Listen to thisIt seems, as I get older, that I stop and reflect more about our field and about the incredible people I have met along my journey from Youth Care Worker to agency CEO. Many of those lessons I learned early in my career stay with me to this day: the ability to work on a team, to set goals, to be a good listener and to practice empathy. Of course, there are many more lessons gleaned, and the field has continued to evolve with new leaders who are far smarter than I ever was! This, along with the fact that we have a much deeper understanding of resilience and power of relationships gives me great hope for the future of our work. If I am truthful with myself, there was one area that I didn't get exposure to and pushed out of my comfort zone. That area was advocacy.
As a young professional, I believed that advocacy was something the "bigwigs" did and that I didn't have a voice in shaping policy or macro-level decisions. In fact, advocacy wasn't even something that was encouraged. Instead, we focused more on treatment outcomes. At the time, that suited me because I was in the field to help young people, not to bring about system change. In hindsight, I realize how naïve I was in my early career as a tunnel-visioned milieu supervisor.
Many colleagues from across the globe have recently asked me, "What is going on in the United States?" The headlines must appear horrifying to an outsider. Mass shootings occur on a regular basis with no end in sight. Our political environment has become more divisive than ever. And this year has been especially tough on our LGBTQ+ young people and colleagues as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has passed in numerous states. While it is exhausting and emotionally draining to be in the heart of the action, I remain encouraged when I recognize that there are a multitude of people willing to serve as advocates and use their voice and resources to bring about change. These individuals are not spewing hate. Instead, they are working to find solutions with those in their community who don't think like them. The impact of hope within a community and relationships is powerful.
To my friends who look at America and are wondering what the solution is, I urge you to have hope. This field is no stranger to feelings of hopelessness, but it is also abundant with people dedicated to making things better. I have the privilege of working alongside those people, and I am humbled by their drive and the hope they bring to their jobs day after day after day. Hope is an amazing power in that we can carry it with us individually, or we can carry hope for each other. Hope, coupled with experience, has encouraged me to become an advocate for those who don't have the means or influence that has been granted to me.
When I reflect on how little I advocated earlier in my career, it is almost embarrassing. Therefore, I am incredibly proud of the young people around the world who are willing to use their voice alongside sound practices to help young people thrive. I admire these young people who have the courage to speak truth to power that lends itself to empowering another and another and another. We can't win every battle we enter, but it's reassuring to know that advocacy has replaced complacency. That's a win in my book.
If I could take a time machine back to my 25-year-old milieu supervisor self, I'd urge myself to ask my supervisees questions such as: What issues are you passionate about? How can you bring that passion to the work we do with young people and to our community? These are the same questions I pose to you today from my experienced self who has spent decades committed to serving youth and training future leaders. I have learned many lessons and offer a slice of advice with you that I hope you find valuable. Use your voice. Live your passion. Speak truth to power. Be an advocate. Don't give up hope. Desmond Tutu expressed it best when he said, "Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness."
