PCS Youth Leadership Council
Youth Leadership Council
Porchlight Counseling Services launched the Youth Leadership Council in January of 2010 in order to further involve and support Chicagoland student activists in the anti-rape movement. Recent reports by The Center for Public Integrity expose the epidemic of sexual assault on American college campuses and the problems faced by students who report to campus officials. The Youth Leadership Council empowers student constituents to explore strategies to combat this epidemic on their campuses. YLC members conduct awareness-raising presentations, raise funds for student survivors, and continually engage with current sexual violence issues.
YLC Member Biographies
Cameron Custard
Loyola University Chicago
Cameron Custard is a freshman at Loyola University Chicago studying Social Work and Women's and Gender Studies. She leads the VDAY campaign on campus, a global movement to end violence against women and girls founded by Eve Ensler. She organizes a variety of performances and outreach events to raise awareness and funds while simultaneously fostering sisterhood among those involved. Cameron also acts as a mentor to women refugees in Rogers Park at the Pan-African Association. She plans to dedicate her career and life to raising awareness and ending violence against women.
Aubrey Aden-Buie
The Pennsylvania State University (Alumna)
A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Aubrey Aden-Buie relocated to the Chicago area within the past six months. She is a recent graduate of The Schreyer Honors College of Penn State University where she received her Bachelor's degrees in both English and Psychology. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, numerous Honors and service societies, she was also a five-time Big Ten Champion: four of those championships won while competing with the varsity soccer team, and one while competing with the varsity field hockey team. She was captain and a two-sport Academic All-American on a pair of teams that were ranked nationally in the top ten. She is currently working on writing her first novel and developing a career as a freelance journalist while also working as a model and actor.
Sarah Crocker
Northwestern University
Sarah Crocker is a sophomore at Northwestern University studying English literature and Spanish. She is the vice president of programming for the Alpha Alpha chapter of Delta Zeta sorority. She's a member of SHAPE (Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators), a group on the Northwestern campus that gives presentations and puts on events to educate students about topics pertaining to sexual heath and assault. She recently joined Porchlight's Youth Leadership Council and is really excited to have the opportunity to do more about lessening the problem of sexual assault on college campuses.
Michelle D'Onofrio
Loyola University Chicago
Michelle D'Onofrio is a senior at Loyola University Chicago. She grew up in Villa Park, IL and has lived either in or near Chicago for her entire life. She's graduating this May with degrees in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies. During her time at Loyola, she was president of College Advocates for Reproductive Education (CARE), a student group that worked closely with Porchlight Counseling Services to reduce sexual violence on Loyola's campus. She's excited for graduation and cannot wait to finally start her career. She hopes to work at a rape crisis center and eventually get involved in women's sexual health policy at a national level.
Beatriz Aldana
The University of Chicago
Beatriz Aldana grew up in Millerton, New York, which is a small town two hours north of New York City. She is in her second year at The University of Chicago, where she is majoring in both Gender Studies and Sociology. She has always been interested in women's rights in Mexico and South America. Sexual assault is an issue that she wants to raise awareness about because she wants to let college students know that it does happen. Information helps people make better choices. As a college student, she feels that this is a big issue that her peers need to know about.
Mia Fill
The University of Illinois at Chicago
Mia Fill was born and raised in Chicago and is a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is studying English literature, Gender and Women's Studies, and Italian. She enjoys reading and writing and being an active member in her community. She swam in high school and was captain her senior year. From that experience she realized that she enjoys working with others and realized what it means to be a good leader and role model. She is a past member of UIC Service Corps, through which she led a group that renovated a men's shelter on the North side. She also tutors grammar school kids on the South side during the week. She is excited to be a member of Porchlight's Youth Leadership Council so that she can help raise awareness of sexual assault on college campuses using her status as a student and peer.
Porchlight Counseling Services
Anne Bent launched Porchlight Counseling Services in 2004 upon realizing the alarming rates of sexual assault on college campuses. As a mother, Anne felt concerned for the health and safety of her own daughter, who was away at college. Anne sought guidance from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, researched sexual assault, and attended national conferences. As she delved deeper into the issue, she learned that sixty percent of sexual assaults, appallingly, go unreported and that the psychological consequences survivors experience can last a lifetime. However, she found hope in the possibility of healing through counseling and other supportive services. Anne Bent conceived Porchlight's Mission with collaborative contributions from board members, rape crisis workers, community volunteers, rape survivors, college administrators, and counseling staff.
Since its inception in 2004, Porchlight has seen incredible growth. Orginally called Anne's Home, Porchlight began modestly in a church basement with few clients. In 2006, Porchlight hired its first executive director and increased its outreach efforts to colleges and universities. In 2007, Anne's Home changed its name to Porchlight Counseling Services, which encapsulates feelings of safety, home, and support for survivors.
In 2008, Porchlight re-located to an office building in Evanston and tripled its caseload. Porchlight serves dozens of clients and reaches hundreds of students each year through presentations, community fairs, and educational outreach.
Since its inception in 2004, Porchlight has seen incredible growth. Orginally called Anne's Home, Porchlight began modestly in a church basement with few clients. In 2006, Porchlight hired its first executive director and increased its outreach efforts to colleges and universities. In 2007, Anne's Home changed its name to Porchlight Counseling Services, which encapsulates feelings of safety, home, and support for survivors.
In 2008, Porchlight re-located to an office building in Evanston and tripled its caseload. Porchlight serves dozens of clients and reaches hundreds of students each year through presentations, community fairs, and educational outreach.
