Aliya's Journey from First Grade to First Internship

When Aliya joined Friends of the Children-Seattle (Friends-Seattle) in kindergarten, she was incredibly shy and unsure. She was paired with a long-term, paid professional mentor that made the commitment to her that Friends-Seattle would be in her life for 12+ years—no matter what. Although she was hesitant for the first few years in the program, through each outing together, she built a trust with her mentor that—little did she know—would become a cornerstone of her life.

Growing up in a single-income household with multiple siblings, Aliya recalled carrying the weight of her family's financial struggles at the time, "I was very insecure about our economic status, I think I really tried to hide it, and I thought about it too much," she reminisces. But at Friends-Seattle, she was expected to simply be a kid—exploring new places, trying new things, meeting new friends, and learning to build trust. As Aliya transitioned into the Teen program, she was paired with Professional Mentor Sheena. Her mentor was there for every moment she could be, from curling her hair, learning to longboard, trying new foods, and biking around Seattle's beautiful parks.

Then suddenly, Aliya experienced a shocking loss in her family. She had to face more trauma than any young person should endure. It deeply affected her family and rippled through her high school years. While too many young people are left to face their struggles alone, leading to lifetimes of consequence, Aliya knew she wouldn't be left alone.

"I went through such a difficult time and had so much grief," Aliya shares, "but my mentor always checked in on me. She believed in me even though I had so many setbacks, [Sheena] never made me feel less than," she noted.

Sheena remained by Aliya's side, involving her family in the program, getting her outdoors to take her mind off things, and supporting her towards high school graduation. Aliya reminisces, "every holiday, I really looked forward to the things we'd get like school supplies and food, things I knew my mom couldn't really afford. Some people may find it to be a very small thing, but it meant everything to me."

As Aliya approached graduation, the COVID-19 pandemic came. Quickly pivoting, her mentor Sheena, alongside the other mentors, organized a drive-through graduation ceremony for Friends-Seattle graduates that year. Graduates and families were celebrated with photos from their time throughout the program, fan art, photos, gifts, and more.

Graduation came, but the support didn't stop there. Sheena helped Aliya move into her college dorm that same year at University of Washington-Tacoma as she studied her undergraduate degree in Marketing and Data Analytics. Four years later, in 2024, Aliya graduated from college and was ready for the workforce, "The program inspired me to pursue something that would make a difference in the community, it helped me define a path towards my career goals and life dreams." Through the partnership of Friends-Seattle and law firm Fenwick, Aliya was able to secure her first corporate internship. She commutes to downtown Seattle to go to the top floor of the building, put her name tag on, set up her desk, and look beside her as Sheena is still there for her on her first day at work.

"My mentor became a life-long friend that shaped who I am today... my experience at Friends-Seattle allowed me to gain the most sincere and supportive individuals in my life."

In 2025, Friends of the Children-Seattle celebrates 25 years of generational impact. Aliya and Sheena were reunited with other youth—now young adults—from the program to celebrate each other and how far they've come. Your support makes it possible for us to stand by current and future youth like Aliya and her family for 12+ years—no matter what.

To continue making this kind of long-term commitment possible, we invite you to invest in impacting generational change for Seattle.