Elizabeth
My name is Elizabeth a.k.a. Lizzy, and I am 13 years old. I became an Official Member of Turn It Around in 2020 after the COVID-19 Pandemic. I got involved with the group through my older brother who is a current member. During COVID, I was invited to participate in the group workout sessions and eventually the weekly meetings where I proved myself to be mature enough to become a member even though I am the youngest in the group. I decided to join the group because I like to meet new people and give back to my community. I love participating in the TIA meetings and events because I'm encouraged to voice my thoughts and share my ideas. This is an awesome group because we truly care for one another and lift each other up. Some of my hobbies include singing, acting and painting. I've been in multiple plays including Oliver, Annie and Aladdin. I hope to gain more talents and skills in this group!
Destany
I'm Destany, and I joined Turn It Around to set myself up for a good future while helping my community. One of the things I love about Charlestown and it's residents are how much they support one another.
Leah
Leah joined TIA in fall 2022 to try new things, learn and to help out others!
Aboubakar
My name is Aboubakar and I joined Turn It Around in 2020! I joined as an act of community service and to help improve my town and the surrounding Boston neighborhoods. I love being involved in the Turn It Around youth program because I get to make positive change, meet people, make new friends and have fun all while earning an income! It doesn’t get much better than that!
Elsie
My name is Elsie Martinez and I joined Turn It Around in 2019. I’ve lived in Charlestown all my life and I have matured quickly because of it. Being a TIA member makes me feel as though I can make a real difference in my community and the people struggling in it.
Ivy
Ivy joined TURN IT AROUND in fall of 2022. She hopes to help out her community and joined because TIA was a good opportunity for her.
Brandon
My name is Brandon and I joined Turn It Around in 2019. I decided to join because I wanted to be part of a program that would help me with school. Another reason I joined is because I like going places with different people and learning new things. I love my community because it is nice and quite so it feels good to give back. One day I'd like to work at Starbucks.
Ariana
My name is Ariana and I am a student at Charlestown High School. I joined Turn It Around in 2020 because I knew it was an amazing youth program and that it will help me in life. I love the fact that we get paid to help our community. There are so many awesome people who live in my neighborhood, I’m grateful I can give back to them. Something interesting about me is that I love comics and superhero’s and play sports including volleyball.
Aidan
Aidan joined TURN IT AROUND to have fun and be in a program with friends. He wants to help the Charlestown community and try new things.
Natania
I’m Natania and I’m 15 years old. I joined Turn It Around after doing a summer program with them in 2019. One of the main reasons I joined was to give back and help my community. My community is filled with a lot of great people and I’m grateful this youth group allows me to be more involved, especially with community events. One day I’d like to be a physiatrist and something unique about me is that my moods vary, meaning one day I can be quite and the next, very communicative.
Dawit
Dawit joined TIA because he is interested in helping other people. He loves the kindness of his community and hopes one day to be an inspiration to others!
Ana
My name is Ana and I decided to join Turn It Around in 2020 to make more friends. The TIA staff are super nice and make everyone feel welcome. I love working the TIA community events because it is fun meeting new people in our neighborhood. Some of my hobbies include playing sports and video games. I also play basketball and football.
Rosilda
I joined Turn It Around to meet friends and learn more about the community.
Hasan
Hasan is a fall 2022 TIA addition who loves to show up, help and have fun. He joined TIA because he loves the people in his community and wants to help.
Sue
I joined Turn It Around to learn more about Charlestown and the kids in the group. I want to learn more about my community.
Stacy
I joined to become more independent and make new friends while helping my community. One thing I love about Charlestown is that the people are kind & friendly here.
Zay
I joined Turn It Around to help those in need, and to give back to my community.
Christian
Christian is 14 and joined TURN IT AROUND for the fun events and to spend more time with the friendly people in the community.
Cristhy
Christy joined TIA in fall of 2022, and joined because she enjoys being invested in her community. She wants to work hard and achieve things on her own with the support of the TIA program!
Alex
My name is Alex and I joined Turn It Around in 2019. I decided to join Turn It Around because I knew it would help both me and my community. Another reason I joined Turn It Around is because aside from endless opportunities, it has given me something fun to look forward to every week on the same day. I like my community because it’s small yet big, you know many peoplem but still see strangers everywhere. Although it is very quiet and boring at times, many exciting things do happen that the outsiders don’t see.
Alexandra
My name is Alexandra Rivera and I am a student at Snowden International High School. I joined Turn It Around in 2017. The reason I decided to join Turn It Around is because it’s an amazing group that works to educate people and create a better community for Charlestown. I love participating at the Turn It Around events because It feels good to do the right thing and help others. I love my community because
the people are great and I want to be there to help them and give back. One day I hope to be a politician so I can continue making improvements to our community, city and world. The youth of Charlestown are helping to make a difference and I’m grateful to say I am the change I want to see in the world because of Turn It Around.
Alphy
Anthony
My name is Anthony and I am an official member of Turn It Around. I was told by one of my cousins, who is a member, about the program. About a week later of hearing about the group I was told to come to “Turn It Around” and though I was nervous I made a great first impression and committed to joining the group. I want Charlestown to improve. This would include better schools and education. By that I mean, better tools and supplies and more things that would improve Charlestown’s Schools like available mentors and tutors. My goal is to help in making Charlestown better than before. I joined Turn It Around to make my goal happen and it seems that this group thinks the same. I am happy to be part of a great big group called Turn It Around!
Ariana
My name is Ariana Kelley and I live and attend school in Charlestown. I joined Turn It Around in 2018 and have already enjoyed some of the great opportunities this group offers, including going on a 6 Flags trip as a token of the staff’s appreciation for all the community events we host and for being leaders in our community. I joined because I wanted more community involvement and this is a great way to socialize and make new friends. Some of my hobbies are listening to music and hanging out with friends. Something interesting about me is that I become really energetic around people once I get comfortable with them.
Brandol
My name is Brandol and I am 15 years old. I like to play sports, mainly basketball, football and baseball. I attend Charlestown High School. I joined Turn It Around because they are a great community group. They are like a second family. I can talk to the group and staff about anything that’s going on in my life and they support me. They also help me try new things I've never done before. if I need something they help me or if they need help and volunteers I can help them. I want the people in my community to know that Turn It Around is the best group I've even been a part of. I love my community because this is where I live and I want to see everyone do well and this youth group can help!
Brianna
My name is Brianna-Colon-Arroyo and I am 14 years old. I joined Turn It Around in 2018 to meet new people and make new friends. It’s been very fun so far! I love volunteering and working the Turn It Around events because I get to meet people in my community and share important information about having a healthy lifestyle. What I really love about Turn It Around is that the group is very accepting of others and encourages everyone to be true to themselves. Some of my hobbies include singing, dancing and creating art. Also, one day I hope to become a police officer.
Caiden
My name is Caiden and I'm 14 years old. I joined Turn It Around in 2021 because I'm looking to improve my community and meet new people. My papa liked helping people and so do I and I know this is a great group that gives back. I care about my town because it's where my family is and I want to help make sure it's a good place to live. One day, I hope to be in the NBA or an architect.
Darianny
My name is Darianny and I'm 17 years old. I joined Turn It Around in 2019 because a friend of mine brought me to the group and it was a lot of fun. I really enjoy all the opportunities Turn It Around offers, including creative workshops, like T-shirt making. I love my community because it makes me feel comfortable and safe and that's why I want to give back. One day I hope to become a lawyer or doctor. Thanks to Turn It Around I believe I can do anything with the right support behind me.
Giacomo
My name is Giacomo and I joined Turn It Around in 2021. I attend Phoenix Tech and I'm 16 years old. Some of my hobbies include gaming, sports, and snowboarding. I joined Turn It Around because I needed a job. I didn't realize I'd be getting that and an extended family. I'm excited to start earning an income and make connections in my community. I love Charlestown because my neighbors take care of each other. I would say that my determination and ability to adapt will help me become a great community leader and I'm happy to do it with Turn It Around by my side.
Jeremiah
My name is Jeremiah St. Louis and I am 18 years old and I attend Charlestown High School and play for the school’s football team. I have been a member of Turn It Around since 2016. My hobbies are playing fortnight, football and working out. The reason I joined Turn It Around was because I heard that it was lit and would give me better opportunities. I like being part of a group that helps the community. I hope one day to be a very successful person and I think being involved in Turn It Around will help me reach that goal.
John
My name is John and I joined Turn It Around in 2018 because I heard it was a good way to make money and help my community. Some of my favorite things about Turn It Around are the events, and the weekly meetings. Learning new skills in TIA has given me confidence in myself and has open the door to new opportunities. I love being a part of TIA because my friends are in it and I can make a difference in my neighborhood. Some of my hobbies include playing football and basketball.
Kaltuma
My name is Kaltuma and I have lived in Charlestown for most of my adolescence. As a youth, I was unaware that Charlestown has the highest rate of drug overdose, until I joined Turn It Around. I first attended a Turn It Around event back in December of 2014 where the youth held a “hat and glove drive”. I thought that it was a great program and what the youth were doing was amazing. I decided then that I would join the campaign and help others in need and help spread awareness. I have learned so much since I have joined Turn it Around and I know I can use this information throughout my life. It
also helped me learn more about the community I live in and be able to be a part of the change.
Karen
My name is Karen and I joined Turn It Around in January 2021. I am currently enrolled at Prospect Hill Academy and I'm 15 years old. Some of my hobbies are reading, specifically about solving crime cases. I joined Turn It Around because I've heard a lot of good things about it and I finally wanted to give it a try and start making new friends. I'm excited to be a part of this group because it will allow me to try new things and have opportunities I may not have without a support group like this. When I'm older I hope to have enough money to help provide for myself and family.
Kelvin
My name is Kelvin and I attend Charlestown High School. I joined Turn It Around in the summer of 2019 after participating in Mswati's Summer Enrichment Program. I believe my personality is a great addition to Turn It Around because everyone seems to want to do the same thing, help our community and have a better life. Turn It Around provides great opportunities and I'm very grateful to be a part of it. Some things about me are that I love to play basketball and go to the gym. One day I hope to be an NFL player or do commentary for sports. I also love eating good food and having positive vibes around me.
Kevon
My name is Kevon and I’m 18 years old. I joined Turn It Around in 2021 because I want to be a leader in my community. I love to help people especially my neighbors and Turn It Around gives me the opportunity to do so. A couple of interesting facts about me is that I enjoy rap, working out and I’m good at debate. I also aspire to be a professional NFL player because I love to play football.
Khalid
Hello, my name is Khalid. I am a graduate from Charlestown High school and a Turn It Around member. I was first introduced to Turn It Around by my younger brother Feisal, and decided to join in 2019. I was always into community organizations that help the youth get involved in the neighborhood. In all my years of being involved in my community, I have never felt more determined and engaged than I do in Turn It Around. Turn It Around has given me the opportunity to make a difference and be a part of a family that will be by my shoulder through anything. We at Turn It Around support our community succeed in giving residents a better quality of life.
Kyla
Laneigh
My name is Laneigh Lundin and I have been born and raised in Charlestown. I joined Turn It Around in 2013. I have seen what drugs do and the way they affect people my whole life. Drug addiction is a disease that has hit the lives of many family members along with friend’s families. I want to make a difference and spread awareness and through Turn It Around, I can do just that. Most importantly I don’t want to see any more people from my town die because of this epidemic. I am thankful to have a community that cares enough to start a group like this and I am happy to be a part of it.
Lil Melvin
My name is Melvin and I am from Charlestown. I have been a member of Turn It Around since 2016. I joined it because people were saying it would be good for me. I want to be a better
person in the future by helping people. I like Turn It Around because we help people and we do things that are fun and educational for the community. We play games, we break into groups, and we talk if we are having a hard time with things. I care about the environment and homeless people and so doesn’t the staff of Turn It Around. I helped the group leaders decide to do a volunteer trip at one of the local shelters and it was success. It is awesome that they actually listen to us and help bring our ideas to life.
Luis
My name is Luis and I joined Turn It Around in 2019. I joined the group after my brother, who is a member, told me all about the opportunities they provide. I like being in this group because I get to meet new people and help my community. My community has a lot of nice people and it is safe, so it makes me feel good knowing I am giving back to it. One day I hope to be an entrepreneur. Some of my hobbies include playing basketball video games and learning about cars.
Makai
My name is Makai and I joined Turn It Around in 2021 at the age of 16. I love playing basketball and listening to music. When I heard from friends about the Turn It Around group, I decided to check it out seeing how many of my friends are involved. I became a member when I realized the positive impact I could make in my community. Turn It Around gives me the opportunity to make a change in my neighborhood and to help people. It's a unique group, more like a family. I'm grateful to be part of it.
Mawuko
My name is Mawuko Attivor and I’m 17 years old. I currently attend City on A Hill Charter School. I became a member of Turn It Around in December of 2018. I am interested in sports, especially basketball, and tennis. I joined Turn It Around because my friends who were already members really like it and I figured I would too! I look forward to participating in the Turn It Around events because I get to experience new things and meet new people. I love my community because it is very diverse and so I want to keep it a good place to live and grow. I aspire to be a real estate broker and something unique about me is that I’m lefthanded.
Max
My name is Max Joseph. I'm 16 years old and a freshman at Charlestown High School. I recently moved to Charlestown from Lynn. I was interested in joining Turn It Around because I get to work with other kids my age doing activities and events that help benefit the community. My dreams and goals in life are to become the best at what I love doing, which is basketball. I plan on going to the league (the NBA) and being competitive with other people. Being in Turn It Around has helped me meet a lot of people in my community, especially since I'm new.
Melvin
My name is Melvin Jones Jr. and I joined Turn It Around in 2015. Some of my hobbies include making music and playing basketball. I was interested in joining Turn It Around because it was something fun to do after school. Helping the community is something I’ve always wanted to do and through Turn It Around we make a difference. I love my community because I was raised here and know a lot of my
neighbors. One of my dreams in life is to become an actor. However, helping my friends, family and neighbors is more important to me.
Michaela
My name is Michaela Lewey and I joined Turn It Around in 2013. I have lived in Charlestown my entire life and have always wanted to help my community. Being a part of Turn It Around gives me courage and
strength to help my community as drugs and violence tear it apart. Being involved with Turn It Around is a great part of my life and I am grateful to be able to contribute to the great work that they do!
Norelia
My name is Norelia, also known as Lia, and I joined Turn It Around in 2018. I joined TIA because I believe youth are the foundation of change and I wanted to be a part of that movement. I know Turn It Around is the type of youth organization that believes this as well so it made sense for me to join. I have a friend that joined during the same time as me too. We also got to go on a 6 Flags Turn It Around youth trip during the summer that was a lot of fun. It’s awesome to get rewarded for our hard work and dedication to this group and our community.
Omar
I’m Omar and I go to Charlestown High School. I joined Turn It Around in April 2018 because a lot of my friends are in it and they really like it. Once I joined, I understood why so many people I know are involved. One of the great things about TIA is that you can volunteer and help the less fortunate. Whether it’s educating people about the dangers of drug use, collecting unused medications, or throwing a community BBQ, Turn It Around does it all. I love this group and my community because everyone treats each other like family. One of my favorite things to do is to show people and my community love by giving back and through this group I’m able to do that.
Precious
Hi, my name is Precious, and I am the younger sister of one of the official members, Franklin. I joined Turn It Around in 2018 after my brother talked so highly of the group for a long time. I also joined because I wanted to be more involved in the positive change for the Charlestown community. I know by being a part of this group I’ll learn many valuable skills. This group has provided me with so many wonderful opportunities already, including being a summer intern in their Charlestown Coalition office, going on a field trip to 6 Flags, and attending educational workshops. I look forward to what the future of Turn It Around holds for me and our communities. Another great feature of this group is although it feels like a tight-knit organization, everyone is welcome to join or get more involved.
Ryan
My name is Ryan and I joined Turn It Around in 2019 because I want to be an active member of my community. I like helping people and Turn It Around gives me the opportunity to do so in many ways. One way, is by teaching others about coping skills and dealing with life’s pressures at different community events. I really enjoy being a part of my community because there are so many organizations for youth to get involved with and Turn It Around has been the perfect group for me.
Samuel
My name is Samuel and I am 13 years old. I attend school in Charlestown. I joined Turn It Around in 2019 because I want to learn how to save money for college. I love working the Turn It Around events because they help me build a sense of hard work and accomplishment. My community is full of helpful people and it makes me feel great to be part of a youth group that gives back to them. One day I hope to be an esteemed artist and one of my hobbies is drawing.
Serennity
Shaun
My name is Shaun and I joined Turn it Around in 2016. I have lived in Charlestown for a long time and growing up in this part of Boston I have witnessed drugs and violence in my community. It is sad to see so many older people and even kids a little older than me struggling from drugs and it needs to stop. Joining Turn IT Around has given me the ability to help spread awareness and learn what to do in situations where someone is not okay. I want to be able to educate the younger generation of my community, so they won’t end up like the older ones. It is programs like Turn It Around that gives my generation a voice and courage to make a difference.
Steven
My name is Steven Wilson and I have been a member of Turn It Around since 2016. The reason I joined Turn It Around is because I wanted to make a difference in my community. I enjoy participating in Turn It Around events because I like spending times with my peers and doing positive things. I love my community because it is a part of who I am, my community keeps me strong and I keep it safe. I hope
one day to be a social worker and have my own fashion line. Some of my hobbies are playing basketball and video games. I also dream of being a foster parent to help kids who don’t have a place to call home. Turn It Around has changed my life for the better and keeps me accountable for my actions. Thank you TIA!
Terrell
My name is Terrell and I joined Turn It Around in the summer of 2017 to get more education on bettering myself. I like that Turn It Around offers lots of opportunities to learn from and I want to use my role in Turn It Around to make the community better and make a change for myself and the rest of my peers. My goal for the future is to go to a D1 college and play basketball and then join TMT with Floyd Mayweather and be part of his work (aka one of the richest group of black men in the world). Turn It Around is helpful motivation to pass high school and achieve these goals. They don’t give up on people and they have helped me reach goals I didn’t know was possible.
Valentina
Zhanae
My name is Zhanae and I’ve been a member of Turn It Around since 2017. Some of my hobbies include playing sports and listening to music. The reason I joined Turn It Around was to keep me out of trouble. I really enjoy participating in the Turn It Around events because they’re fun and we get to meet new people. I love my community because there is a lot of places to go and things to do. One of my goals in life is to become a professional athlete. Something interesting about myself is that I’m funny and can make people laugh.