When Fatra first stepped into Y-WE at age 12, she expected a typical class. A room, a lesson, maybe a few icebreakers.
Instead, she walked into something entirely different. From the very beginning, mentors asked about access needs. They pointed out a prayer space. They reminded youth to take water, snacks, and breaks when needed, and they truly meant it when they said, “Take what you need.”
“I felt so cared for,” she remembers. “Not treated like a child, not pushed to be an adult. Just seen as a whole person.”
In the poetry track, mentors invited her to share her words and advocate for what she needed to feel supported. Her ideas were taken seriously. Her questions were welcomed. Her story mattered.
Through Y-WE Leadership Council (YLC) and helping host Muslim Girls Day of Wellness, Fatra began to see that powerful leadership is not about titles or being the loudest voice in the room. It is rooted in compassion, humility, and showing up consistently for others.
“Y-WE mentors modeled the difference between a good leader and a great one,” says Fatra. “They showed up with heart. That human touch changes everything.”
Today, Fatra is a senior at Franklin High School and serves as Student Union president. She carries what she learned at Y-WE into her school community, encouraging younger students to use their voices and trust that what they have to say matters.
Her advice to them is simple:
“Don’t put yourself in a shell. Avoiding your voice only hurts you in the long run. Practice. Share the thing you’re scared to say. Little by little, it gets easier.”
Stories like Fatra’s are possible because youth have access to spaces where they are seen as whole people, where their cultural and spiritual needs are honored, and where they can experiment with leadership in community.
Your support helps sustain these spaces.
Monthly and one time gifts keep doors open and programs free of cost for youth and families. They make it possible for a 12 year old poet to grow into a student union president who leads with care.
77 cents of every 1 dollar you give goes directly to youth programs, fueling healing, belonging, and growth.
When you give to Y-WE, you are investing in the next generation of leaders who are already shaping our communities for the better.
Donate today and help create more spaces where young people learn that their voice matters, then use it to lead.
Thank you for making room for youth to be heard and to lead with compassion.
With gratitude,
The Y-WE Team