It's been four months since I stepped into the role of Executive Director at the Young Center. During this time, I've been moved by our community. Your generosity, your solidarity, your compassion—that is what carries me in our work with children. I am so thankful for how you show up for the Young Center and the children we serve. 

I'm writing today to share two recent examples of this solidarity. Today is the first day of FACETS’ Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF). We've partnered with FACETS to co-present two films at the festival. Burros tells the story of six-year-old Elsa who is a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and lives in southern Arizona, twenty miles from the Mexico border, with her dad. One day, she discovers and instantly befriends a young refugee girl named Ena, who is hiding behind a cactus. In Any Day Now, 13-year-old Ramin is just about to start junior year. He lives in a refugee center in Finland with his family. We see their everyday joys, morning rituals before school, parties with friends, and how they deal with the always looming danger of deportation. While both films can be watched virtually from anywhere, FACETS will host a theater screening on Saturday, November 13th, followed by a panel discussion featuring Young Center-Chicago Managing Attorney Raia Stoicheva.

Tomorrow, two Young Center supporters, Ary Mondragón and Kyle Mimms, are hosting a Día de los Muertos festival, complete with a giant statue of a dinosaur handmade in Mexico by artist Marianela Fuentes and the Huichol artisans, at the National Mall in D.C. They've invited us to join the celebration and 50% of the donations made at the event will go to the Young Center. Learn more about the event here. 

I am so inspired by the creativity and compassion of the team at FACETS, Ary and Kyle, and the hundreds of Young Center Ambassadors, volunteers, and supporters who help us stay connected with our communities and expand the Young Center tent. Thank you.

Gladis Molina Alt
Executive Director