YO! Alumni Questions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.