Letter From Julia
Looking back at the past two years, one thing is clear: it has taken a village to get us here. We are proud of the hard work of our team, the generosity of our donors, and the strength of the young people who have shown up with determination, reclaiming their innate brilliance and power. These young people have taken control of their lives and are breaking free from the systems that have harmed them. Our work is to ensure that they are truly seen, that they have opportunities to heal, and access to the knowledge of their ancestors and the space to imagine new futures.
Our goal is not to save young people, but to create real safety and support for them. This work becomes even more urgent as we continue to lose young people we love to violence at the hands of their partners, the community, and the state. It is heartbreaking to bury them, to support their families, and to hold our community together in the wake of such devastating losses. Yet, even in the midst of this pain, we hold onto hope. We create space for the young women and trans youth who have survived these same conditions to heal, to become whole, to dream about what is possible for their futures, and to transform the very conditions that have stolen the lives of so many of our beloved youth.
As we move forward, we are inspired by the unwavering support of our allies. We are deeply thankful that you have stood by us through our hardest challenges and during our moments of growth. From our entire team here at YWFC, THANK YOU! Because of you, 2022 and 2023 were years of success and transformation.
In Solidarity,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Young Women’s Freedom Center
Success In Numbers
Freedom Charter #1
We have the right to self determination. We must determine what success looks like for ourselves. We have the right to lay our own paths free from punitive and controlling systems and to input and voice our input and opinions about all services impacting our lives.
Freedom Charter #4
We have a right to access cultural, holistic, and professional methods of healing to address the trauma we are exposed to while we are involved in the system and when we leave them. We have the right to access healing prior to coming into contact with systems and as a key to preventing systems involvement. We should not be punished for our pain, exploitation, and trauma. We need healing, not punishment when we self-medicate for our trauma and grief.
My mom used to call me a [redacted] criminal and she used say I was worthless, call me a fuck up, like everything in the book and my whole family would look at me like that. And now like everyone just looks at me– like my family, like they’re impressed with me. Like my grandma called me the other day and was like, “I got a newspaper on my front door and you’re on it. You’re on the front page…” Like, people look at me like… maybe you did have a rough start, but look what you turned it into. You were able to turn it around in a way where you’re able to help other people get outta their rough patch. Like turn their life around. So I feel like people look at me now, it’s like, like an inspiration type of thing.