The Youth Legacy Foundation Newsletter
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Mission

The Youth Legacy Foundation  engages youth with disabilities in humanitarian, charitable, and service activities to empower them to lead exemplary lives and create their legacies in the community while making a difference and changing the world. 
Quick Links

 

The Youth Legacy Foundation is keeping very busy and we welcome you to join us!

STEM Network/Ignite Afterschool Conference:  We are thrilled to be presenting at  the MN STEM Network - Ignite Afterschool Conference at the University of Minnesota on Wednesday, April 15. Here is a link to a PDF version of  our presentation - click here...  This is a huge opportunity for YLF to promote inclusion of youth with disabilities in quality programming to promote personal and professional development. We are presenting quantitative information, such as data on employment and post-secondary education, and addressing barriers that limit participation, access, and the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the community. It is multi-media and interactive. 

Disability Viewpoints:  We have been involved with this award-winning community television show for several years, and currently, two youth are co-hosting and utilizing it as a platform to discuss issues that youth with disabilities care about. If you would like to get involved with us, we would love your participation. For more on Disability Viewpoints,  click here to visit their website & VIEW OUR LATEST EPISODE....


ReelAbilities Film Festival: We are on the advisory board and will be working to include youth with disabilities in this amazing disability film festival this year - a partnership of several groups, including Partnership Resources (PRI) and Twin Cities Public Television (TPT). The Call for Entries is open until April 30. For more information, click here to visit PRI's website...

New YouTube Channel: We have a new YouTube Channel! Click here to check it out and come back often as we will be adding more videos. We would love input from youth! 

T-shirts:  We have ordered T-shirts and have been sending them to those who donated $50 or more (unless you opted to donate yours to a youth). We will be both selling and giving them away selectively (e.g. active youth/volunteers or as prizes). Our T-shirts are white with our logo in black, and we hope they will help share messages around empowerment of youth with disabilities. If you would like to order one, please reply to this email.


Make sure you follow us on Facebook, where we are super active, thanks to a group of volunteers that share a variety of information from many sources. It is motivational, informative, and thought-provoking. Plus a lot of fun!  

Thank You 

 

Thank you for your support. We as a community need to work together to include and empower youth with disabilities, who are marginalized from opportunities that promote their success and ability to contribute to the community. YLF believes in the abilities of youth with disabilities and we look forward to a 2015 full of progress and achievement, with your help. We hope you will stay in touch and do what you can to support our mission. Again, thanks so much!

We are an all volunteer organization and all gifts support youth projects. We are using the following fundraising page for this campaign. Please  click here to make a gift to support our work across the community, and help expand this platform for empowerment of youth with disabilities. With your involvement, we can do more!  Watch our PSA by clicking here...

Accomplishments

 

Some of our accomplishments include: 

Advisory board of the ReelAbilities disability film festival

Invited to speak at the Afterschools and STEM conference to promote inclusion of youth with disabilities in Minnesota.

Volunteered at the Job Skills Competition, where students from several districts competed in areas such as online job applications, problems solving, interviewing, and more.

Youth leaders attended and represented at events, such as a conference and gala

Youth leader co-hosts the Disability Viewpoints television show, which won awards

Completed, purchased, and released our public service announcement (PSA), which was a collaborative project with CTV-15 and the University of MN's Research and Training Center on Community Living

Joint public policy event in collaboration with Arc Greater Twin Cities 

Attended Safe Schools Rally and helped pass anti-bullying bill

Participating in 100 Strong Who Care  through  Minneapolis Public Schools

Cosponsored and emceed disability community rally in 2014 with Arc MN, MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities,  Advocating Change Together, Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota, Minnesota Association of Centers for Independent Living, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance, Minnesota State Council on Disability, People First of Minnesota, Self Advocates Minnesota

Serving on a committee with the MN State Council on Disability to plan activities for the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2015 

Helped to host a job fair with the Minneapolis Community Transition Interagency Committee (MCTIC)

And more!!  In previous years, we have been incredibly active and productive, and
you can click here for more past accomplishments (highlights)...

Up Next
 
We connect with organizations, schools, and initiatives to promote empowerment and inclusion of youth with disabilities. 

For example: 

Recently, we joined community members and leaders at the Green Central School in Minneapolis for 100 Strong Who Care - a program designed to prepare Minneapolis Public School students for higher education and career opportunities. 

We are involved with the Arc Greater Twin Cities Self-Advocacy Committee and Partnership Resources, Inc. (PRI)'s ReelAbilities Film Festival, as well as the Minneapolis Community Transition Interagency Committee (MCTIC). We have connections with Gillette Children's Speciality Healthcare, Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health (MACMH), and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI-MN), and many other groups. We promote their good work and opportunities, and share our messages around inclusion and empowerment of youth with disabilities. Through collaboration, we can better serve the youth in our community. Stay tuned for more updates!