Can you say “sex” and “condoms” without turning red, and understand how healthy relationships fit into the conversation? Then you might be an excellent board member for an organization that talks about sex education and women’s health as enthusiastically as it talks about its latest fundraising event. This specific skill set is needed on the Healthy Futures of Texas board, where we work to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy through sex education and advocacy efforts. Our board members know the demographics and economic and social challenges in San Antonio communities. Just as importantly, they know our young people and parents and their strong desire to reach their goals and dreams.
When we empower young people with information and life skills, we are creating stronger and healthier communities. That’s what SA2020 is all about. By serving on a board that serves youth, you can make decisions that create a foundation for flourishing communities and translate into higher graduation rates, a stronger workforce, and healthier people. Healthy Futures’ board impacts how we select the communities we serve, the evidence-based curricula we use, and how to make sure we address community needs based on personal experience and data. We strive to meet youth where they are.
As the CEO of Healthy Futures, my first opportunity to serve the community after retiring from state government, I initially didn’t fully appreciate how critical it is to have the most dedicated, diverse and knowledgeable Board of Directors possible. Important, because ultimately the board is my boss. I am thrilled to say that Healthy Futures has an engaged board from many disciplines including medical, legal, behavioral health, higher education, communications, and marketing. We have the beauty of diversity through gender, age, race, and ethnicity. And, we have board members who grew up in San Antonio’s most vulnerable communities and personally understand the challenges young people must overcome to be successful.
If you care about and understand the challenges of youth and young people, then regardless of your educational or professional background, you may have the perfect quality an organization is seeking in its next board member. Are you a parent, mentor, advocate, or responsible adult that is interested in the future of youth in your community? Then consider the many nonprofit organizations that serve youth, whether it’s out of school programs, abuse prevention, disability, physical activity, or many other youth serving programs.
Your perspective, passion and perseverance on a board make all the difference in the world to the young people and parents who most need you. Your decision today to join a board can leave a lasting legacy, helping teens reach their dreams, achieve their educational goals, and have a career that inspires them. Healthy Futures of Texas board member, Gilbert R. Gonzales, couldn’t have summed it up better. “What you do with your one precious life is up to you to remember.” Will you remember how you helped someone, some organization, how you touched the future? Will you remember how wonderful it felt when someone helped, truly helped you? We all get a chance to serve. Will you? Healthy Futures is committed to SA2020’s Board Game because it provides the opportunity to match community resources to nonprofit organizations who need board commitment and expertise. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about board service and take that first step towards serving your community in a manner that can be rewarding and life changing. Today is the day to take that important first step and engage in the SA2020 Board Game.
