Mary-Pat Hector
At 9 years old Mary-Pat learned the frightening statistics affecting the youth in this country.
Mary Pat’s skills were furthered when she became the youngest playwright and director to ever put on an all youth SOLD OUT production. Mary Pat Hector excitedly awaits the return of her most prized production “Easy Street Ain’t So Easy” this summer (2013), which is also the title of Mary’s first book. The play/novel explores the topic of child cruelty, sexual abuse and bullying.
Mary-Pat Hector just (15) knows how to change the world. She grew a community service project into a non-profit: Youth in Action USA which has become this nation’s fastest growing youth lead.
The word spread throughout the country and teens started reaching out to start YIA chapters everywhere. Youth in Action USA is a group of teens and college students working together to solve the issues in their community one project at a time.
Mary-Pat can now add National Youth Director for National Action Network. She speaks throughout this country educating youth on violence and other issues crippling her generation. Her non-profit now provides teen-safety workshops for schools, trains teens and college students in many areas of youth advocacy techniques. Not content to rest on her accomplishments, Mary-Pat travels an average of 4,000 miles a month speaking at high schools, colleges, conferences, women's events, and crisis shelters across the U.S. In addition to her duties as founder of Youth in Action and Youth Leader at Usher New Look Foundation, Mary-Pat delivers keynote presentations calling for teen activism; her story provides the inspiration, her how-to strategies give young people their own road map for changing the world.
Awards: Mary-Pat has been honored with an award from President Barack Obama for Community service. Mary received the 2011 Power Woman Award from Al Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention Won the Drum Major of Justice award from SCLC Women in 2012; Received the Essence 365Black award from McDonalds 2012, Mary-Pat was a National winner for Kohl's Kids Who Care. Mary-Pat nominated for a M.A.D. Making A Difference Girl for Black Girls Rock 2012.
Mary-Pat has been chosen Youth as the week for Born for Greatness. She was named Youth of the Year 2012 by the DeKalb chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. Also, Mary Pat has also been named as one of Ebony Magazines Power 100 2012 and is one of 21st Century 20 under 20 for 2