I do what I do because I was experiencing racial battle fatigue in the nonprofit sector while working in predominantly white nonprofit spaces. I knew that the racialized challenges I was navigating were not just my own experiences, but also the experiences of fellow Black colleagues and youth. With this in mind, I decided to create Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA) and pursue advanced degrees to reclaim and re-imagine academic, career and civic spaces that would be humanizing for Black, Indigenous People of color with a focus on youth. The following link is an article I wrote that goes in further depth regarding the birth of YAASPA.
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Co-founder and Executive Director of (YAASPA) Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism
Featured Interview
Dr. Janiece Mackey | Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism (YAASPA)
What role do you play in your Industry?
- I am a researcher and an executive director who engages in strategic partnerships, visioning, and fundraising for the organization.
What year did you start in your industry?
- 2006 is when I started working in education and youth spaces, but I founded YAASPA in 2010.
What Certifications, Degrees, Titles and Experience do you have in your industry?
- PhD in higher education with emphases in public policy and curriculum and instruction
What do you love most about your role in your industry?
- The ability to caste a vision and witness is come to fruition in the lives of young professionals and youth who are BIPOC. Co-creating and re-imagining spaces collectively is also what I love.
What do you think are the top 3 things that help people excel in your industry?
- A willingness to unlearn from schooling experiences, a willingness to navigate through inter and intraracial healing, and a willingness to be flexible.
What encouragement would you give to those who are interested in being in your industry?
- There are versatile ways to engage in the public sector, so don't put yourself in a box. Instead be willing to unlearn and re-imagine what racial healing and justice can look like and feel like in the nonprofit sector.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in your life?
- Seeing multiple youth of ours go on to infuse social justice and racial healing in their career trajectories in the public sector. Being able to build the organization beyond me.
Who is is one person that has influenced your direction in life? Explain How.
- My parents who are are educators and worked with system involved youth.
What else would you like people to know about you?
- I am married to my high school sweetheart and have 4 kids.
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