning, and belonging.

Bringing people together is at the heart of Concrete Flowers. Community members, local businesses, and partner organizations contribute their time, talents, resources, and support to make these events possible. Past partners have included young people and families from the community, passionate educators, Juvenile Court Services, local businesses, and other community allies committed to supporting youth and strengthening community connections.

Learn more

Perry’s Youth Advocates

Perry Youth Advocates (PYA) is a council of young people, ages 14–25, from the Perry area who work to identify the community's strengths and weaknesses, building on what's working and pushing for change where it's needed.

Led entirely by young people, PYA upholds youth voices in Perry, Iowa, providing recommendations to key community stakeholders and working toward becoming an equal decision-making partner at the table.

Above all, PYA strives to represent and reflect the community it serves. It also offers a leadership development opportunity, giving young people the chance to learn, grow their skills, and give back to the place they call home.

PYA is an effort of the Jay N. Darling Institute at Drake University

Members of the Perry Youth Council

  • Chair: Angie Orellana

  • Co-Chair: Lauren Riley

  • Lead Design: Daisy Hernandez

  • Destiny Gonzalez

  • Alissa Atwell

  • Cassandra Sierra

  • Genesis & Gianna Gonzalez

  • Elijah Countryman

  • Lily Navarrete

  • Darlene Gonzalez

  • Connor Kautzky

  • Daniela Galindo

  • Emma Sang

  • Angela Rodriguez

  • Jordan Orellana

Staff Support: Cameron Smith and Audi Espinoza

A group of young people sitting around a rectangular table in a library or study room, engaging in a multi-generational activity. They are discussing and working on something together, with materials like spaghetti and a box of tissues on the table. There is a large TV, a framed picture, and bookshelves behind them, along with a clock on the wall. Laptops and smartphones are also visible on the table.
A group of people sitting around a large table in a conference room or classroom, engaging in discussion or activities. The table has snacks, water bottles, and papers. The room has framed pictures on the wall, a large television screen, and ceiling lights.