Welcome, Dee!
Some of you may already be familiar with Dee Balliet, who’s worked closely with the True Colors Fund since 2014 as a 40 of the 40 honoree and member of the National Youth Forum on Homelessness. Dee has also taken leaderships role in A Way Home America’s 100-Day Challenges and the federal government’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project.
Now, we’re thrilled to announce that Dee has joined the True Colors Fund team as a full-time Program Officer! Based in our Washington, D.C. office, Dee is already a crucial role in bringing our Youth Collaboration work to the next level. Let’s find out a little bit about what makes Dee such a rockstar.
Tell us a bit about your life and work prior to joining the True Colors Fund. Whatcha been up to?
Immediately before joining True Colors Fund I worked in education, with career prospects in various entry-level healthcare professions. I also moonlighted at an Adult & Family Shelter. Joining staff at TCF was sort of like mission accomplished, since I had already been part of the TCF family since 2014. That year, I was a 40 of the Forty honoree, and then went on to be part of the inaugural National Youth Forum on Homelessness Executive Committee.
Why the True Colors Fund?
Taking advocacy efforts into my day to day job and moving from part-time Advocate to full-time Activist (or Advocate +) really ties together my experience, tools, and training so that I can continue to advocate for Youth & Young Adults with lived experience in homelessness.
What sort of work have you been up to in your new position? And what’s on the horizon for you?
In my new position, I work specifically with communities that were awarded grant funds under the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project and assist them in developing or strengthening Youth Action Boards, as well as other systems that serve youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. This project takes young people with lived experience and centers their voice in systems that serve them. The goal is both to see the expansion of this program, and to strengthen these communities so they serve as innovative models for other communities that may not have access to grant funds.
What do you geek out about?
Living in a time where social media rules a lot of our day to day life, I really geek out when I see young people use social media as a platform to take on social injustice, start grassroots campaigns, and call out leaders for failed policies and not being inclusive. It really gives me hope that the power of influence can indeed be in the hands of the people.