About
our company
Through The Concrete is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization committed to empowering youth and families to rise through adversity.
We create programs that cultivate resilience, mental wellness, and creativity, from trauma-informed school partnerships to mentorship, professional development, photography, and music initiatives.
Our mission is to build stronger communities by helping young people find their voice, develop life skills, and believe in their ability to grow, even through the hardest circumstances.
Our Programs
Fostering Futures is a transformative youth leadership and mentorship program designed to equip teens with the tools they need to confidently navigate the transition into adulthood. Serving youth ages 14 to 18, the program provides mentorship, guidance, and real-world skills that support independence, stability, and long-term success.
“We help youth plant roots of resilience that last long after the program ends.” -Tia Baruti, CEO
Partnerships with schools to build trauma-informed, emotionally safe learning spaces. We train staff, host small student groups, and offer family sessions that strengthen wellness and community inside the classroom.
“When schools understand trauma, students thrive instead of just surviving.” -Tia Baruti, CEO
Through The Concrete provides engaging, culturally responsive and individually tailored professional development experiences for schools, community-based organizations, social service agencies, faith institutions, and community leaders.
“Communities don’t rise by accident. They rise when the people holding them up are strengthened first.”-Tia Baruti
Photography, media, and music programs that give young people the tools to tell their stories. Guided by creative professionals, participants learn self-expression, teamwork, and the power of purpose.
“We help youth see themselves as creators, not statistics.”-Tia Baruti, CEO
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Founder
Tia Baruti is the founder and visionary behind Through The Concrete, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to helping youth and families rise through adversity.
As a proud veteran, mental health professional, and community advocate, Tia combines lived experience with clinical training to create programs that heal, empower, and inspire. Her work is rooted in the belief that growth can bloom anywhere, even through the concrete.
With over a decade of experience in social services, Tia has led initiatives focused on trauma-informed care, youth mentorship, and community wellness. She brings an authentic, compassionate approach to every space she enters, whether she’s training educators, mentoring teens, or speaking on resilience and purpose.
Through The Concrete, Tia continues her lifelong mission: building spaces where people can be seen, supported, and strengthened, from the classroom to the community.
“I’ve learned that resilience isn’t just about surviving — it’s about finding beauty in what tried to break you, and helping others do the same.” — Tia Baruti
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