Celebrating Youth Advocacy and Community Service

Thank You, Lens of Youth, for Supporting Our Veterans

At the Asian American Veterans Appreciation Event, the power of volunteering reminded us that community impact is strongest when generations work side by side. Among the incredible groups who stepped forward, we were especially grateful to welcome Lens of Youth (LOY)—a youth-led nonprofit organization driven by compassion, creativity, and advocacy.

Lens of Youth (LOY) is a youth-powered nonprofit dedicated to advocating for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Through photography, storytelling with visual art, and community outreach, LOY works to promote inclusion—ensuring every voice is seen, understood, respected, and valued.

One of LOY’s signature initiatives is Misunderstood Moments (MM), a core storytelling project that blends real lived experiences from the IDD community with original artwork created by youth artists. By sharing authentic personal journeys alongside creative expression, MM aims to raise awareness, deepen empathy, and build stronger emotional understanding within communities.

The stories they amplify reflect the beauty and complexity of everyday life:

• Children growing through developmental challenges with quiet strength

• Teens searching for confidence and balance while navigating differences

• Parents advocating for understanding even in moments of exhaustion

• Community members learning from misunderstandings and discovering new perspectives

Each story carries an important message: Every behavior has a reason. Every voice deserves to be heard. Even small moments of understanding can make the world more inclusive.

At our veterans event, LOY volunteers brought this mission to life—not just by helping the program run smoothly, but by showing genuine care, patience, and respect to our senior veterans and families. Their presence demonstrated that advocacy doesn’t only happen through art and media—it also happens through service, listening, and human connection.

To all the LOY volunteers: thank you for sharing your energy, your kindness, and your time. You made our veterans feel celebrated, supported, and proud. We deeply appreciate your commitment to both community advocacy and public service.