Meet 2022 Scholar Ashley Agyepong, a dedicated Scholar and student at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ashley’s commitment to community empowerment and social justice is evident in her work and experiences.
This Q&A explores Ashley’s inspirations and insights gained through her involvement in youth education and policy.
What has your involvement with YAASPA looked like over the past few years?
“I started my involvement with YAASPA during my sophomore year of high school in the spring of 2020. The first two coalitions I joined were the Aurora Youth Coalition and the YAASPA Abolitionists Coalition where we talked about our identities and pressing issues like school resource officers. Throughout my time in YAASPA, I have been in spaces focusing on Black Mental Health and Wellness, school board candidate workshops, and honoring Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy. Currently, I am a co-facilitator for a coalition called the Coalition for Academic Studies and Equity (CASE), where we research the lived experiences of marginalized students and how that ties into ethnic studies.”
What has been the greatest challenge you’ve faced in the Aurora Youth Council? How did you overcome it?
“One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced was navigating different spaces when there was Adultism. When working with school board candidates or even with other organizations, there were times when the youth voice was diminished because of certain beliefs some people held. When this happened during my first few years with YAASPA, I became discouraged that not everyone shared YAASPA’s belief that youth voice was something of value. When I voiced how I felt to other youth, we were able to create those boundaries together and made sure that our voice was at the forefront.”
Which impact are you most proud of creating and why?
“My belief is that positive moments in life have the power to overshadow the negative moments. Because of this, planning events and spaces where communities can come together is the impact I’m most proud of. I’m a huge proponent of self-care and a lot of the time, minoritized folks are not afforded the luxury of taking care of ourselves. So, whenever there is an opportunity to provide that space or see Black and Brown joy, I dedicate myself to it. Not everyone has the chance to share communal joy, therefore, planning events (like the Black Mental Health and Wellness Summit) that promote that is important for me.”
Who has provided you with inspiration or mentorship during your journey?
“All the people in YAASPA and my Aurora community have inspired me. One of the many great things about the organization is that it provides a safe space for everyone to share their stories. When I have conversations with my supervisor Chelsea, my co-leads Valeria and Edelawit, or even the CEO of YAASPA Dr. Janiece Mackey, I take comfort in the fact that we are all there for the same thing: to uplift our communities. It’s those same stories that I go back to whenever life gets hard and I ask myself “Why am I doing what I am doing?”
What have you learned from attending civic meetings and engaging directly with the people impacted by your work?
“One of the most crucial things I learned is that everybody’s stories matter when creating change. Oftentimes, there’s a notion that change comes from up top and that the “winners” write history, but I think that lasting change comes from community. There is a quote we say every time we have an event in YAASPA that goes “My liberation is tied to your liberation” and I live by that statement. Having conversations and educating oneself are two of the most important aspects of activism.”
That’s the spirit of Boettcher.
