Youth Empowerment Radio S3E3: Olivia of Youth MOVE Pinellas on Youth-Led Mental Health Advocacy

In episode three of season three of Youth Empowerment Radio, host Carmen speaks with Olivia, president of Youth MOVE Pinellas in Pinellas County, Florida, a youth-led chapter under Youth MOVE National supported by NAMI. Olivia shares how she joined in September 2024, why youth advocacy around mental health and education matters, and how the chapter creates safe, stigma-reducing spaces through an “authentic check-in” at meetings and events. She highlights three 2025 events: Healing Through Comics, a free four-week workshop with artist Jeff Morris; Youth Explosion’s Coping Skills Corner for third to fifth graders with over 200 participants; and Waves of Resilience, a beach cleanup that also distributed hurricane preparedness kits after two hurricanes, drawing about 50 people. They discuss youth engagement via tabling, partnerships, and social media, challenges like transportation and insufficient marketing, and Olivia’s leadership growth in communication, empathy, and time management.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Preview

00:53 Meet Olivia and Her Why

03:33 How Youth Move Works

04:27 Creating Safe Spaces

06:23 Host Organization and Local Roots

07:39 Healing Through Comics

12:18 Youth Explosion Coping Skills

14:31 Waves of Resilience Cleanup

16:52 Growing the Chapter and Outreach

25:31 Challenges Transportation and Marketing

30:04 What Youth Led Looks Like

33:01 Future Plans and Where to Find Them

34:38 Closing Thanks