LAURA JENNY

UNITED STATES, 22

Project: You(th) Matter
Focus Area: Policy Advocacy + Education

Laura is a recent Integrative Biology and Global Health and Health Policy graduate from Harvard University. Since 2012, she has been working to address youth police relations and juvenile justice issues in her home community in Massachusetts. Laura has held roles including a case manager for Y2Y, at a local youth homeless shelter and as the Co-Director of the Eleganza Community Service Board. 

Laura is the cofounder of You(th) Matter – a youth led venture that seeks to reduce police brutality against youth and provide youth with tools to build resilience and overcome trauma they have faced while witnessing or experiencing police brutality. 

According to the National Child traumatic Stress Initiative, over two thirds of children in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event by age 16. Police brutality is a major cause of child trauma, and disproportionately affects youth of color. Both media exposure and direct exposure to violence and discrimination increase the likelihood that African American youth will have increased stress levels. Such increased childhood stress can lead to detrimental effects, and are correlated to problems related to mental health and substance abuse, school dropout and increased involvement in the juvenile justice system. 

More: www.youthmattersfy.org

Evan Wei-Haas