STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Bobby Digi, the man behind the Canvas Institute in St. George, is championing what he sees as the most vital tool for youth in the post-pandemic era: compassion.

When Digi founded the Canvas Institute in 2016, he saw it as a movement to transform young lives on Staten Island through key programs and initiatives — in financial literacy, civic engagement, leadership, mental well-being and a strong emphasis on African heritage, arts, and culture.