Can you hear me?

Do you like music? Do you remember the song that reached into your soul? The music that left you feeling seen or heard? For me it was in the 5th grade when I heard a song for the first time. The song resonated with me in a way that I couldn’t explain. Within the harmonies and rhythms I felt a sense of validation and connection, as if the music was the counterpoint to my thoughts and feelings. In the melodies and lyrics I discovered an escape that promised understanding and acceptance and my personal haven emerged through the transformative power of music.

My experience with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley can be described in the same way. Like music, the supportive community at the Club became my source of comfort and empowerment, shaping a space where I could be myself, and for the first time, feel truly seen and heard through the transformative power of the Club.

My name is William Perez and I've been attending the Boys & Girls Clubs for 5 years. The teen you see today isn't the kid I was five years ago. I found my voice at the Club because of the community of friends and staff who helped me commit to myself. This experience helped me become a communicator. It helped me to create and express my ideas. It gave me opportunities to meet professionals in the areas I'm passionate about. It's also the place where I can put away all my worries and bring out my inner child for a few hours. Through daily participation in programs and activities, the Club has helped open me up to new opportunities, helped me find my voice and has motivated me to do more than ever before.

My first memories of the Club were in 5th grade during Summer Camp. If you've ever been to the Club during the Summer you know that every hour is back to back engaging activities. I will always remember “hour of code” in the technology lab, “cup stacking” competitions in the game room and learning to draw comics in the art room. On top of the activities and being surrounded with so many friends everyday, I always remembered the sense of safety I felt while at the Club. But I only found that safe harbor because of my sister Evelyn. She was the one who introduced me to the Club as she was a member of the teen center. Growing up I saw her and her close group of friends do so much and I wanted to follow in her footsteps as a volunteer, an artist and a leader.

As a middle schooler I struggled to make friends. I was severely bullied in school and I struggled with mental health. The Club was my safe place and the Club's Teen Center embraced me and allowed me to spend time being mentored by my sister and her friends. Spending time in the Teen Center I was able to connect with positive people that

I could look up to. They showed me that I had value and how to maintain a positive mindset even while navigating bullies. The Club gave me the opportunity to participate in many activities. I volunteered at the annual Halloween carnivals, I helped put together monthly family dinner events, and I supported teen nights. One of my core memories from that time came in my 8th grade year when I was finally able to attend my first annual Overnight Lock-In Challenge. I got to interact with over 40 other teens, play in a variety of competitions and have fun making lasting memories as a kid. This would go on to be my last memory of the Club before the Pandemic.

The Pandemic was a really difficult time for me. I struggled with deep depression and even when the world started to open up I found myself self-isolating from the world. I had all of these habits that just reinforced this unhealthy state-of-mind and the cause was clear. I had lost two of the most important things in my life: my sister had left for college and I couldn't go to the Club.

It was the Club that saved me. I eventually worked up the courage to return, and when I did, I found old friends and staff unveiling a mural they had put together in the alley leading to the Club. That day was a second start. I was hopeful and motivated. I chose to go back to school in person because of it. A few weeks later, I was back at the Club, but now as an active member of the teen center. I have gone from being completely isolated to participating as a volunteer in Keystone. Since then I’ve started my own band with my friends, joined the national fine arts program, and participated in various teen night outs.

This year, the most impactful program I have participated in is the collaboration with professional artist Blake Barrios. We are working on a collaborative art project that has been recognized nationally by musician and actor Lenny Kravitz, creating artwork that will go on to help fundraise for my community. The project has been a dream for me as it has helped me make connections with people who have built lives around what I love to do. They’ve shown me that these things are attainable and that’s huge. My name is William Perez, and when you look at me, you may see the quiet teen with hair draped over his face, but the man I am today is so different from the one I could have been; the one sitting alone at home. The Club is the place that connected me to the most important part of this transformation story, a community. The Community I’ve found has been a key part in rebuilding the person I want to be. Something special happens when you spend time with great people. At the Club it's not just a room full of ordinary youth and adults, it's a place filled with people who have shown me that the journey to success is long but if you keep going forward the best is ahead. I was isolated, silenced, and depressed but now I am surrounded by a mixture of the volunteers, musicians and artists that I look up to. Today I'm connected, engaged and motivated to build that same kind of community for others. I will continue to use my voice and talents to reach those who feel like I did so that we can create opportunities for the next generation together.