A Historic Milestone: FLY Welcomes Its First Alumni Board Members
At FLY, youth leadership is not just a suggestion, it is a practice.
From the very beginning, FLY was founded on the belief that youth are experts in their own experiences and hold the most meaningful solutions to the challenges facing their communities. Being youth-centered is one of our core values, and for years we have worked toward a vision where young people are not only informing our work, but leading it at every level.
Today, we are proud to share a milestone that brings that vision fully to life:
FLY alumni now serve as full members of our Board of Directors, sitting alongside longtime board leaders as equals.
From Youth Leadership to Organizational Governance
Creating a pathway for alumni to serve on FLY’s Board of Directors has been a long-term goal rooted in our commitment to shared power and lived expertise. Our alumni have shaped programs, informed policy change, and led systems-level work for years. Formalizing their leadership at the governance level was a natural and necessary next step. FLY’s Board of Directors worked closely alongside FLY Alumni and our Youth Voice team to transform its structure beyond a traditional non-profit board, making this long-time dream a reality and doubling down on FLY’s commitment to centering youth voices.
This milestone followed a thoughtful and highly competitive selection process that began with six exceptional FLY alumni. Each brought deep insight, leadership, and passion for justice. Choosing just two was one of the most difficult decisions our CEO has made at FLY, a reflection of the extraordinary talent within our alumni community.
“Being on the Board is my way of giving back to an organization that invested so much in my growth and making sure decisions about youth are informed by empathy, solidarity, and lived experience.”
– Julie
What ultimately guided the decision was not just past involvement, but a clear commitment to showing up for current youth, challenging traditional power dynamics, and helping FLY evolve to meet the realities young people face today.
Grounded in Lived Experience, Focused on Today’s Youth
Both alumni board members bring leadership shaped by lived experience, including navigating systems, growing up with limited resources, and learning how to survive and thrive in environments that were not designed with them in mind. They understand firsthand what it means to mature quickly, to have decisions made about your life by adults, and to navigate systems that can feel both overwhelming and limiting.
That proximity to today’s challenges matters.
“Youth are closest to the problem, we should lean into them for knowledge– making sure YOUTH are getting the best out of programs and that programs are cultivated to the needs of youth and the problems they are facing today IS IMPORTANT TO ME”
– Ay’SHah
As young adults, they are acutely aware that the realities facing youth have shifted, from the rising cost of housing to economic instability to the emotional toll of navigating multiple systems at once. Their leadership ensures that FLY’s programs are not only responsive, but relevant, evolving alongside the needs of the young people we serve.
Leadership That Shows Up — Fully and Honestly
Their journey with FLY has never been transactional. Both alumni speak to the deep relationships they’ve built with staff, relationships rooted in trust, care, and consistency. FLY has been a space where they were supported not just professionally, but personally, during moments of challenge and transition. That experience now shapes how they lead.
“ being on the board is my way of giving back to an organization that invested so much into my growth. FLY, staff worked to accommodate my needs and constantly offered support to make sure I felt seen and valued. I hope to follow suit and ensure youth feel the same sense of trust and support that I did.” – Julie
As board members, they are committed to ensuring that youth feel genuinely supported, leaving programs with confidence, skills, and the belief that their stories matter and are not disposable. They believe youth should have a real say in the programs they participate in and should be equipped to thrive long after programming ends.
“Youth should leave programs knowing their stories are valid, powerful, and not disposable.”
-Ay’Shah
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
Having alumni serve as full Board Members strengthens FLY in profound ways. It ensures that our strategies, priorities, and decisions remain grounded in community wisdom, lived experience, and accountability to the youth we serve.
This is a big step in the right direction, for our youth voice department,
“Working with Ay’shah and Julie has been one of the most inspiring experiences of my professional career. I’ve been lucky enough to watch them walk through challenges with a grace and optimism that uplifts my spirits constantly. They speak truth to power with a love and empathy that invites us all along on a journey to a better world- a world where they are our leaders!” – Meredith McGrath Director of Youth Voice
Their leadership also sends a clear message to young people,
I want youth to know that there is no space out of reach. I want young black and brown girls and young black and brown boys to know they too belong in spaces like these. I want adults to know how smart, capable, and intentional youth are”
-Ay’Shah
This step reflects our belief that youth leadership is not a phase; it’s a lifelong pathway. When young people are trusted with real power, they don’t just rise to the occasion, they reshape what leadership looks like.