Skip to main content

Giving honor to whom honor is due: Angela Hollingworth


After speaking with members of the STYC coalition board it was decided that Angela is due recognition for her hard work and rightly so. So, this is her story as seen by the Board.

Angela Hollingsworth Is the current director of Shawnee Transformation Youth Coalition. Angela joined the coalition after serving with the Louisville Metro Department of Health Department’s and the country’s very first Center for Health Equity. She has served with the coalition since 2015 when the
previous director had to step down due to emergency circumstances. Angela stepped in and graciously
and excellently helped the coalition to not only survive many tough seasons, but also to thrive, even to
the point of statewide and national recognition.

Some of the accomplishments that STYC  has achieved under the direction of Ms. Hollingsworth are
receiving 501c3 nonprofit status, the continued awarding of federal funding, awarding of new state,
local, and community-based organization funding, a strong coalition and youth coalition that both meet
monthly, develop partnerships across all sectors of the community, and successfully directing the
coalition to accomplish annual action plans to reduce youth substance use in the Shawnee
neighborhood. The coalition’s Youth Advocates now have a social media presence, has won several
awards for video contests throughout the region, has won a national award for tobacco campaign, and
most recently at the state capitol. 

Since the coalition has been under her leadership, STYC has been able to weather the global pandemic
and shut down, turnover from previous program assistants, local school districts not participating in
national cross-site evaluation data collection, and now even with federal program holds and delay of
funding from the new administration. Even one of these circumstances could have ended the coalition,
but under Angela Hollingsworth’s direction, not only did we move forward, but continue to excel and
make an impact in the community.

Her accomplishments and success are too many to name in this spotlight, but those who have followed
the coalition for years know that the impact of having Angela in the director’s seat has been invaluable
and the coalition wouldn't be where it is today without her. Our success has been intertwined with her.

The Shawnee Transformation Youth Coalition Executive Board, STYC coalition membership, and
Shawnee Youth Advocates wants to take this opportunity to acknowledge and show our appreciation for The Honorable Ms. Angela Hollingsworth for her years of service.



Written by the STYC board:
Dr. Brittany Watkins
Kim Telesford Mapp
Sandra Marshall King


























Contributor’s Note: Bonnie Taylor, MSW, LCSW, is a dedicated Mental Health Therapist based in Louisville, KY, specializing in trauma care for youth and adults. With a deep commitment to community well-being, she has been collaborating with STYC for the past two years, offering her expertise and support wherever needed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Youth Gambling, Hiding in Plain Sight

“A new study from Common Sense Media finds that 36% of boys ages 11 to 17 reported gambling in the past year—ranging from sports betting and card games to online gaming-related gambling through loot boxes and gacha pulls.”      If you don’t have time ⏳ to read the full blog, no worries. Click the link and watch the short 5-minute video on youth gambling instead. It’s quick, real, and straight to the point.   reported by NBC’s Kate Snow on TODAY . When I first read that headline, I had to stop and ask myself—is this shocking? I’m no psychologist or PhD student, but I am a professional who has spent the past eight weeks working directly with a group of 15 middle school students. Many of these youth have either gambled themselves or have been exposed to gambling through family members. What I observed during this time was both eye-opening and deeply concerning—and closely mirrored the findings shared in that national study. For many of us, gambling brings to ...
Post a Comment
Read more

It's Eleven O'clock

    Do You Know Where Your Children Are? Some of us recall the late-night message that once flashed across the television: “It’s 11:00—do you know where your children are?” Although there may not have been a flashy commercial to accompany it, the simple reminder carried weight. It didn’t prevent every bad choice or tragedy, but it made parents pause. If your child wasn’t at home, it forced a question: Where are they, and what are they doing? That same question is just as urgent today. Violence, substance use, and risky behaviors are touching our community in ways that are heartbreaking and often preventable. Recently, a young person—someone’s child or grandchild—was accused of committing a violent crime at a bus stop. Behind the headlines is a truth: this is not just “a suspect,” but someone’s family. We cannot afford to look away or to excuse warning signs that might have been noticed earlier. Why STYC Is Offering the Hidden in Plain Sight Experience? Parents ...
5 comments
Read more

Three Accidental Shootings

In the past month, Louisville has had three recent accidental, self-inflicted shootings involving juveniles—including a 14-year-old who died after an accidental self-inflicted shooting and another juvenile who was hospitalized after accidentally shooting himself in the leg. ( https://www.wave3.com ) I’m writing this as a community nonprofit leader, not to shame parents—because shame doesn’t prevent injuries. Barriers prevent injuries. And right now, too many kids are still getting access to firearms during the exact moments we least expect. If you’ve ever said (or thought) any of these, you’re not alone: “I never thought this would happen in my house.” ( https://www.wave3.com ) “He wouldn’t touch it.” “I didn’t know she knew the code.” “I thought I hid it.” “I thought it was only for a minute.” Those words usually show up after the worst has already happened. The weak links: how a carefree teen becomes a gun victim Accidental shootings don’t usually start with “bad kids” or “bad paren...
1 comment
Read more