Jessica Rivera

I started my nonprofit journey just over a year ago when I launched Empowering You Everywhere in 2025, though the seed of this idea was planted 12 years earlier. Originally, I had created a Facebook page called Empowering Youth Everywhere to bring empowerment and encouragement to at-risk teens, but I put it aside for about 12 years. When the idea came back to my mind in 2024, I expanded the vision and changed the name to Empowering You Everywhere, creating different branches to empower men, women, and teenagers. My organization focuses primarily on mental health awareness, particularly suicide awareness and domestic violence awareness. I've conducted suicide awareness webinars for parents and events for teens, partnered with the Florida Department of Health for chalk walk events where we write positive messages on sidewalks, and collaborated with local businesses like Plato's Closet and Style Encore to collect clothing donations. In October, for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we donated 15 bins of clothes and hygiene products to Harbor House, which we'll continue doing yearly. In April, we held our first women's empowerment event, which was very impactful, encouraging women to embrace all parts of their journey through music, bead storytelling activities, and meaningful conversations. I also initiated the Empower Closet program, which provides free clothing, hygiene products, and shoes to at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors. I used to work at a local high school where we had a room dedicated to these resources for students facing homelessness. Before starting the nonprofit, I worked as a case manager and a Sr. Juvenile Probation Officer. My work is deeply personal - I lost a cousin to suicide six years ago, lost three family members to domestic violence, and I'm a survivor of domestic violence myself. In the midst of healing from my own personal challenges, I decided to take a step of faith and move forward with this nonprofit in memory of them, turning my pain into purpose.