At Sasha Bruce Youthwork, we tell stories every day, stories of young people finding safety, healing, and the chance to thrive. These stories are real, the courage is real, the transformation is real.
But the faces you often see in our emails, social media posts, or printed materials are sometimes not the faces of our residents
And we think it’s important to explain why.
Protecting Their Privacy Comes First
Many of the young people who walk through our doors are experiencing some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. They may be fleeing unsafe homes, experiencing homelessness, or recovering from trauma, and are doing everything they can to rebuild stability one step at a time.
Sharing their full identities, especially online, can put them at risk. Their safety and privacy will always be our priority.
For this reason, we rely on stock images and only publish photos of youth when explicit consent is obtained, the context is appropriate, and the young person feels empowered rather than obligated to share their image.
Our Stories Are Real, Even When the Photo isn’t
Behind every stock image you see, there is a real young person whose life has changed, thanks to their hard work and the community that showed up for them.
We want our supporters to feel connected to the heart of our work, but we must also honor each young person’s right to privacy, dignity, and control over their own narrative.
So, when you see a stock photo, we hope you see it as a symbol, not a substitute. A symbol of thousands of young people who have trusted us with their stories and their lives.
Why We Don’t Dwell on “How They Got Here”
Another choice we make deliberately is this: We don’t focus on the details of how a young person came to us.
We believe the circumstances that led them to our doors, often painful, complicated, or traumatic, do not define them. Sharing those details can reduce a young person to their hardest moment and risks turning trauma into a spectacle. Instead, we choose a different lens.
We focus on their resilience.
Their courage.
Their strengths
On the path forward, not the pain behind.
We do collect and honor their stories; we just don’t share them much for public consumption. Even though we don’t share every detail publicly, it’s important for you to know that we do listen deeply to each young person’s story. Understanding what brought them to us is essential as it helps us: Identify gaps in services, shape and improve our programs, advocate for systems-level changes, fight for policies that protect and uplift youth, and ensure that every young person receives the support they uniquely need.
Thank You for Seeing Beyond the Photos
Your compassion allows us to provide safe homes, supportive relationships, and life-changing opportunities. And every time you see an image in one of our messages, we hope you remember:
Behind that stock photo is a real young person rebuilding their life with hope and your support.
Thank you for walking alongside us.
