It is with a heavy heart that I share with you this news: our dearest friend and colleague, April Hoogasian, passed away on October 29, 2024.
April gave yli over 15 years of pure joy, heart, and intentional rigor to ensure youth and their adult allies were nurtured, supported, and had the tools to influence policies that improve the lives of those most impacted by inequities. She believed deeply that building youth leadership capacity is a journey – that individual transformation can lead to community and systems change. April helped build our organization on a foundation of love and community, and she is present in everything we do.
April began her trajectory at yli in 2009 as a Research & Outreach Coordinator, leading the way as yli formalized its learning laboratory approach – assessing yli programs and research nationally to identify impacts and best practices across the youth development field. She was a part of the cadre of youth development leaders who built the tools, curriculum, and conditions for meaningful change locally, regionally, and nationally. April’s legacy extends well beyond yli: up and down California, some of the most committed youth organizers and youth development practitioners attribute their learning and growth to April and her graceful and masterful style and knowledge in the field.
For more than a decade, April acted as yli’s Director of Training & Consulting Services, sharing the wisdom gathered from our on-the-ground youth programs with organizations who seek to meaningfully engage youth in their work. Say it Now: practicing anti-racist youth leadership in Hayward, California, is just one story of how April directly impacted the lives of so many young people. She filled every room with safety, humanity, and the ability to dream – and she drew hope from the lived experiences of young people and their adult allies. It was a magical experience to watch her move through the room and notice every person, listen to every story, and honor every individual.
Many of us knew April personally. We know the light that she was in all of our lives – reminding us always to center connection, love and belonging in everything we do. We know how intentional she was in cultivating safe spaces that foster real trust and celebrate each of us in our innate gifts and inherent value as human beings. We know that creating deep and meaningful relationships were her life’s work, and that Heart and Presence were at the core of who she was. I Am a Collage is a story she wrote that shares a little about her family history, and the family- and love-oriented person she was.
There is so much to share about April, and we are in the process of gathering all the photos, stories, and anything else our community would like to share with us. These will be collected in a book for her husband Matt, and her three daughters River, Autumn, and Aria to pass on the hope, lessons, and impact she had on us all. Please email contributions to [email protected].
Planning is currently underway to honor April’s impactful contributions, and we will keep you updated with details on the date, time, and location, as well as meaningful ways for you to show your support, as they become available. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
In Community,
Patty Barahona