The Copper Boyz Ranch, a Kansas City nonprofit founded by four men with ranching backgrounds, aims to connect urban youth with agriculture and horsemanship. The organization provides lessons in horseback riding, animal care, and lassoing, using these activities as therapeutic outlets to combat youth violence and promote social development. Leaders like President Your’Majesty Elbey and Lyndell Woodward, who found healing in their rural roots after troubled pasts, are dedicated to offering urban kids a similar chance to find peace and purpose through nature and animals.

The program has positively impacted children like 9-year-old Khiyar Allen, who gained confidence and a love for the outdoors through the ranch’s activities. Family members appreciate the opportunity for kids to engage in physical, hands-on experiences away from screens. Looking ahead, Copper Boyz Ranch envisions expanding into a community garden and horse sanctuary, hoping to inspire urban youth to dream big and embrace a lifestyle rooted in connection with nature and responsibility.