Matt’s Kindness Ripples On is happy to announce the Kindness Award Winner for April, 2026.
Congratulations to Edie Young!
She will receive an award to help fund her acts of kindness project!
A huge shout out to Jesse’s Paddle (aka, The Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program) for their very generous donation to sponsor this month’s award winner.
The Power of Creativity and Belonging
When Edie Young (Washington, DC) was in elementary school, she discovered something that would quietly shape the rest of her life: the power of creativity.
It happened in drama class with her teacher, Ms. Maria. For the first time, Edie experienced the magic of storytelling, how stepping into a character or telling a story could make people feel something, connect and see the world a little differently.
By middle school, her love of creativity had expanded into visual art. But for Edie, art wasn’t just about making something beautiful. It was about helping people feel seen. That belief would lead her to start something remarkable.
In 2019, at just 12 years old, Edie created a small Facebook group called We Are Artistic. Her goal was simple: build a space where artists could support each other, share their work and feel encouraged to keep creating.
What began as a small online community quickly grew into something much bigger.
Today, We Are Artistic is a youth-led nonprofit that uplifts artists through features, collaborations, networking opportunities and community spaces like Discord. The organization also hosts virtual and in-person events across the Washington, DC region, bringing creatives together to celebrate their work and support one another.
At its heart, the mission remains the same as when Edie first started it: helping artists feel valued and connected.
But Edie’s passion for building inclusive communities doesn’t stop with art.
When she entered Jackson-Reed High School, she noticed something that bothered her. There was no student group advocating for students with disabilities. As someone who lives with multiple disabilities, including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD), Edie knew firsthand how isolating that could feel.
She remembered what it was like as a freshman, feeling alone and unsure if anyone else understood what she was going through. So she decided to change that.
In 2022, Edie founded the Disability Student Alliance at her school. What started as an idea quickly grew into a community of about 30 members working together to make their school more inclusive.
One of their biggest projects was the Disability Justice Fair, an event designed to educate students and staff about physical disabilities, neurodivergence, mental health and disability resources. Visitors could walk through different information tables and complete a “passport” activity while learning along the way.
The idea for the fair actually began one evening while Edie was scrolling TikTok and saw a video about a student with a disability who felt lonely at school. Edie immediately thought, “We could do something about that.” She texted the student government advisor. The answer was yes.
Later, she approached her English teacher about starting a club focused on disability advocacy. She didn’t expect that to work either, but it did.
Looking back, Edie knows how powerful connection can be. She remembers the moment in second grade when a friend introduced her to another girl named Carly who also had a disability. For the first time, she met someone who truly understood her experiences. It changed everything.
Today, Edie continues turning that same understanding into action, whether it’s supporting artists, advocating for disability rights, sending affirming birthday cards to queer youth across the country or speaking up for women’s rights.
Her kindness and leadership remind us that sometimes the most powerful change begins with a simple idea:
What if we created a place where everyone felt seen?
More about Jesse’s Paddle/The Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program. Their objective is to end the threat of suicide in Worcester County (MD) and beyond through a program of outreach and education. This is a mission that MKRO supports wholeheartedly and we are so grateful for all the work they do to support mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
Thank you to everyone at Jesse’s Paddle for all you do and for your very generous donation to MKRO so we can recognize and reward people who dedicate themselves to making our world a better place. (If you need help, please call 988.)
