Youth Ambassadors Leading Louisville: The Next Generation of City Builders

By VOICE-TRIBUNE Photos By Kathryn Harrington and Provided By Y’ALL 

When Rachel and Mayor Craig Greenberg first started going to city events with their son, they noticed something missing. “When we went to city events with our son, who was a junior in High School at the time, we noticed there were not a lot of high schoolers attending, at least few who didn’t seem forced to go by their parents. After conversations with him, we decided to create a city program to give high school students leadership opportunities and have their voices heard,” Rachel shared. 

In collaboration with the Archdiocese of Louisville and JCPS, that idea became Youth Ambassadors Leading Louisville (YALL)—a program that invites two juniors from every Louisville high school, public and private, to roll up their sleeves and assist in some of the city’s biggest events. “Y’ALL is much more than a recognition program,” Greenberg explained. “Y’ALL offers two Juniors from every Louisville high school (public, private, Catholic, and independent) the chance to actively participate in shaping city events like Worldfest, Light Up Louisville, and Hike, Bike & Paddle.” 

From the start, Y’ALL was about more than volunteering. It was about creating a citywide network of young leaders who could learn from each other. “Our city is large and the students represent a diverse group from every corner of Louisville,” Greenberg said. “Collaborating together helps build empathy and understanding; they learn from each other, make new friends, and make a positive impact.” 

High school can feel uncertain, but Y’ALL turns that uncertainty into opportunity. “High school can be a time of uncertainty, but when young people are given chances to lead and collaborate, they gain confidence and learn the value of teamwork and service,” Greenberg said. “YALL was started to give them that chance—to be part of something bigger than themselves and to leave an impact they can be proud of.” 

That impact is already being felt. “We are so proud of the YALL students,” Greenberg said. “They are leaders in their schools and communities. We want these student leaders to be future mayors, teachers, doctors, artists, engineers and entrepreneurs in Louisville.” 

The students themselves share that pride. Eugene Diaz from Marion C. Moore School said, “This program opened my eyes to how exciting Louisville is. All the city events I volunteered in were amazing to be a part of, especially WorldFest and Light Up Louisville. Seeing many people of various backgrounds come together and enjoy themselves was a beautiful sight.” 

At first, Diaz admitted, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “When I first got called into the counselor’s office asking if I wanted to apply to this brand new program, I of course said yes because I thought it sounded cool. But I was very skeptical on what this program would actually do for me. Little did I know this program would mean more to me than I could ever imagine.” 

For Hannah Wooten of Christian Academy, Y’ALL was about being seen. “Being a teenager means it’s sometimes hard to be involved. Mrs. Greenberg made sure we had these opportunities. She learned all of our names and schools and made us feel seen.” 

Her favorite memory came at Light Up Louisville: “I worked as an ‘elf ’ and was in Santa’s Workshop helping take photos of all the eager families and children, learning the importance of giving back to my city. No matter what we do, if you do it with a smile it is always worth it.” 

Others point to the unique behind-the-scenes opportunities. “Where else do you get the opportunity to meet new people, hang out with the mayor and first lady, and improve the Louisville community all in one package?” said Marie Laracy of Presentation Academy. 

For many, Y’ALL was about courage. “When I first started my junior year and heard about YALL, I was scared to put myself out there,” said Cordelia Fleitz from Whitefield Academy. “I am not one to step outside my comfort zone but I know I wanted to be a leader and provider for my community and it was worth going outside my comfort zone.” 

Her favorite part was seeing joy in others. “Seeing people in my community smile after writing on the wall at Worldfest or making gingerbread house magnets at Light Up Louisville was worth every minute of volunteering.” 

That theme carried across the class. “We had our orientation where we got to meet every single high school,” said Kannia Davis. “We had 36 students come together. We did several different breakouts and confessions with them. So learning about ourselves and how our school shapes us was really interesting.”

For Jillian Beswick, it was about connections: “Meeting different people. And being able to experience meeting different high school students. And seeing all the different cultures and everyone coming together. It just warms my heart to see everyone coming together and helping everyone.”

Perhaps the deepest impact of YALL is how it shifts perspective. “The Youth Ambassadors Leading Louisville Program has been one of the most influential experiences during my time in high school,” said Jorge Blas from Butler Traditional High School. “I discovered the vibrant diversity that defines our city and developed essential leadership skills that taught me the true value of service. Along the way, I built meaningful relationships with people who share the same passion for making a difference.”

The program sparked inspiration for his future. “Through the YALL I have been inspired to create a meaningful career. A career rooted around community involvement, uplifting others, and advocating for change. I want to be a voice for those who often go unheard and a source of inspiration for those who need to believe in themselves.”

For Rachel Greenberg, that’s exactly the point. “Our hope is that every participant walks away not only with leadership experience but also with the drive to continue improving their community and making each experience better than the last.”

And the vision doesn’t stop here. “I hope that YALL students think of Louisville as a place to live, prosper and grow for generations to come,” she said.

If the inaugural year is any indication, that hope is already taking root. As Eugene Diaz put it best: “100 times out of 100, I would say yes to joining Youth Ambassadors Leading Louisville.”

For more information visit: louisvilleky.gov/government/mayor-craig-greenberg/youth-ambassadors-leading-louisville-yall