#PEERSGIVING 2017
by San Francisco Peer Resources
Leslye Lugo
Growing up as a young African American woman in San Francisco, I spent a lot of time feeling like I had to ask permission to be myself. When I discovered Peer Resources I was in 7th grade. There was something about the space that made me feel safe and at home. I was suddenly unattached from the burden of being “the only” and instead valued for being unique.
in the 10th grade, my dad was shot, a bystander in someone else's fight. I was heartbroken. The first adult I told was my Peers teacher who made sure I was okay. I have been inexplicably changed because Peer Resources was in my school and there to support students like me.
Today, I am one of four African American teachers at my school, and I am here because of Peer Resources. Empowered as a youth leader, I worked as a Peer Resources Alumni Intern and developed my educator skills, and then returned to work at my old high school. Being here means that I am the role model for African American students, the one I wanted when I was a student. Every day now, my classroom is the space where African American girls come to eat lunch and be in a space where they need no permission to be themselves.
Peers changed my life. It can do this for so many more young people with your help.
Youth need meaningful and real opportunities to lead and make decisions,
Our community needs role-models for inspiration and personal transformation,
Peer Resources supports youth by creating space for them to find purpose through service to others
And continues that support after graduation to move forward with adulthood and life, successfully.
We are 38 years strong,
Love it, Plan it, Do it, Change it!
Our goal is to raise $20,000 to fund our two youth-led conferences: Transformative Change Day, where high school leaders share their research and plans for action in our community; and the Youth Are Resources Conference, where 200 middle school students lead workshops on the ethics topics of their choice. Both are critical opportunities for youth to take center stage, make their voices heard, and work together and create change.
For 38 years Peer Resources has empowered young people to find their purpose while supporting their peers in a hard and imperfect world that pushes too many people down. Support youth to lead. Give today, share tomorrow, spread the word.