Youth IMPACT Award

TeamChild Youth IMPACT Award Winners (2026)

At the core of our mission, TeamChild not only supports youth who are involved in or at risk of involvement in the juvenile legal system but also centers their voices and encourages them to advocate for justice. In 2022, we launched our Youth Advisory Board, now called the Youth Action Coalition. The YAC is a collective of youth and young adults from around Washington State who use their lived experience and expertise to advocate for impactful change within community and youth-serving systems through storytelling, community education, and policy reform. Our youth are not the generation of tomorrow – they are the leaders of today. Through their lived experience, they are best equipped to communicate the needs of societies' most marginalized with similar circumstances. TeamChild is honored to provide them with the tools to do so.

This year, at our 30th birthday fundraiser, Forward to the Future, we launched the inaugural Youth IMPACT Award for our young leaders. IMPACT stands for “Igniting Movement through Policy, Advocacy, and Community Transformation.” The award is given to young people whose leadership efforts and actions are helping to bring forth TeamChild’s vision that young people have power and experience unconditional belonging at school, home, and in their communities. This year, YAC members and TeamChild staff chose the founding members of the YAC to be the first recipients of this award. At our 30th birthday celebration, the room was filled with joy as we honored Takiyah Ward, KC Chiu, Diego Gonzalez, and Xander Pearce Brooks. Their contributions to the YAC will forever be cherished as they pass the torch to the next wave of young leaders.

KC Chiu

KC’s journey is the embodiment of turning your pain into purpose. In childhood, KC’s adverse experiences were deeply traumatic and took a toll on their mental health; however, through a deep desire to improve systems for youth with similar circumstances, they were inspired to join the YAC. A defining moment that opened KC’s eyes to system failures occurred in foster care, where a youth they resided with had to report their sister’s addiction because the foster parents did not intervene. It was a difficult moment for KC as they realized just how triggering these environments can be. As a result, KC now advocates for the incorporation of trigger warnings in meetings and played a leading role in bringing that practice to YAC spaces to create a more trauma-informed environment.

KC highlighted that their first trip to Olympia post-COVID was among their favorite memories. KC recalls the pandemic era, when YAC interactions were remote. Gathering in community to advocate in Olympia was a heartwarming moment for KC, as they finally felt a strong sense of community face-to-face.

To youth with similar experiences, KC’s advice is not to hesitate to engage in work to uplift youth justice and advocate for change. By diving in without hesitation, you can open doors leading to both personal growth and lasting change for generations to come.

Takiyah Ward

The impetus for Takiyah joining the YAC was to uplift and amplify the experiences of those impacted by the juvenile legal system and institutional failures. Acknowledging that her lived experience was not marked by the same level of trauma and system involvement as her peers, she understands the importance of allyship and making space for those who have encountered troubles with incarceration, homelessness, and the foster care system. For this reason, Takiyah was initially hesitant to join the YAC because she did not want to take space from those whose lived experience was more closely aligned with the issue at hand; however, she was inspired by her mother’s involvement in the community and realized that her presence and participation had value. Understanding her positionality, Takiyah seeks to ensure that the voices of those who have been silenced are heard. Her advocacy is rooted in uplifting those who are not always equipped to do so themselves.

Takiyah’s most fond memories of the YAC are centered on human connection. While advocacy work is important, Takiyah is a firm believer that nurturing relationships with peers is equally important. Advocacy is not always easy and can lead to burnout, and may be emotionally taxing when advocating for issues that can invoke traumatic memories. Takiyah finds that when YAC members socialize and decompress together, they strengthen the team dynamic and make it easier to support one another as their bonds grow.

For youth interested in engaging in advocacy work, Takiyah’s main message is that you do not need direct lived experience to support these efforts. She seeks to encourage all youth to get involved if they are passionate, while being intentional about centering those with lived experiences. Takiyah views her role in the fight for youth justice as a bridge or amplifier, supporting those who too often go unseen.

Xander Pearce Brooks

Xanders’ lived experience is immensely valuable to the YAC as we advocate for youth in the system with circumstances paralleling his. Born with a mitochondrial disorder, a condition that impacts his energy levels and physical activity, Xander brings a unique and underrepresented perspective to the youth advocacy space. This condition shapes how he navigates the world and engages in daily activities. His involvement in the YAC was encouraged by his father, who saw it as both a learning and community-building opportunity. As Xander engaged in YAC meetings, he developed a deeper understanding of systems, power, and privilege, which motivated him to remain active in the group. 

Initially, the YAC meetings were virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A highlight of his experience with the YAC was their first trip to Olympia for lobby day. He described his first in-person interactions with his peers as “surreal and meaningful.”  Xander found that putting faces to names fostered deeper comradery and strengthened the synergistic group dynamic.

For those seeking to engage in advocacy work, Xander encourages youth to be authentic and speak their truth. He emphasizes that real change comes from honest dialogue and honesty when sharing experiences and perspectives. Through his advocacy work with the YAC, he finds that decision-makers have a better understanding of youth-facing issues when those impacted are candid about their experiences. Broadly speaking, Xander wants youth to dream big and seek to make an impact both locally and beyond. 

Diego Gonzalez

Diego’s inspiration to join the YAC came from his experiences as a young person witnessing systems that disproportionately harm youth. His engagement in advocacy work stems from a strong desire to prevent those harms for future generations. While he does not have direct experience with the juvenile incarceration system, his personal relationships with those who have contributed significantly to his advocacy trajectory. Through the YAC and endeavors outside of TeamChild, Diego is dedicated to addressing systemic injustices and improving outcomes for youth across our state.

Diego deeply values community and cherishes moments when he can gather with his peers. A highlight of his time in the YAC was attending a retreat in Spokane, where members from across the state gathered together. This allowed them to connect outside of their advocacy work and simply enjoy each other's company. Reminiscing on traveling to Olympia and testifying for the first time with his fellow YAC member, Gisella, he shared that this unforgettable moment demonstrated the power of youth voice. Under the guidance of TeamChild’s Policy Manager, Arthur Longworth, Diego noted the importance of mentorship and the duty of those with more wisdom and experience to contribute to the growth of emerging leaders.

Diego encourages youth who are passionate about giving back to their community to get involved and make a positive impact. He emphasized the importance of lived experience, saying, “Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution.” Diego wants youth interested in joining to know that the YAC is a space where youth voices are prioritized, valued, and actively uplifted. His final message is that your perspective and your voice matter, and that the YAC is a place where you can learn, contribute, and help drive meaningful change.