The Passionate Youth Worker

August 1, 2022 Season 3 Episode 5 Minnesota, United States: Anne LaFrinier-Ritchie had to hit rock bottom to discover the kind of perseverance needed to achieve the life she wanted for herself. Drawing on her Indigenous values to see we need a community of people that care about us for us to be fully whole and healthy. Now she brings those value of connection, authenticity, and care to her work wi...

July 18, 2022 Season 3 Episode 4 Nairobi Kenya: Tom Osborn was on a kind of predestined path to become a lawyer. But when his mom’s health was challenged, it became a turning point in his life. He knew he needed to put his passion into helping others. And he sought he a big, bold change. He is driving a new way to help young people with their mental health. Listen in and to learn more, check out h...

July 5, 2022, Season 3 Episode 3 Washington, United States: Tim Johnson grew up in poverty and experienced homelessness as a young person. But through all the difficult days it was the strength of his parents that gave him the moral compass to find a good path for himself. Along the way, he discovered his love for serving other young people and his passion for giving back. His story is an inspirat...

June 20, 2022 Season 3 Episode 2 Tennessee, United States: Khalilah Horton-Spencer was brought up learning that if you put your hands to any type of work, you autograph your work with excellence. That lesson still informs and inspires her every day. She is driven to serve with love and determination. And she infuses her youth work with these lessons to instill confidence and empower young people....

June 6, 2022 Season 3 Episode 1 California, United States: Deon Price has taken every life lesson he’s learned and crafted them into practical wisdom he shares to guide young people. He’s transformed a traumatic upbringing into an unwavering passion for youth work. His stories are motivational and inspirational at the same time. You can learn more about him at www.deondprice.com .  Accessibility O...

May 23, 2022 Season 2 Episode 26 Minnesota, United States: Brian Andrews fell into the hole of addiction and alcohol abuse in his early years. He lost his kids, he lost his house, he even lost himself. He was helped by caring adults coming alongside him that kept pouring into him, offering hope, helping him see his own value. Now, he does that for hundreds of young people through his own story and...

California, United States: Michelle Atencion shares a story of personal growth through life experiences and various roles in youth work. She has gained a unique perspective on the importance of being consistently there for young people, no matter what. When a struggling young person figures out that she is someone in the world that cares about them, she sees it as just giving back to the misunders...

Minnesota, United States: J.T. Evans absolutely embodies energy and enthusiasm. His excitement for the work he does with young people is electric! Hearing him talk about how he builds relationships and helps instill skills and an appreciation of the learning process with young people will surely energize you. And you’ll get a taste of his youth work in the Hot Cheetos and Takis rap his young peopl...

Missouri, United States: Sherrita Allen is a person of faith who lives her values in a beautiful way through her work with young people. She genuinely believes there is good in everyone. Even in her role counseling survivors of sex trafficking, she leads with love. She shares her story with pure vulnerability and trust. Accessibility Options: Watch the unedited video interview with subtitles or re...

Minnesota, United States: Marquita Butler was very fortunate to grow up surrounded by family, friends, teachers, and coaches willing to invest in her. She credits their guidance, support, and encouragement for opening a world of possibilities for her to consider. Now, she does the same for young people and reminds us how much our mentoring matters. Accessibility Options: Watch the unedited video i...

Guam, United States: Samantha Taitano says she has an itch in her body to always be moving, always be doing things to help others, and always be learning. It’s a trait she learned from her father and a value that drives her choices daily. Her many interests and pursuits are outlets for taking care of herself so that she is at 100% when working with youth and families. Accessibility Options: Watch...

Minnesota, United States: Dustin Anderson is known by the nickname “Smiley” and when you hear him speak, you know it suits him. He exudes enthusiasm and positivity, traits that define his work with young people. He lives the belief that to be the best youth worker you can be, you need to develop self-awareness and nurture it with self-reflection. Being your own CEO is about practicing those skills...

West Yorkshire, England: Joshua Alade is a man of profound passion and perseverance. He speaks from his heart about what drives him to dream such big dreams for systemic change. He learned from his mother the importance of helping others and her memory sustains him in this difficult work. He is a fierce advocate for education and opportunity for young people. His remarkable determination is a supe...

Minnesota, United States: Sarah Mangan is grateful to have survived a dive into drug and alcohol abuse as a young adult. She shares her story with such candor and vulnerability because of the valuable lessons she has learned from the experience. And she knows those lessons learned about finding healthy connection with people will be of great use to young people. Through her youth work, she hopes t...

Washington, United States: Linsay Hill tells a too familiar story of a childhood immersed in trauma, violence, and abuse. Early exposure to trauma and unhealthy behaviors created challenges into her adult life. But that also drew her to helping others. To break the cycle of generational trauma, she began therapy. Through therapy, she learned to honor her authentic self. She found a way of speaking...

Minnesota, United States: Andrew “Dhop” Hopkins used critical thinking skills to avoid the pitfalls of life-altering decisions as a young person. Growing up in a family of 10 kids, he developed the skills to relate with different personalities. He’s grateful for the people that poured themselves into him, and he’s fully comfortable doing the same for young people now. Dhop helps us remember that i...

Maryland, United States: Ciara Huff didn’t always know she wanted to work with young people. But that changed in college when she took a class on Criminology. She learned African American children are more likely to commit crimes and realized she needed to work with young people if I wanted to make a difference in the future. She says this is her earthly assignment. Her story reminds us our unique...

Minnesota, United States: Wendy Lorenz-Walraven has nurtured a deep passion and commitment to genuinely create space where people can be seen and heard in ways that society doesn’t often give the time and space for. Accepting her own queer identity helps her show up fully now. She knows that being able to create space for all the ways in which young people identify whether you understand those ide...

Washington, United States: Jose “Neaners” Garcia was the youngest gang member in his community. He had shot someone by the time he was 10 years old, had a child at age 12, got shot himself at age 13. Traumatized by both parents and his surroundings, he felt his life was limited to what he saw in front of him. But a 5-year stint in solitary confinement helped him see a purpose to it all. His vision...

Minnesota, United States: Essence Blakemore is a fierce champion for social justice. From an early age, she could see injustice in front of her. Challenging that often got her in trouble. But with the help of an AmeriCorps mentor, she learned to use her voice and passion more effectively. Having the benefit of a kindred spirit to guide her taught her that everybody deserves to have someone in thei...

Monrovia, Liberia: George King has a life story that could have stopped him in his tracks. He lost his father at age 3 to the civil war in Liberia. His mother could not raise him so his aunt put him in an orphanage. But somehow George saw the blessing in this as it gave him the chance to get an education. He now gives that chance to other young children through his own foundation, Kid Care Liberia...

Wisconsin, United States: Ashley Stoll’s happy, sheltered life took an unexpected turn when she entered middle school. Her parents divorced, and she and her siblings had to leave their private school and attend public school. It was a culture shock. And it was a season of losing her way trying to fit in. She’s learned through pain and loss how her deep faith sustains her. She shares that journey a...

Melbourne, Australia: Aaron Garth had a lightbulb moment in his 20s that set him on the path to turn his life around for good. His childhood was marked by family conflict and the trauma of losing a baby sibling. His teenage years were a time of acting out and getting in trouble with the law. He credits the persistent care and encouragement of a youth worker and a pastor to help him see that he cou...

Minnesota, United States: Christina McCoy embraced the challenges of her early years to build a resilience that continues to give her strength. Her struggles gave her opportunities to learn how she wants to be in the world and in her work. She knows she is right where she needs to be, doing the work that is meaningful to her, and having a positive impact. She shares the value of kindness and grace...

Kaduna, Nigeria: Maryam Aliko Mohammed is a polymath; a person with vast knowledge in many different subjects. She credits her fearless, successful parents for enabling her curiosity. Maryam shares a story of a personally humbling experience that taught her to not assume others are like her. That insight opened her eyes to the importance of youth work. To support young people as they transition fr...