Colorado Young Leaders
My work with Colorado Young Leaders allowed me to combine my love for digital media with my passion for volunteering and supporting my community. CYL, a Colorado-based nonprofit, empowers youth to become impactful leaders and agents of change. Throughout the year, the organization hosted a range of initiatives, and I was fortunate to contribute to some of their most meaningful projects. In the summer of 2022, I helped lead their annual 7-week Think Like a Genius® Challenge. That experience taught me how to tell compelling stories while balancing essential organizational messaging. It also gave me the opportunity to experiment with Instagram Stories during key event days, adding a more interactive and real-time element to our content strategy.
After the challenge ended, I took on the social media marketing for Colorado Gives Day, a 24-hour online giving event that most non-profits introduce to followers a month in advance. I had many ideas for this campaign, some of my favorites being the Giving Tuesday and Fun Fact Friday posts that led up to December 6th, 2022 (The official 2022 Colorado Gives Day).
In addition to my work on the Think Like a Genius® Challenge, I also supported CYL by creating and managing content for their podcast, Generation Collaboration. I produced and shared promotional materials, episode releases, audio snippets, and behind-the-scenes content for each episode. Being part of the podcast’s marketing efforts was one of my favorite roles at CYL, as the episodes explored timely and meaningful topics relevant to youth across Colorado. It was a rewarding opportunity to amplify those conversations through thoughtful digital storytelling.
I also supported CYL during the 2023 Colorado DECA State Career Development Conference, held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Colorado DECA is a statewide organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management at the high school level. At the event, I assisted with workshop coordination by helping set up sessions, connecting with workshop hosts, and engaging with student attendees. I also documented the event live on Instagram Stories, providing real-time updates on workshops, key moments, and behind-the-scenes highlights to help capture the energy of the event and expand its reach online.