Cook County, Ill. – Nineteen year-old Jaqueza remembers being presented with a holiday turkey in elementary school but did not understand the reason behind the donation.
“I was trying to figure out why me; I felt ashamed to receive that turkey; that experience stayed with me and became a turning point in my life,” Jaqueza said. “Rather than let the feeling of shame linger, I transformed it into motivation to give back. I want to ensure other families could feel the support I once received.”
Receiving that turkey later spearheaded Jaqueza into collaborating with others to help donate to families who might otherwise go without a holiday meal. In 2024, Jaqueza collaborated with community activists/groups to distribute 160 Thanksgiving turkeys outside of Chicago’s Whitney M. Young Jr. Library.
“The event was a tremendous success, with families lining up two hours early to receive a Butterball turkey,” he said. “In less than 20 minutes, all the turkeys were gone. I didn’t expect it to have such an impact, but it was incredible to see the families get what they needed. I want to make this an annual event and keep growing it every year.”
Jaqueza is a former participant with Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP®), a national nonprofit in 34 states and the District of Columbia that provides community-based services that serve as an alternative to youth incarceration and other out of home placements and serves young people identified as high risk to help cities reduce neighborhood violence. The nonprofit’s YAPWRAP™ services model relies on mostly neighborhood-based staff who connect program participants and their parents, guardians, and other family members to individualized economic, educational and emotional tools to help them put their lives on a positive track.
Among YAP’s local tools is its Chicago’s Workforce Development Year-Round Employment Program, a partnership with Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). Jaqueza is among youths and emerging adults ages 16-24 who are placed in employment opportunities that help them develop workforce skills in preparation for economic success and self-sufficiency. The program falls under One Summer Chicago, which brings together community-based organizations, government institutions, and other employers to match young people who might otherwise face employment barriers with jobs and internships that nurture their unique strengths. YAP Chicago was allotted 50 slots for the program and placed Jaqueza to serve as a youth engagement and safety intern with the Chicago Mayor’s Office. In this role, he was with the Mayor’s Office from September 2024 through January 2025 and was paid weekly through YAP.
Separately, he served on the City of Chicago’s Mayor’s Youth Commission where he chaired the Community Safety Working Group. Currently in his second term, he continues to advocate for youth having voices.
“I am working at YAP to inspire young people,” he said. “YAP’s target audience is at-risk youth, and I was an at-risk youth. It’s easy for any young person to be in the same position. Being a youth commissioner is truly inspiring. The current mayor really values youth input, and I love being part of that process. It’s rewarding to know that our voices matter.”
Jaqueza is one of six siblings and says he had no aspirations of going to high school or college until he was mentored.
“I feel like every male needs that positive role model,” said Jaqueza, now a political science major at the University of Illinois Chicago. “I didn’t want to go to high school or college, but I graduated early with all A’s and a 4.6 (grade point average).”
YAP Chicago Program Coordinator Melody Williams said Jaqueza is a genuine young man.
“He says he is about the community, and he has had several events to help uplift the community,” she said. “He walks the walk, and he talks the talk.”
Jaqueza said Amy Witherite of the Witherite Law Group donated 100 turkeys to this year’s turkey drive. Out of his own pocket, he purchased some of the other 60 birds and said he plans to be a part of leading the Thanksgiving turkey giveaway yearly.
“It was amazing to see the community come together,” Jaqueza said, adding that one day he wants to start his own nonprofit. “I hope the turkey giveaway gets bigger and better every year. One year I want to donate 5,000 turkeys. I am speaking it into existence. I want to create something that lasts; something that can really make a difference in the lives of others.”
To learn more about Jaqueza and his journey, follow him on Instagram @Jaqueza_ or connect with him on LinkedIn. To learn more about YAP, visit yapinc.org.
