Village Talks Ep. 16 - Janay Boughton of After School Allstars with "Respect the Village"

Episode 16: Respect the Village

Janay Boughton – After School All-Stars New Jersey

Village Talks with Damien Howard

When you talk to someone who loves their city, you can feel it.

Not the performative kind of love.
Not the polished, PR version.

But the kind of love rooted in the streets that raised you, the schools that shaped you, and the young people you refuse to give up on.

That’s what Episode 16 of Village Talks felt like with Janay Boughton, Director of Program and Impact at After School All-Stars New Jersey.

From Brick City to Impact Leadership

Janay is a proud “Brick City girl,” born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her parents met at Arts High School. Her story is deeply connected to the city she now serves.

She attended Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, a community very different from the one she grew up in. That exposure — along with leadership development experiences like the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative and Leadership North — helped shape how she approaches mentorship and impact today.

But what stood out most wasn’t just the credentials.

It was her humility.

Janay embodies what it means to be a perpetual student. She believes leadership development doesn’t end when the fellowship ends. Growth continues. Community continues. Learning continues.

And that mindset shapes how she shows up for young people.

What Happens After the Music Stops?

One powerful thread in our conversation centered on what happens after leadership programs officially end.

Too often development feels transactional.
The 18 months conclude. The cohort disperses. The energy fades.

But Janay described something different.

Through DeVos, alumni stay connected regionally and nationally. They gather. They resource one another. They celebrate each other’s wins. They continue to be poured into.

That is village.

And it has influenced how she thinks about youth development. It’s not just about serving students during a program year. It’s about building long-term connectivity — staying in touch, continuing to celebrate, and creating pathways beyond high school.

The Reality of Funding Cuts

At its height, After School All-Stars New Jersey served 21 sites across Newark and Paterson.

Today, they serve three.

Funding cuts in the out-of-school time sector have had a devastating impact. Entire school communities lost access to enrichment programming.

Janay shared the heartbreak of families showing up to a long-standing enrollment event expecting to register — only to be told the program would no longer be at their school.

Some families had multiple siblings who had grown up in the program.

That’s not just a line item disappearing.
That’s a relationship being disrupted.

And yet she said something that captured the heart of their work:

“Our loyalty is to our students.”

Not to contracts.
Not to politics.
Not to optics.

To students.

More Than Babysitting: Respect the OST Profession

If Janay had a magic wand, she said she would “put some respect on the OST name.”

Out-of-school time programs are often reduced to childcare.

But what she described is enrichment.

Fashion design instructors from the community.
Japanese calligraphy exposure.
Entrepreneurial sparks ignited in middle school.
Service-learning partnerships with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and local community centers.

These programs allow students to experience opportunities their families may not be able to independently fund.

They are exposure engines.
They are opportunity multipliers.
They are essential infrastructure for working families.

And they deserve respect.

Newark: Abundant, Not Deficient

We took time to talk about Newark — affectionately known as Brick City.

Janay challenged the perception that Newark is defined by lack.

She described it as resource-rich. Culturally vibrant. Full of arts, history, talent, and possibility.

The issue is not absence.

The issue is access.

After School All-Stars helps students see the star power not just in themselves, but in their own city. By employing staff from Newark, by creating service-learning opportunities within the community, and by encouraging students to serve locally, they reinforce this truth:

You don’t have to escape your city to thrive.
You can build here.
You can serve here.
You belong here.

Real History, Real Identity

Another powerful moment came when Janay spoke about protecting young people’s access to real history.

Not watered-down narratives.
Not incomplete stories.

But a full understanding of culture, context, and resilience.

Because when young people understand where they come from, they are better equipped to shape where they’re going.

History is not just academic content.
It is identity formation.

The Final Word

Janay closed our conversation by reminding us that youth leadership is not about simply “giving kids a seat at the table.”

It’s about building tables where their voices matter.

It’s about continued investment.

It’s about staying loyal to students even when systems shift.

It’s about honoring the out-of-school time profession as a legitimate and necessary part of the village.

Exposure matters.
Consistency matters.
Love matters.

Village isn’t a buzzword.

It’s a responsibility.

And in Newark, New Jersey, that responsibility is being carried with integrity.