CHOOSE 180 sees all young people as possibilities.
CHOOSE 180 transforms systems of injustice & supports the young people who are too often impacted by those systems.
We exist to transform oppressive systems that have caused harm and assist young people as they heal from hurt to wholeness. As a diverse team with lived experience, we are uniquely positioned to serve young people from a place of understanding and trauma-informed care.
We see young people as possibilities to be developed, not problems to be solved. When we all come together, we can change the narrative around young people, advocate for systems change, and create a future where resources are invested into communities and all young people have the opportunity to thrive.
“Every day you have an opportunity to make a difference in somebody’s life”
- Doug Wheeler Jr.
History
CHOOSE 180 began in 2011 as a community-centered effort in partnership with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to impact racial disproportionality, keep youth out of the juvenile criminal legal system, and break the school-to-prison pipeline. Recognizing that the criminal legal system was not the most effective tool in addressing complex social issues, then King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg reached out to community leader Doug Wheeler Jr. to partner in creating an alternative to traditional prosecution.
Doug Wheeler Jr. convened a group of community leaders to create a program called the 180 Program, which later turned into CHOOSE 180 in 2017. Sean Goode led the organization until 2023, followed Nneka Payne as Chief Executive Officer. CHOOSE 180 has expanded to offer nine programs to support young people, dismantle oppressive systems, and provide access to resources and opportunities.
Because of this collaboration and the community of support, several hundred young people each year are served in community where they can grow and thrive.
To see where we’re heading next, check out our Five-Year Strategic Plan.
Vision
By 2030, we envision a region where systems no longer respond to young people with punishment, but with a pathway to possibility. A region where schools, courts, and communities work in partnership to ensure that all young people, especially those impacted by racism, poverty, and systemic harm, are seen, supported, and centered.
We imagine a future in which:
Diversion is no longer the exception; it’s the default. Youth are referred to healing-centered alternatives before they ever touch the legal system.
Every young person is met with care, not courtrooms. Intervention looks like mentorship, mental health support, and community, not charges, detention, or isolation.
CHOOSE 180’s model is embedded into public systems. Our approach is no longer just a community program, but part of how schools, courts, and policymakers invest in youth success.
The leadership table reflects lived experience. Young people who have navigated criminalization are the ones shaping the policies, practices, and narratives that replace it.
Contact
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CHOOSE 180 is a registered 501C3; Federal Tax ID #46-4242313