Kierra is a young mother and healthcare professional who hasn't followed a typical linear path.

Chloe had held jobs before, but when she came to YJC, she was looking for direction—a greater purpose for her path. After reading through YJC’s client success stories, she decided she wanted a success story of her own.

Demor graduated from high school in 2020, entering a job market—and a world—marked by upheaval and uncertainty. It got him off to a challenging start, and he bounced from one retail job to another until he discovered a professional passion: information technology (I.T.) 

Jasmine is a 23-year-old mother of three who was, in her own words, “ready for a change and a set future for my children and I!”

Ivan is a teenager from the southwest side of Chicago whose interests include music (he's a guitarist and has played in a mariachi group) and accounting (he's currently taking a course for dual credit at his high school). When he wanted to get a job, he reached out to Youth Job Center to start his journey.

“I grew up on the west side of Chicago around poverty and violence. Early on I knew I wanted to be more than a statistic and follow my dreams of a career in the healthcare field.” These are the words of Jekireya, our driven and remarkable client of the month.

Fatima grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she excelled academically and enjoyed advocating for women’s rights. When she and her family moved to the U.S., however, Fatima found it understandably difficult to adjust. “I wasn’t used to using a computer, using the internet, or communicating with others constantly in English,” she shares.

Aleecia is a born-and-raised Chicagoan and oldest of four who lives with her mother and dog Oreo. She was working at a warehouse when a close friend told her about Youth Job Center. “I wasn’t myself before I started YJC, because I was trying to find my career path or figure out what to do with my future,” she says. “But YJC helped me build a brighter future for myself.”

Allana is a teenager from the south side of Chicago who enjoys playing softball, flag football, and violin. Last year, she decided she wanted to add “working a job” to that list of activities, but she wasn’t sure how to get started. When YJC sent information about our This Way ONWard program to Allana’s high school, it seemed like fate.