Youth Advisory Board
Youth do not just take part in Futures First.
They help build it.
Architects of Tomorrow is our youth-led advisory board. It has real say over the program, the events, the workshops, and this website.
BECOME AN ARCHITECT
Seats are by nomination. Start here and we will take it from there.
WHAT IS ARCHITECTS OF TOMORROW
Architects of Tomorrow is a youth-led advisory board created by and for the young people inside Futures First. The youth we serve do not just benefit from this program. They carry real insight, lived experience, and creative vision that should shape it.
Board members give input on our events, our workshops, our outreach, and how the program itself is designed. This is a space where youth voice is not just welcome. It is the whole point.
Build our tomorrow is not a slogan. It is a responsibility.
REAL SAY OVER REAL DECISIONS
What the board decides on
Types, themes, and formats. What would actually bring youth through the door?
Design, content, and language. Does it feel real and relevant to our community?
What is working, what is not, and what is missing.
Curriculum and workshop ideas. What topics connect most to youth right now?
How Futures First shows up online and in the community.
How we make Futures First feel like home.
THE FIRST BOARD
Soraya
Leonard
Sophia
Habtemariam
Kyion
Johnson
Yasmine Heads
Jose Maciel
Bryan Nino Roa
Ja'mir Henry
01
YOUTH CHAIR
Leads the sessions, speaks for the board, and helps set the agenda each quarter. Voted in by youth every program year.
02
COMMUNITY VOICE REPS
Represent different cohorts and CARE Mentor teams, so every perspective in the program is in the room.
03
CREATIVE LEAD
Focuses on brand, website, and event feedback. Brings the eye for design, storytelling, and digital culture.
04
BOARD MEMBER
Takes part in sessions, shares feedback, and votes on what the board recommends to the program team.
05
STAFF LIAISON
The Program Manager. Handles logistics, carries board feedback to program leadership, and makes sure input is documented and acted on.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
No checklist. No polished track record. No set number of service hours. Show up in whatever way is authentic to you.
You are eligible if you are currently in Futures First or an alumni still connected to the program, you are nominated by your CARE Mentor, Case Manager, or a current board member, and you can commit to one session per quarter. We are not looking for perfect attendance, and we are not looking for yes-answers. We want youth who will tell us the truth about what the program needs to do better.
Strong potential is not about what you have already achieved. It is about what your CARE Mentor sees building inside you. If your mentor believes in what you are building toward, that is enough.
HOW YOU GET A SEAT
A CARE Mentor, Case Manager, or current board member puts your name forward.
The Program Manager reviews the nomination and confirms you are eligible to serve.
Your CARE Mentor invites you directly. Not a generic form.
You opt in on your own terms, complete a short orientation, and take your seat.
WHAT ARCHITECTS GAIN
A direct line to program leadership. Your voice shapes decisions that actually get made.
Official recognition as a Futures First Architect of Tomorrow, with a certificate and a program feature.
Civic engagement and board experience you can put on a resume.
Peers across every cohort, special events, early invitations, and partner networking.
