“Nonprofits were an essential part of my journey growing up! They helped mold and shape me into the woman I am today! Nonprofits like the YMCA, Urban Ecology Center, HeartLove Place and others opened my world up to experiences that I might not otherwise have had. I also gained life-long mentors and received post-secondary support that inspired me to go to college. These experiences allowed me to see myself as a leader in my community, deserving of all the beauty that the world had to offer. I wanted to be a part of why other people are able to experience something far greater than their local communities, because that’s what nonprofits did for me!”