The Center for Teen Empowerment is a youth-driven organization aimed at curbing violence and gang activity and empowering young people to enact change in their communities. Teen Empowerment runs programs locally in Somerville, as well as in Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and Rochester, N.Y. 

Each site hires youth organizers to take action to address important issues that face their communities. While working with Teen Empowerment, youth organizers are given the support to design and implement a strategy to tackle these issues. 

Teen Empowerment also hosts annual Youth Peace Conferences, where issues of violence, gangs and drugs are addressed through performance, discussion and community interaction. Teen Empowerment Somerville has been hosting these events since 2007.