Meet the Ones to Watch

In May, when a racially charged social media post by a group of local middle school students went viral, fully recognized the uproar and aftermath that was in store. “There is so much hatred around this, but these kids are middle schoolers, and their minds can be changed,” says Hill, 39, who is the area director and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County. “Hate is a learned behavior. My reaction was to have compassion for these young people because I believe they were crying out for help. It is time to educate them and others on how to respond to this.” The Port St. Lucie resident has devoted 17 years of her career to nurturing teens and younger kids through her work with Boys & Girls Clubs around the country, and she knows better than most that there is a great deal of work to be done in today’s polarized society. “I’ve learned through my work with Boys & Girls Clubs that by teaching things like civic responsibility, character development, leadership skills, and financial literacy, I can really impact today’s youth. My heart is with teens.” Since she began working with Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County in 2019, Hill has implemented a variety of programs aimed at promoting inclusion and acceptance among both kids and staff. Programs include topics like leadership lessons, diversity acceptance, love and kindness, and courageous conversations. “I love my job,” says Hill, who is also passionate about music and is currently learning how to DJ. “I want to help people become leaders. I like to be close to the mission and train people of all ages and generations to accept the differences in others.”

Shot on location at the Bill & Barbara Whitman Boys & Girls Club in Indiantown

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