“I hear and see our youth in Maine. I once was one of them. They are observant, smart, resilient, and determined. I am their ally. I strive to use my power and my voice to support them. I want them to feel powerful, to belong, to feel smart, to feel heard. Youth with power and voice become young adults with power and voice. We need more of them. All of them.”

“All youth deserve a safe space to be themselves, get support and validation. Working with youth is a gift because of the incredible drive they have to make this world better. Seeing young individuals find passion and expression is truly inspiring and being able to foster that growth is something I am lucky to be a part of. Supporting youth in Maine is an important way to make positive change for our local communities by creating a voice that is loud enough for everyone to hear.”

“I am most passionate about building strong lasting relationships with young people because young people are the most impactful people in the community who deserve to have safe spaces where their voices can be heard. It is most important to me to break to stigma around marginlized youth so that adults and young people can have constructive, meaningful conversations that lead to bettering the community.”

“My mission is to inspire and empower young people to improve their lives and the lives of those in their community. Through supporting youth in finding their passions, strengths, creative abilities, and reconnecting with their culture, they naturally become their most authentic selves. When young people are free and confident with who they are, they inspire others to do the same. We do this through connecting youth from within their own community, as well as from a variety of other areas. It is one of the highlights of the work I do. During the times of interconnection, we provide culturally relevant workshops, activities, and space for them to explore who they are and what they stand for. Connecting youth with each other, as well as with their communities, is powerful and truly inspiring!”

“The work of young people inspires me because they have a wide range of ideas and beliefs that they are passionate about, and seeing their faces light up with excitement and enthusiasm to discuss/create a positive change in their communities motivates me to become a better version of myself. Watching them take on leadership roles, advocate for what they believe in, and seeing that passion is truly remarkable.”