About Us – A Deeper Dive

Our Evolution

Catalyst for Systems Change (CSC) builds on the legacy of the Center for School Change while moving beyond education reform alone. Under Executive Director Khalique Rogers, CSC has evolved to address the interconnected needs of youth and families, including education, housing stability, workforce development, and civic engagement.

This evolution reflects our commitment to meeting complex challenges with holistic, community-informed strategies. By centering lived experience and honoring community wisdom, we co-design solutions that address root causes—not just symptoms—of systemic barriers.

Our Mission
Catalyst for Systems Change breaks down systemic barriers and creates pathways to opportunity through collaboration, advocacy, and community-driven design. We empower youth, families, and historically marginalized communities to lead systemic change by transforming their lived experiences into actionable solutions with measurable impact.

At CSC, we don’t ask “How smart are you?” We ask “How are you smart?”—and then build on it.


Our Vision
We envision a future where all people—regardless of background—have the tools, resources, and opportunities to thrive. By fostering cross-sector collaboration and strengthening community connections, CSC works to ensure policies and programs reflect the real needs, priorities, and aspirations of those most affected.

Our Approach
CSC’s approach is rooted in experiential learning and systems-change practice. We engage youth and families as partners in designing solutions that work for them, blending on-the-ground organizing with policy advocacy to produce sustainable change.

We believe that building better youth ecosystems is essential for long-term development. This means cultivating networks of support, opportunity, and belonging that follow young people through every stage of life—from school to career to civic leadership. By strengthening these ecosystems, we help youth grow into their full potential and lead change in their communities.

Our model is built on co-design: we don’t create solutions for communities, but with them.

We operate at the intersection of:

  • Policy and Advocacy: Co-developing long-term solutions for housing stability, educational equity, and workforce development, grounded in community voice.

  • Experiential Learning and Leadership Development: Equipping youth and families with skills to understand systems, advocate for reform, and co-create impactful change.

  • Cross-Sector Collaboration: Building partnerships among schools, businesses, nonprofits, and government to address systemic barriers in a coordinated, holistic way.

Our Impact Model
Our theory of change focuses on three pillars designed to support youth from vision to action:

  • Opening Doors: Reducing barriers to civic participation and economic mobility by connecting communities with tools, knowledge, and resources.

  • Building Leaders: Supporting youth and families to develop leadership skills, practice advocacy, and drive systemic change based on their lived experience.

  • Securing Futures: Creating long-term solutions through strategic partnerships, measurable outcomes, and shared ownership of change.

We’ve seen this approach in action: CSC youth leaders have testified at the Minnesota Legislature, secured new funding for affordable housing, and helped design programs that reduce barriers to education and employment.

Our Values
Equity. Collaboration. Accountability. Community voice. We commit to these principles in all that we do.

Join Us
We invite educators, funders, policymakers, businesses, and community members to partner with us in building systems that truly serve youth and families.

Partner With Us

Why Partner With CSC?
Philanthropic leaders and community partners play a pivotal role in helping CSC scale our impact. Together, we can:

  • Expand innovative programming that addresses urgent community needs.

  • Invest in sustainable solutions that create equity in housing, education, and workforce development.

  • Amplify the voices of youth and families, ensuring their lived experiences inform policies and programs.

Opportunities for Collaboration:

  • Program Sponsorship: Fund initiatives like workforce development and leadership training.

  • Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate on long-term projects to address systemic barriers.

  • Policy Advocacy Support: Help amplify voices and drive legislative wins.