Our Core Values

YAIJ provides a safe, respectful, supportive environment where youth and their families are appreciated and valued in thoughtful and attentive ways.

(Language Matters)

Every person has the right to express themselves in ways that are meaningful, personal and respectful. How we perceive our identities, how we wish to be addressed is intrinsically tied to language and terms we use when communicating with each other.

All youth hold the power to be the narrators of their own life stories. By exploring subjects and issues that are meaningful and relevant, youth cultivate their curiosities, fully supported to imagine possibilities, and create spaces of belonging.

We exist to facilitate culturally impactful access to education, economic, technological and environmental opportunities, resources, and supports. We commit to being a safe, welcoming, barrier-free environment where youth and families thrive.

We believe in action-oriented advocacy, led by people intimately knowledgeable about life at the intersections. We are committed to fairness, equity, humanity, compassion, reclamation, and holistic justice.

We believe collaborative relationships are the foundation of community work. We are community partners working with youth, families, volunteers, community-based organizations, and government agencies to form supportive networks for  intersectionally positioned youth and families.