Youth Leadership
2025-26 Youth Leadership Council Members
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Jane (she/her) is an 18-year-old college junior at the University of Tennessee Knoxville who was raised in both North Stonington, Connecticut and Clarksville, Tennessee. She earned her Associate’s degree in high school from Austin Peay State University and plans to be a lawyer.
Her passion for child advocacy in legal proceedings stems from her own negative experiences, and she is determined to use her education and future career to ensure that young people have a voice in the justice system. Jane is also deeply passionate about reproductive justice, recognizing it as a vital part of building equity, protecting families, and ensuring dignity for all.
Beyond academics, she is involved in her church community, enjoys volunteering, and is committed to living a life of service. She hopes to combine her legal expertise, advocacy for reproductive justice, and compassion for others to bring about meaningful change, particularly for vulnerable children and families navigating the courts.
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I’m James Berry. I’m 19, I go by J, originally from the cheese state, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a higher education. at the illustrious Tennessee State University. I’m a sophomore computer science major. I love to play board games and build computers in my free time. I also love going on morning jogs and hanging out with my friends and family. I also love clothes and fashion.
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Jerissa Bowers is a youth ambassador with over 8 years of experience providing comprehensive sexual health education & safe sex kits . Through the years of her practice , she has been awarded President of Youth Ambassadors at multiple nonprofit organizations dealing with condom distribution, comp sex education, healthy relationships & team building .For the last 8 years, she has progressed from being a participant in a HIV awareness retreat to receiving a $5,000 grant for an innovative project to bring awareness to HIV. As a grantee, she curated her own retreat that also included dancing mindfulness, the importance of self love, professional development, meditation, earth alchemy, budgeting, & comp sex ed. She has hosted 2 more youth and young adult retreats since the first one and is looking to do more. Leaning more into youth advocacy in the last few years, Jerissa has researched the lack of jobs and post secondary schooling opportunities for opportunity youth in Memphis ages 16-24. Most recently, she began work as a Community Organizer leading high school students as they participate in a civic service fellowship. She is forever looking forward to making change in her hometown Memphis, Tennessee.
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My name is Kyra Lewis, and I proudly hail from the rural town of Opelousas, Louisiana—the epitome of a small-town girl with big-city dreams. I earned my undergraduate degree from Fisk University and am currently pursuing my Master of Public Health at Meharry Medical College. My passion for philanthropy fuels my commitment to addressing violence against women and supporting individuals impacted by substance use disorders. I am excited to bring my voice, lived experiences, and leadership to Healthy and Free Tennessee’s Youth Leadership Council, where I look forward to advancing campaigns that uplift and empower the communities we serve.
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Jada Mitchum is a junior at Vanderbilt University studying Political Science and Human & Organizational Development, with a minor in Legal Studies. She serves as Vice President of the Black Student Association, Chair of the Vanderbilt Prison Project’s Education on the Inside initiative, and Team Captain for the Vanderbilt Mock Trial Team. Jada is also a Staff Writer for The Vanderbilt Hustler and is passionate about advocacy and leadership. She hopes to pursue a career as an attorney and continue working to amplify underrepresented voices through law and policy.
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Lillian Muzaurieta (she/her) is a committed advocate for reproductive justice and community well-being from Pulaski, Tennessee. With over a decade of experience studying behavioral health and lived insight into the challenges many families face, she is passionate about supporting underserved communities and fighting inequitable systems. Currently pursuing a degree in psychology and sociology at Middle Tennessee State University, Lillian plans to continue her education with a master’s to expand her impact in mental health and advocacy. She enjoys mentoring others, fostering connections across communities, and spending quality time with her young daughter.
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My name is JaQuailyn Payne I was born and raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, I hold an associate’s degree in general studies and am currently a sophomore at Fisk University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology. My academic journey reflects a strong commitment to advancing knowledge in the sciences while preparing for a career dedicated to service and impact. I aspire to build a career that allows me to help others and contribute to meaningful change in my community and beyond.
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Rue is a Unitarian Universalist and youth advocacy activist located in Chattanooga Tennessee. He works with young adults and youth across the Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee area. Rue is an amateur archaeologist and is finishing up his bachelor's degree in anthropology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He enjoys playing board games, creative writing, and learning about marginalized history.
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Sydney Varnado is a first-year MPH student from Chicago, IL, on the health policy track. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Medicine, Health, and Society from Vanderbilt University in 2023. Her passions lie in reducing health disparities among Black women and girls, specifically when it comes to cancer and HIV treatment.
“Poverty is NOT Neglect” Campaign
The 2024 Youth Leadership Council at Healthy & Free Tennessee launched the Poverty is NOT Neglect campaign to challenge family separation based on poverty. In Tennessee, child welfare authorities could take children away from families simply for struggling with poverty, homelessness, or food and job insecurity—and we’re fighting to change that! Our campaign rewrote the law so that no family has to fear being torn apart due to poverty alone, while also organizing those most affected—young, Black and brown, disabled, queer and trans folks, and poor or working-class families. We're raising awareness about the harm caused by family separation, destigmatizing poverty, and pushing for a system that supports, rather than punishes, parents. Together, we’re building a future where all families can stay together and thrive without fear of state violence. Join our council members in the fight for a future where families can stay together, and everyone has the resources they need to live without fear of state violence!
Highlight of Past Cohorts
Starting in 2016, Healthy & Free Tennessee's Youth Leadership Council (YLC) has made a powerful impact through organizing events and workshops that focus on reproductive health, rights, and justice. In 2018-2019, the YLC hosted a youth summit in Memphis and Nashville, where young people gathered to learn about key topics like birth control options, combating rape culture, and navigating healthcare as a trans person. Previous cohorts organized and participated in over 25 events across Tennessee, including panels on youth organizing at the Women’s Marches and reproductive health workshops at LGBTQIA+ conferences.
YLC members have also led abortion storytelling events, organized fundraisers for reproductive health services, and participated in advocacy initiatives like our annual Advocacy Day and Black Maternal Health Week. These efforts have created spaces for education, dialogue, and activism around reproductive justice, with the YLC consistently providing young leaders opportunities to make meaningful change in their communities. We believe these cohorts are important to hear not only from our community members, but what the next generation of leadership has to say about the current state of our society.
If you're interested in working with the council, presenting a training, or have any questions about the application, please contact Nina@healthyandfreetn.org.