YO! Alumni Profile: Mattie Hogan

YO! Alumni Questions

  1. Why did you originally get involved with YO!?

I originally got involved with YO! to work with the disability community. It had been several years since I had attended the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities and I wanted to work with that part of my community again.

  1. What did you gain from being a part of YO!?

I gained a lot from being part of YO! I gained a sense of leadership and the impact one person has or can have on a community. I learned about different types of accommodations and how important laws such as the ADA are to our community. I also learned the impact that we can have on younger generations by sharing our stories and the disability culture.

  1. Would you do it again if you could? Why?

I would do YO! again if I could. It was a great overall experience and I enjoyed the projects I worked on, which included community outreach and working on the Digital Access Project (DAP). For DAP, I worked to help close the disability digital divide by offering low-cost internet and affordable refurbished computers to families who may not have been able to afford it otherwise.

  1. Would you refer or recommend a youth to be a part of YO!?

I would and I have recommended other youth to be a part of YO!.

  1. What was the best part of being a YO! Volunteer or a YO! YAC member?

The best part of being a YO! Volunteer was being able to meet and work with other individuals with different disabilities than myself and to explore how to improve our world.

  1. How would you describe YO! To a friend?

YO! is a great way to get job experience while learning how you can have a positive impact on many different people and communities, and it is fun.

  1. What have you accomplished since you completed your YO! Volunteer time or YO! YAC membership?

Since completing my time with YO!, I finished my Associates degrees from Sacramento City College and have transferred to Sacramento State where I’m scheduled to graduate with my bacheleors in Social Work in May of 2019. I am currently on the Dean’s List. I’m an active sister of the Sacramento State sorority Chi Delta, where I currently am a co-chair for community service. I also have joined the National Social Work Association and have kept volunteering; currently I volunteer with Sacramento Children’s Home where I work with children under the age of 6.


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