A Daisy in Bloom

About a year ago, Daisy Sandoval was feeling pretty good. She was working full-time at Crocs and able to make ends meet. More importantly, she had two beautiful little boys who filled her heart with joy every day.

But she still wanted more.

She wanted to help other young people who were living through the experiences she had faced as a system-impacted young person.

So she did something courageous

A Message That Changed Everything

Daisy found FLY on Instagram and sent us a DM:

“Hi, I used to be a part of the FLY Leadership program a couple years back and I would love to be a mentor or help out with anything you guys have going on. Hopefully you guys reach back to me because I loved FLY and I got to do the coolest things with you guys.” 

She didn’t reach out by accident

“I reconnected with FLY because I had a lot of my firsts with FLY,” Daisy shared. “I always felt welcomed and loved. It was one of the only places I never had to be in fight or flight mode. I could always just be myself. And when I sent that DM, it was because I felt like it was my turn to give back.”

From there, everything started to click.

Finding Her Way Back TO FLY

FLY’s team connected Daisy with the Youth Voice Department and introduced her to an opportunity: applying for the 2026 FAAB cohort, the FLY Alumni Advisory Board.
Founded in 2023, FAAB brings together FLY alumni to help shape the organization’s future and strengthen its impact. Daisy knew right away it was a fit.
She applied. She interviewed. And she showed up fully as herself.
But there was one question on her mind:
What about her boys?

Showing Up Fully

FAAB meetings happen in the evenings, often the hardest time to find reliable childcare. Like so many parents, Daisy had to think about how she could balance her growth with her responsibilities at home.

But what she found at FLY reminded her exactly why she came back.

The team met her with understanding, flexibility, and care. She had options: FLY would support childcare, or she could bring her children with her.

She chose to bring them.

And in doing so, something beautiful happened.

Her boys quickly became part of the FAAB community. Volunteers stepped in with love and support. Alumni showed up to help. The space adapted, not by asking Daisy to choose between being a leader or a mother, but by making room for both.

At FLY, Daisy didn’t have to leave parts of herself behind.

She could show up fully, and thrive.

Stepping Into Leadership

With that support, Daisy flourished.

She quickly stepped into leadership, especially in fundraising and event planning. She became the lead liaison between FAAB and the FLY Showcase team, joining weekly meetings, shaping strategy, and ensuring youth voices were centered every step of the way.

She helped design event swag, contributed ideas to make the experience more inclusive, and brought a powerful perspective rooted in lived experience.

But Daisy wasn’t done growing.

Taking the Next Step

In her one-on-one development check-ins, Daisy shared that she wanted more.

She wanted to coach young people. To give back in a deeper way. To follow a path from alumni to leadership.

That’s when she was encouraged to apply to the California Justice Leaders (CJL) Program an AmeriCorps initiative led by Impact Justice that trains credible messengers to support youth across the state at host-site Non-Profits. FLY has been one of these host sites for 6 years and has been a bridge for alumni from staff and other powerful credible messengers to become staff at FLY. 

Daisy applied. And she got in!

Just weeks ago, she took the leap, traveling to Los Angeles to begin her CJL journey. On her first full day, she proudly wore her FAAB shirt and texted her community.

The response? Immediate love and support. She was exactly where she was meant to be.

The Power of Firsts

For Daisy, her journey with FLY has always been about growth and about stepping outside of her comfort zone.

“My favorite FLY memory has to be the leadership retreat,” she shared. “It was my first time staying away from home other than being locked up.”

At that retreat, she experienced so many firsts:

• Her first s’more
• Her first time being cleansed with sage
• Zip-lining and completing an obstacle course high in the air

“I had so many firsts and got to come out of my comfort zone, and I didn’t regret a thing.”

Those moments stayed with her. They helped shape the confidence and courage she carries today.

Looking AHead

Now, as she continues her CJL journey, Daisy is focused on growth, learning, and possibility.

“My goal is to keep spreading my experiences,” she said. “I’ve learned that being uncomfortable is not always bad. A lot of good things come from going out of your comfort zone.”

She doesn’t have every step mapped out, and that’s okay.

“I just know I’m going in the right direction.”

IN FULL BLOOM

For Daisy, coming back to FLY wasn’t just about reconnecting. It was about continuing a journey that started years ago, and stepping into who she’s becoming.

“It means everything to be back,” she said. “I knew where I wanted to go. I just needed guidance, and I got that.”

With a few moments of bravery: sending a message, asking for support, and trusting herself, Daisy stepped into something bigger. Today, she is not only building her own future, but helping shape what’s possible for others.
And like her name suggests, she is in full bloom.

Written by: Meredith McGrath, FLY’s Director of Youth Voice

Stories like Daisy’s are possible because of a community that believes in young people.

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