Saying Goodbye: Celebrating 7 Years of YPOC

Hello Everyone,

Today marks my last day as community manager for 7Cups YPOC. It has taken me some time to put together this post, but here it goes. Over the past seven years, we have grown this community from 0 community members to over 8,000 members. Over the years, we have had many conversations in weekly sessions, in my PMs, and on the forums. I started managing this community with little knowledge, and you all have taught me so much over the years. You have made this community what it is and been the bright spot in my weeks over the past seven years. I have listened to you all and had the privilege of watching you all help our community grow. There were countless times when I asked you all for ideas and conversations you would like to see happening here. You all, without hesitation, shared your thoughts and challenged me to improve this community. Over the years, we have collaborated with other subcommunities and increased our visibility here on 7 Cups. As some of the members that have been here for a while, we worked hard to carve out a space here for young people of color and even changed our name (from People of Color to Young People of Color).

We have had countless people support our platform over the years. I want to thank everyone who has helped me, from chats to posting forum topics. I have spoken about the great work we do here across the USA. I am so honored to have been able to support and grow this community alongside you over the past seven years. I also want to shout out to all of the people who worked with me throughout the past seven years, @aeris156, for their support over the last two years and, of course, @Tazzie for being by my side from the beginning. I know all great things come to an end, and as my time here as a community manager has set. I am eternally grateful to each of you who have made this community a brave space for us to discuss mental and emotional well-being for young people of color.

I wanted to leave you all with a few thoughts:

1. You deserve a space to be able to speak bravely and openly, even if your voice quivers.

2. All of your identities are important and have a special place here at YPOC.

3. Your presence here has made a brave space for someone to share their thoughts on the challenges young people of color face.

4. I hope you hold your head up a little higher each day because of your contribution to this space.

5. Although I have never met you in person, you have changed me forever.

Thank you to @7Cups for giving the YPOC a home. Thank you to The Steve Fund for supporting this brave space for the past seven years and for the work you will do here in the future. Finally, thank you all for choosing YPOC as a place to share your thoughts, tell your stories and make an imprint on someone’s life.

Until next time,

Kimson