Dear Friend,

As you know, Youth Radio is dedicated to developing the next generation of journalists and community leaders. Currently, our youth perspectives reach about 33 million people each year through various outlets like NPR, PRI, huffingtonpost.com, and iTunes. Youth Radio also provides essential workforce development and support services to each one of our participants. We serve a range of young people ages 14-24 including those on probation and in juvenile halls. Here, teens and young adults receive mental health counseling with licensed clinicians, academic tutoring, a nutrition/cooking program with organic, locally grown food, and movement classes in our dance studio! All of our services are completely free of charge.

This year, our investigative journalism touched the lives of millions of listeners. The national series, "In the Kennel: Uncovering a Navy Unit's Culture of Abuse," by Youth Radio reporter Rachel Krantz, exposed abuse of gay soldiers. This piece led to the firing of a Navy Chief and went on to win the highly coveted Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, Independent Reporters and Editors Award and Edward R. Murrow Award for 2010. Coverage like In the Kennel is the result of hard work and our model of collegial pedagogy, which pairs teens with experienced editors to produce top quality news features.

Mario Hammond, whose first perspective "Making Sense of Violence in Oakland" debuted on KQED earlier this year, has generously taken the time to tell you his personal story below. As you can imagine, we are extremely proud of the young people we work with, but we are finding that they may be just as proud of us.

Today's young people are facing serious struggles, but they have resiliency, courage and fortitude, and because of people like you, they have Youth Radio. With your support we can continue to provide a platform for the important stories that young people like Rachel and Mario have to tell.

You have the chance right now to help build Youth Radio's Annual Fund in a simple way: join our membership program, the Youth Radio Crew. Your annual donation will help us ensure that others like Rachel and Mario get the tools they need to pursue higher education and careers, and have their voices heard. Thanks for recognizing the importance of Youth Radio and Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Youth Radio is a life-changing and, sometimes, a life-saving organization.

My name is Mario Hammond, I'm 19 and I am an intern for Youth Radio's Health Department. Before coming to Youth Radio, I was what you might call a "trouble magnet." It's not that I would purposely look for trouble; it just somehow always found me. In high school, I used to cut class a lot because I was more focused on what was going on outside of class than what was going on inside it.

By the 11^th grade I was on the verge of becoming a drop-out, not to mention I was on probation for a juvenile felony, and not doing well in school only meant more time in jail. That same year, my mother became incarcerated and 2 months later my father passed away. I had to mature quickly, so I completed my probation, graduated and started attending Laney College.

I have since been blessed with the opportunity to be trained and given a job here at Youth Radio. I started off in the Community Action Project (CAP 6) classes, which is a 6 month period of training specifically for Oakland youth who are chronic truants, drop-outs, suspended/expelled for violence, or on probation. While there, I learned about media literacy and journalism, hosted my own 30 minute radio show, and was taught the art of podcasting. I also received "code-switching" training, a professional development and job etiquette technique, which to this day has been tremendously helpful.

I realize that Youth Radio is a foundation for success.Working here has definitely changed my mind frame, sharpened my professional skills and showed me alternative career paths that I thought could never be accessible to me, and for that, I am most thankful and appreciative.I honestly can say that if it wasn't for Youth Radio, the lessons I've learned and skills I have gained here, I wouldn't be the young man I am today.

Of course, such a groundbreaking organization requires funding to stay up and running. In order for my generation and the next to be successful, we need your help to make that possible. Keeping a safe and productive environment for young people to work and learn in isn't easy for any non-profit organization, especially one like Youth Radio that employs teens desperately looking for work.

I know that we are currently facing a devastating recession, but with the services and training provided by Youth Radio, I believe that we can build a successful generation of leaders that will contribute to the development and prosperity of our country and the world. Your assistance will not only be appreciated by me and the almost two decades of successful youth that have passed through these doors since the organization was founded, but also by the new ranks of young people that are struggling to find their purpose today.

Mario Hammond

Youth Radio Health Department Intern