Champions for Youth Podcast

How do we create safe spaces and supportive communities that help LGBTQ+ youth thrive without being defined by a single part of who they are? In this episode, we explore how empathy, storytelling, and youth voice can help LGBTQ+ youth feel seen, supported, and connected. We also discuss why active listening and youth involvement are critical to creating programs that resonate with young people and...

How do we create lasting health behavior change — not by telling people what to do, but by empowering them with the Information to make their own decisions? In this episode, we explore how education, strategic partnerships, and policy change can work together to improve health outcomes and prevent chronic disease before it starts. From school nutrition and recess policies to preventive health educ...

What happens when we stop using punishment as a response to youth substance use in schools and replace it with education and empathy instead? In this episode, we explore a different approach to youth substance use intervention, one built on trust, relationships, education, and community support instead of suspension or criminal charges. Listen as we learn how partnerships with educators, counselor...

What if the best way to reduce stigma and expand access to resources for young people was through partnerships? In this episode, we explore how working behind the scenes with schools and community partners is helping more young people get the support they need, without added pressure or attention. By listening, building trust, and adapting to each students’ needs, this approach moves away from one...

What can adults learn if we spend more time listening to young people and empowering them to lead their peers? In this episode, we’re joined by the hosts of 1Brotherhood Empowered Podcast to hear how youth and adults are working together to build the next generation of leaders. Each represents a different chapter of their leadership journey; from founding the organization as a teen, to stepping in...

What would it take to make healthier habits the normal, easy, and fun choice for young people? In this episode, we explore how simple, engaging programs are helping young people experience health and wellness in ways that feel natural and enjoyable. From movement and nutrition to hands-on activities that make healthy living part of everyday life. We talk about why meeting youth where they are matt...

What if digital well-being is about more than limiting screen time — what if it’s about helping young people build real-world community? In this episode, we explore how teens themselves are reshaping the conversation around technology and mental health. Through youth-driven digital wellness curriculums, teen advisory boards, and real-world collaboration, young people are helping design healthier w...

What if growing food wasn’t just about nutrition, but about growing leaders from the ground up? In this episode, we explore how hands-on cooking, gardening, and youth agriculture programs are doing far more than teaching about nutrition or food literacy, they’re building confidence, voice, and real-world leadership. From after-school programs to paid internships, young people are stepping into res...

How can one voice, one story or one book change the world for today’s youth? This is a story of how a single school projected launched a powerful youth-led movement that transformed how young people, especially young Black girls, see themselves in pages of a book. Through the Thousand Black Girl Books project, a new generation is finding confidence, connection and a sense of belonging through stor...

What if the freedom to explore who you are was the first step to discovering who you could become? This episode looks at what happens when LGBTQ+ youth have supportive environments for real-world exploration, their identities, and long-term growth. We explore how Rainbow Labs is building community through intentional programs, mentorship pairings, and skill-building experiences that help youth dev...

How do we grow as youth health professionals? Not just in what we know, but in how we think, connect, and lead meaningful change? In this episode, you’ll hear firsthand the impact of stepping into spaces designed for inspiration, collaboration, and action. How the Champions for Youth Summit is creating opportunities to think outside the box across a wide range of health topics and offering real, t...

We all want to help young people stay healthy, but knowing where to begin, or how to keep going when nothing seems to be working, can feel overwhelming. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt stuck, discouraged, or unsure of what to do next when supporting the health and wellness of youth. We break down the Action Plan for a Healthy Virginia, a research-grounded framework designed by Preventio...

What’s really inside a vape, why are so many young people addicted, and what can we do about it? The CDC reports vapes/e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the United States.  Communities across the country are searching for answers about the risks these products pose and need to be rooted in facts, not fear. This episode explores the sci...

What does grief look like in a young person, and how do we support them when that grief stems from something as devastating as an overdose? As fentanyl-related deaths continue to rise among youth, more and more young people are navigating sudden, unimaginable loss. In this episode, we explore what it takes to truly show up for them, not just with sympathy, but with safe spaces, compassion, and peo...

How can we use social media as an effectively tool for positive change in childhood nutrition? We sit down with Jennifer Anderson, registered dietitian, public health expert, and founder of Kids Eat in Color. We explore how short-form storytelling rooted in empathy helped her become one of the most trusted childhood nutrition influencers, followed by millions of families online. What began as evid...

What does it really take to build youth programs that actually create a movement towards change? In this conversation, we explore why successful youth health initiatives are rarely one-and-done. From forming unexpected partnerships to navigating barriers, we unpack how staying flexible and listening closely can lead to the most meaningful impact. We talk about what happens when young people are gi...

How are we supposed to stay motivated in today’s ever-changing times and shake the feeling of ‘being stuck?' In this conversation, we explore how your purpose becomes a source of motivation when resources feel scarce and the path forward isn’t always clear. We talk about the courage it takes to step into opportunities before you know exactly where they’ll lead, and how persistence, creativity...

What if getting young people moving was one of the simplest, yet overlooked tools we have for improving their health, focus, and sense of belonging? From classroom transitions to community partnerships, we explore what happens when movement becomes part of everyday culture, not just something reserved for sports or PE. We hear how movement improves attendance, reduces disruptions and  supports men...

What if the intersection of food, culture, and community holds the key to solving some of the more pressing health challenges facing youth? In this conversation we dive into how nutrition is more than science, it’s personal. We explore how food traditions can both nourish and shed light on barriers, how systems of inequality influence what ends up on the plate, and why improving youth health start...

What if the future of public health doesn’t depending on more programs, but on empowering more young people who believe in them? In this episode, we explore how one person’s lived experience and a spark of encouragement led to the creation of a movement to build a pipeline of change for the next generation of health leaders. Take a listen and learn how youth volunteerism is becoming a powerful too...

What if saving lives started with teaching the truth; early, often, and without shame? In this episode, we learn how one personal tragedy turned into a mission to expose the real dangers of fentanyl and help young people make informed lifesaving decisions. We learn that education rooted in honesty and empathy, not fear, can help teens make safer choices and become advocates for their own health. I...

What if the first step to solving some of the most pressing youth mental health challenges wasn’t a policy or a program, but a peer-supported conversation? In this episode, we hear how one teenager turned her personal struggle with anxiety into a national platform for change. Through vulnerability, persistence, and advocacy, she’s helping reshape how schools and communities talk about mental healt...

What if the boldest form of representation wasn’t just about being seen, but about showing up loudly in spaces that never expected you — like America's biggest stage?   Noticing a lack of Deaf representation put Justina on a path toward empowerment at a young age. She started interpreting music in American Sign Language at age 8. Now, it's her job — she even interpreted Rihanna's Su...

What if kids learned nutrition the same way they learned to read?  In this episode, we explore how everyday food habits and routines can lay the foundation for lifelong health. We talk about why modeling matters, how nutrition and literacy are deeply connected, and what it takes to overcome the real barriers families face when trying to build healthier habits. This episode is for anyone who believ...

What if the key to leadership wasn’t about having it all figured out, but believing that you’re ready to begin? This episode is all about building confidence, trusting your voice, and creating space for young people to step into leadership, especially when the path isn’t clearly marked. We dive into how clarity, courage, and lived experience can become powerful tools for making a difference. Wheth...