The Lens of Youth

11/10/2026

11/06/2026

Thank you all the spartans Skyline High School (Official) who have joined our mission in advancing inclusion of individuals with I/DD. And thank you Riya for bringing our story to The Spartan Forum for a feature.

https://thespartanforum.com/4934/features/lens-of-youth-to-receive-award/

11/04/2026

Throughout October, in recognition of various disability awareness observances, our City Leads and Ambassadors brought their voices to city councils and school district meetings.

Through public comments, they shared perspectives, raised awareness, and advocated for greater understanding and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Every voice matters. Every conversation brings us one step closer to a more inclusive community. ❤️

Shoutout to: Mahika, Nicoline, Shriya, Nitya, Srinika, Lawren, and Florence!

10/30/2026

Spooky season got a cute makeover at Art Bridge! 🎃✨ 

Our talented participants brought gargoyles to life with creativity, vibrant colors, and endless smiles! 👻 We love seeing everyone’s unique artistic expression come together in such a supportive space. 🎨

Thank you Ms. Wenrui wenruiartstudio, all of our volunteers, and sponsors City of Sammamish Arts Commission for supporting the class. ❤️

Instructor: Ms. Wenrui
Video Credit: Volunteer Lead Ellie

10/28/2026

We are truly honored to receive the Community Impact Award from the Sammamish Chamber of Commerce , presented by CEO Julie Honn! We are especially grateful to Julie for her support and encouragement since the very beginning of our journey.

Joining the Chamber has been one of our best decisions as a youth-led nonprofit. We have received tremendous support from Chamber members and learned so much from the local business community.

On page 2, we proudly recognize the Chamber members who have supported our journey and helped us make inclusion a shared community effort. Thank you for standing with us and believing in our mission!

This award represents more than recognition. It reflects the power of community collaboration, shared commitment, and the collective effort to build a more inclusive community where everyone is seen, understood, and valued.

🏢 Businesses, join us in building a more inclusive community!

We invite local businesses to host our Misunderstood Moments exhibition in your workplace. Lens of Youth will provide all the exhibition materials—all you need to provide is a space where your employees, customers, and community members can discover real stories, explore different perspectives, and look beyond behavior to see the person.

Together, we can make inclusion part of everyday life. 💙

Thank you for supporting our mission.
Nazzaro Law
Sammamish Library




Rolando Jordan
Issaquah Schools Foundation


Rotary Club of Sammamish
City of Sammamish - Government
Councilmember Sarah Perry

10/27/2026

We are honored to be invited by the City of Issaquah City of Issaquah to receive the proclamation recognizing March as Disabilities Awareness Month!

At Lens of Youth, we believe inclusion begins when we take the time to understand one another. Through Misunderstood Moments, we share real-life stories, art, and perspectives that encourage our community to look beyond behavior and see the person behind it.

We are grateful to the City of Issaquah for recognizing the importance of disability awareness and for supporting the next generation in building a more inclusive community. Together, we can turn awareness into understanding, and understanding into action.

A special shout-out to our Co-City Leads, Srinika and Mahika, for using their voices at public comment to advocate for disability awareness and inclusion!

10/23/2026

A massive thank you to Mercer Island Councilmember Julie Hsieh Councilmember Julie Hsieh Dr. Julie Hsieh !

On September 30th, we had the incredible honor of interviewing and meeting with Councilmember Hsieh on the final day of our Misunderstood Moments Exhibition at the Mercer Island Library to discuss how we can expand our mission for the I/DD and neurodivergent community in Mercer Island.

During her interview, Councilmember Hsieh provided thoughtful, deeply nuanced answers on the importance of the Misunderstood Moments program and how local youth and businesses can help bring these overlooked stories to more places. She shared her insights on how ”art is such a powerful platform to share these stories... Through art, you can know about the artist, you can also know about what they are trying to express through their art, and it‘s such a direct way to connect with the public.“ We were incredibly moved by her words and her deep commitment to inclusion.

10/23/2026

We had a successful library exhibition at Mercer Island Mercer Island Library !

From September 6th to 30th, our Misunderstood Moments exhibition was featured at the Mercer Island Library, bringing vital stories from the neurodivergent community to light.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who made this possible:
Mercer Island Library & Children’s Librarian Ms. Anna Morrow for your incredible support in coordinating all the logistics.
Nicoline and family for their hard work setting up this beautiful exhibition.

The best part? So many of you stopped by to leave kind, moving messages about inclusion on our poster board heart and shared your commitment to understanding by making many pledges and almost completely filling our pledge jar!

Thank you for standing with us, listening to our youth, and advocating for a more inclusive world.

10/21/2026

Our youth volunteer team is supported by an amazing group of adult mentors! 💙

Our Community Advisory Committee is made up of families from the I/DD community who advise us on how we can better support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Our Volunteer Training Committee brings together I/DD advocates and individuals with backgrounds in special education, program development, and photography to ensure our volunteers are well-prepared, confident, and supported in their roles.

Our Adult Mentors provide ongoing guidance in daily program operations, marketing, community outreach, and organizational growth, helping our youth-led team create safe, inclusive, and meaningful experiences for everyone we serve.

A heartfelt thank-you to all our mentors and committee members for sharing your expertise, time, and dedication. Your support empowers our youth to lead with confidence and helps Lens of Youth grow its impact in the community! 💙