Spring Match! Double Your Donation
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Every dollar donated up to $40,000 will be matched by our board of directors
“Writing for Youth Communication changed my life enormously! It helped me work through my emotions about being placed in foster care, navigate my relationship with my therapist, and process losing a best friendship in a healthy way. It also made me feel like I was doing something important. I know that without Youth Communication I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am today.”
– Ericka Francois
Dear Friend of Youth Communication,
The summer after her senior year, Ericka was introduced to Youth Communication through her court-appointed special advocate. Ericka was living in kinship care with her grandmother after being removed from her abusive mother at age 11. Working closely with the editors in Youth Communication’s writing program helped her work through her emotions and build the skills she needed to navigate the challenges of life.
At YC, we believe stories like Ericka’s can transform lives. Won’t you join us? Donate today to amplify youth voice and expand the impact of YC’s stories.
For over 40 years, Youth Communication (YC) has amplified youth stories and empowers teens, especially young people of color, to achieve their personal and academic goals. Our curricula and professional development – based on original true stories by teens – uniquely enables schools and other youth-serving organizations to create supportive, culturally responsive learning communities.
Over her years at YC, Ericka authored five moving stories about her experiences. Ericka has gone on to become a professional advocate for youth in foster care with one of our partners: Fair Futures.
Ericka’s stories have been incorporated into Youth Communication’s social emotional learning (SEL) curricula which now reach approximately 40,000 students each year. YC’s real teen stories help teachers, social workers, and other youth-serving adults facilitate student-centered discussions around race, gender, identity, and other topics that are often ignored or difficult to discuss.
Please donate today to support Youth Communication so we can continue to support youth like Ericka, and ensure other youth like her benefit from her story. Every dollar donated up to $40,000 will be matched by our board of directors! Your gift today will help us provide our literacy-rich, SEL curricula to the highest need public schools and communities in NYC and around the country.
P.S. Double your impact! Our board is matching donations received by June 30th. If you have a corporate matching program, your donation can be tripled. Give today.
Real Stories. Real Change.
Read Ericka’s stories: