A collage of photographs of African American families and children, all smiling for the camera.

FamU Youth

Build Competence Foster Connectedness Encourage confidence to act

As youth leaders we believe that one of the best ways to make change is by getting involved, learning how to become a leader and teaching our peers how they can get involved.

This section is for all youth, those with special healthcare needs/disabilities and any youth ally or youth leader. We believe it is important to work with and educate adult allies including our families on how to engage, participate and support youth.

We want to inspire and empower all youth to get active in making change! Explore with us as we learn from youth who are leaders and activists in the disability community, LGBTQIA community, in schools and in state and national community organizations.

a collage of photos of youth, a child holding a sing reading 'my life matters', a child smells flowers by the ocean, and a group of youth gather on a bridge in the woods.

FamU Youth
Advisory Group Subcommittee

Lauren Ware

Youth Leader, MD | BIO

FamU Youth
Advisory Group Subcommittee

Faatimah Bell

Youth Leader, NC | BIO

Dezmond Rosier

Youth Leader, MD | BIO

Jama Mohamed

Youth Program Coordinator, TN | BIO

Serkute "Tay" Abbebe

Youth Leader, NC | BIO

Youth Leadership

Youth Leadership
Four African American teens pose and smile for a photograph.
Youth Leadership is generally defined as the practice of teens and young adults exercising the authority over themselves. Further elaborated by Learning to Give as a “theory of youth development as a process that prepares young people to navigate adolescence and realize their potential as an adult”. Most youth leadership initiatives are backed by youth leadership programs which were formed to support and focus youth energy into positive activities that lead to the development of skills necessary to a successful transition into adulthood.

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Youth Activism Through History

Youth Activism Through History
This is a timeline of some youth leaders who sparked the movement for change and contributed to the civil rights movement. All of these youth fought for many of the things we take for granted today. They inspire and empower us to do the work that we do today, and we owe it to them to keep fighting for change. Read more about them by clicking on hyperlinks below.

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Why Youth Protest

Why Youth Protest
A diverse group of young people march behind a banner reading 'Our Generation.'
Throughout history young people have been at the forefront of creating change. As a young adult it is important to discover the best way to use your voice to affect change.

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Becoming a Youth Leader

Becoming a Youth Leader
A group of youth leaders pose and smile for a photograph.

This page is dedicated around the How. I’m a youth/young adult, how can I get involved? I am a parent, how can I help my youth/young adult to become a self-advocate or youth leader? We are a community-based organization (CBO) or state agency how can we include youth with special health care needs (YSHCN) voices into our programs?

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Our Vision

All children, youth, and families, especially those with special health care needs and disabilities, experience their best health and quality of life.

Our Mission

Family Voices is a family-led organization that transforms systems of care to work better for all children and youth, especially those with special health care needs or disabilities. By putting families at the forefront and centering their leadership and lived expertise, we build a culture that includes everyone and fosters equitable outcomes.

Donate by mail

To donate by mail, your check payable to Family Voices can be mailed to us at:
Family Voices
561 Virginia Rd.
Bldg. 4, Suite 300
Concord, MA 01742

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