Finding Hope In Uncertain Times
We are living in an era of relentless upheaval. Each day, we are confronted with harsh truths—communities displaced, rights stripped away, systems rigged against the most vulnerable. The weight of injustice is not new, but its presence is inescapable, pressing down on our spirits, demanding that we ask ourselves:
Where do we find hope? How do we push forward when the world keeps trying to push us back?
At AZIZA PE&CE, we believe the answer is not hidden in the distance, waiting to be discovered. Hope is not something we wait for—it is something we build, something we breathe life into, something we cultivate. And it begins with love.
Hope does not stand alone. It is not some abstract wish or fleeting emotion. Hope is the child of love. To have hope, we must first have love. Love fuels our belief in change, our commitment to action, and our unwavering determination to create a future where justice is not just a dream, but a reality.
Without love—love for our people, love for justice, love for the collective—we are left with nothing but survival. But when love is deeply rooted, hope grows wild, breaking through the cracks of oppression, unstoppable and undeniable.
Love as the Path to Hope
Hope does not bloom in isolation. It thrives where love has been sown.
For the young people we serve, hope is not stumbled upon—it is nurtured. It is something they learn to believe in only when they experience love in action. Love is not passive. It is a force, a rebellion, a refusal to accept the status quo. It is showing up for those the world has tried to forget. It is standing in the gap and saying, "Not on my watch."
In this moment, love is more than just a word—it is an act of defiance, a radical commitment to serving our youth in the face of a world that continues to strip away their rights and humanity.
With the abolition of the Department of Education looming, the overturning of LGBTQ+ protections, and the systematic dismantling of DEI programs and initiatives, our young people are being sent a clear and dangerous message: You do not belong. Your identities are expendable. Your futures are negotiable.
We refuse to accept that.
That is why our work is more urgent than ever. We are committed to teaching our youth self-love and solidarity—because when they know their worth, they will never seek permission to exist. When they stand together, they cannot be erased.
We are not just teaching survival. We are teaching resistance. We are teaching resilience. We are teaching them to take up space, to persevere, and to reclaim the futures that others are trying to steal.
Love in Action: Building a Community of Hope
Hope is not a solitary endeavor. It is nurtured through love, through connection, through a community that refuses to let anyone disappear into the margins.
That is why at AZIZA PE&CE, we lead with love. Because love is what makes young people feel safe enough to imagine a future beyond survival. Love gives them permission to hope. Love is what empowers them to break cycles, rewrite narratives, and reclaim their futures.
But love cannot exist in words alone—it must be real, tangible, undeniable.
Love is a young person landing their first internship, gaining access to therapy, or feeling safe enough to exist in their full identity without fear.
Love is investing in their dreams, so they know their aspirations matter.
Love is showing up, again and again, even when the world tells them they are not enough.
And love is dismantling the systems designed to keep them from thriving—not just for today’s youth, but for generations to come.
From Love to Hope, From Hope to Action
Love gives birth to hope, and hope pushes us into action.
If we want real, transformative change, we must start with love—love for our people, love for our youth, love for the world we are building. We must be willing to ask ourselves:
How do we love young people in a way that makes them believe in their own futures?
What can we give—our time, our resources, our voices—to uplift and empower them?
How do we create spaces where love is not an afterthought, but the foundation? Where healing, joy, and liberation are prioritized?
These are not rhetorical questions. They are marching orders.
Because love is not a feeling. Love is movement. Love is power. Love is a revolution.
A Call to Lead with Love
Even in a world that tells us to be afraid, we choose love.
Even in times of uncertainty, we choose love.
Because love is the most radical thing we have. It is the foundation of resilience, the root of hope, and the force that turns hope into action.
When we love our communities, we fight for them.
When we love our youth, we invest in their futures.
When we lead with love, we make space for hope to rise.
At AZIZA PE&CE, love is not just part of our work—it is the heartbeat of our mission.
We will continue to fight for our youth. We will continue to build a world where Black and Hispanic girls and LGBTQ youth don’t just survive but thrive—where they are uplifted, empowered, and deeply loved.
But we cannot do this alone.
We need you—our community—to walk this journey with us.
If you are ready to turn love into action, we invite you to join us.
Volunteer. Advocate. Donate. Show up.
Because when we lead with love, hope is no longer just a dream—it is a revolution.
Together, we rise.
Saran Fossett
Executive Director & Chief Changemaker, AZIZA PE&CE