Young Involved Philadelphia

This month we launched our new Civic Impact Fellowship program AND our fall Board Prep cohort.

We hosted a launch party for both cohorts so these engaged Philadelphians could get to know each other.

We could not be more grateful to our sponsors Econsult Solutions and Councilmember Isaiah Thomas

As well as to the The Sporting Club for hosting us!

See yourself, tag yourself! ✨

Meet Giriana!

Giriana Adames Hernandez (she/her/ella) is a Dominican-American advocate and public
servant dedicated to advancing justice, equity, and survivor-centered change. Raised in
Philadelphia’s Fairhill neighborhood by her Dominican immigrant parents, her work is grounded in both lived experience and the belief that communities most impacted by systemic injustice should help shape the solutions.

Giriana currently serves as the Assistant Director of External Victim Services Partnerships within the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where she builds and strengthens strategic partnerships with victim service providers to improve support for survivors of crime.

Throughout her career in victim services, police oversight, juvenile justice, and community engagement, she has worked to expand access to resources,
elevate marginalized voices, and foster collaboration across government and community
organizations.

A bilingual English-Spanish professional, Giriana is passionate about creating spaces where advocacy, healing, and collective action intersect. She previously served as a Northeast Power Squad Leader with Poderistas and completed the Latinas Represent Campaign Masterclass, further strengthening her commitment to empowering Latina leadership and civic engagement.

Giriana earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, with a minor in French, from Arcadia University. She believes meaningful change happens when compassion is paired
with courage, communities are empowered to lead, and people are willing to continue to
disrupt systems that no longer serve them.

Emoji’s we’d use to describe La’Jay: 🌞 ⚖️💼☺️🎯

Thanks again to Global Philadelphia Association for having us last Thursday!

Philly is the US’s FIRST Heritage City and rightly so! We’re so proud to help contribute to this work.

And shoutout to Mayor Nutter for supporting Rishaun for so many years. Mentorship is so important and we’re thankful to the Former Mayor because without him we may not have our Prezzie!

Meet La’Jay, the latest addition to our board of directors! 💕

La’Jay Adams is a Philadelphia-based talent and community engagement professional
with a passion for creating meaningful connections and expanding opportunities for
young professionals and emerging leaders. In her role at Deloitte, she supports early
career talent through recruiting, programming, mentorship, and workforce development initiatives, while also leading and contributing to efforts focused on community engagement and belonging.

Beyond her professional work, La’Jay is passionate about helping people build stronger networks, develop as leaders, and find meaningful ways to engage with their communities.

She holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University and brings a strong interest in nonprofit leadership, strategic
partnerships, and community-centered programming to her work.

As a member of the Young Involved Philadelphia Board, La’Jay is excited to help
strengthen YIP’s community, deepen engagement with members and alumni, and create opportunities for Philadelphia’s next generation of civic and nonprofit leaders to connect, contribute, and grow.

Emoji’s we’d use to describe La’Jay: ✨🥳🗣️💪💼💡

Meet Marcin! The latest addition to YiP’s Board of Directors.

Marcin Walski is a private equity investor with eight years of experience building and improving companies, including roles at Vista Equity Partners, Monomoy Capital Partners, and Percheron Capital. His work spans operational value creation, business development, and buy-and-build M&A. He caught the entrepreneurial bug early, founding a social media marketing company at 15 and growing it to more than two million followers before he could drive.

A graduate of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, Marcin serves on YIP’s Finance Committee, where he puts his spreadsheet habit to civic use. He believes Philadelphia’s future is built by the young people who show up for it, and YIP is where they show up.

Outside the boardroom, Marcin is a former PA & national chess champion and classically trained concert pianist.

Find him at the next YIP event and say hi. He’ll be the one already talking 😆

Emoji’s we’d use to describe Marcin: 🗣️💼💡📈😝🏌️‍♂️

Our Board President, Rishaun Hall, has actually NOT taken our Board Prep classes and he’ll tell you himself, he wishes he had!

Applications close September 1st! Link in bio to apply.

Applications for Fall Board Prep close September 1st!

Through this program young adults gain knowledge that helps them to serve on nonprofit boards. Things like governance, IRS compliance, and how to read a budget!

Link in bio! Board Prep alumni, what board did this knowledge help you serve on?

Board Prep applications are now open for the fall! Learn how to serve on a nonprofit board. Scholarship opportunities available.

Link in bio

Applications for Board Prep Fall 2026 are now OPEN!

Are you interested in serving on a nonprofit board to support the mission, strengthen your skills, network or all three but don’t know where to start?

We can help with that! ☺️

Too often nonprofit boards don’t reflect the communities they serve, whether intentional or not. YiP firmly believes that a diverse cohort of young Philadelphians can only strengthen the many organizations in the region and our Board Prep program will teach you what you need to know before joining a board.

Things like: Governance structures, Ethics, and Reviewing financial reports.

The program is low cost and we do give out full and partial scholarships.

Applications are open until September 1st. Apply now at yiphilly.org!

(See yourself? Say hi in the comments! 👋🏾)

Good news: you can still join YiP’s board! We are searching for three talented, driven, and active Philadelphians to join our board. 

YIP is managed by an all-volunteer group of Philadelphia’s young professional community who are dedicated to increasing civic engagement opportunities for young Philadelphians. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive Board that reflects the uniqueness and vibrancy of Philadelphia. We welcome and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply! 

At this time we are looking for board members who can fulfill *very* specific duties: Development, Finance, & Programming/Communications. 

It’s a quick turn around, so be sure to get your application in by EOD Friday June 26th!

➡️ Apply here: tinyurl.com/yip2026board