Access Youth Academy

🎙️ NEW EPISODE: Access Granted Podcast We're excited to share our conversation with Susan Taylor, a veteran TV news anchor whose career journey is truly inspiring. From covering major events to navigating a dramatic five-hour hostage negotiation, Susan's story demonstrates resilience and quick thinking under pressure. Now at Scripps Health, Susan channels her storytelling expertise into healthcare content, making complex medical advances accessible to patients and families. Her career transition shows how skills transfer across industries when driven by purpose. What resonates most with our Access Youth Academy mission is Susan's genuine passion for supporting underserved youth. She understands our 14-year commitment model and shares our excitement about the potential for our students to compete when squash becomes an Olympic sport in 2028. Susan's advice perfectly aligns with what we tell our 600+ students: "Go for your dreams despite obstacles. Use setbacks as educational moments, not roadblocks." 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gq53zfBz  Apple Podcasts, or your preferred platform. #AccessGrantedPodcast #AccessYouthAcademy #YouthDevelopment #Olympics2028 #StudentSuccess #Mentorship

We are working with our partners at San Diego Gas & Electric to bring our community energy saving tips! Here are 5 ways your business can offset your energy bill this summer! ✅ 1. Unplug chargers and devices ✅ 2. Use energy-efficient window treatments ✅ 3. Plant trees and greenery ✅ 4. Consider heat-recovery systems ✅ 5. Upgrade insulation Don't let your business miss out on summer savings! visit: sdge.com/MyBusiness.

 🎉 Join us for The Access Cup! Join us October 24–25 at the iconic Jonathan Club & LA Athletic Club for an unforgettable squash showdown in support of @accessyouthacademy! 8 teams. $5,000 per player (give or get). Our goal: Raise $280,000 to fuel life-changing programming for youth across LA and San Diego. Whether you play, donate, or cheer from the sidelines — you’re helping us build futures. Sign up or support today with the link in the bio!

As we look ahead to the 2028 Olympic Games and beyond, we’re proud to grow our footprint and deepen our commitment to equity in youth sports in Southern California. Through partnerships with Play LA and US Squash , Access Youth Academy is helping open more doors for young people—on and off the court. Read the article here below!

Our CEO, Renato Paiva Paiva, had the honor of speaking at the 2025 North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM)) Conference in San Diego during the workshop “Envisioning the Future of Sport for Development and Peace Leadership.” Organized and led by LSU PHD Student King Saah Renato joined an inspiring panel of leaders including Laura Wolf Stein (Executive Director, Alex Morgan Foundation), Reed Fox (Managing Director, Street Soccer USA – San Diego), to share how Access Youth Academy uses sport as a powerful tool for education, equity, and social impact.

🎙️ New Episode of Access Granted — Featuring Dr. Mary Walshok In our latest episode, we sit down with Dr. Mary Walshok — UC San Diego thought leader, regional innovation catalyst, and a true force behind San Diego’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. From her early days as a Swedish immigrant with dreams of becoming an opera singer, to building initiatives like Connect and UCTV, Mary shares a deeply personal and powerful conversation about: - The power of social capital - Building community through sports and education - Her knighthood from the King of Sweden - And why Access Youth Academy’s mission resonates so deeply with her If you're passionate about innovation, equity, and storytelling that moves people — this episode is not to be missed. Click the Link in the Bio to listen!

Access Houth Academy is proud to support AB 749, the Youth Sports For All Act! AB 749, the Youth Sports For All Act is a big first step toward creating a statewide department/commission for youth sports in California. The bill establishes a panel to study how a statewide youth sports entity could benefit youth while building an equitable and sustainable framework to get more kids into the game. Join us in getting AB 749 passed by visiting playequityfund.org for more info. LA84 Foundation

ACCESS GRANTED: OUR PODCAST HAS LAUNCHED🎉 Every journey has a moment that changes everything — a door that opens, a chance that’s finally given. Welcome to Access Granted, the brand-new podcast from Access Youth Academy! Hosted by our CEO Renato Paiva and Development Director Michael Castro, this storytelling series dives into the powerful turning points that shape lives. From personal breakthroughs to professional milestones, our guests share what happened when access was granted in their lives, how it transformed everything and how they are opening doors for others. 🔥 Episode 1 is LIVE now — listen wherever you get your podcasts! Brought to you by Cloudcast Media Cloudcast Media

🚨 Opportunity Alert for San Diego Youth (Grades 4–8)! Access Youth Academy is hosting free tryouts on Saturday, May 3rd & 10th — opening the door to a life-changing program that supports underserved students from middle school through college graduation. This is more than athletics. It’s a pathway to: - Academic enrichment and college prep -Leadership and life skills - Mentorship and after-school support  -A tight-knit, empowering community If you know a student who could benefit — or if you're a parent, educator, or community advocate — we encourage you to share or sign up today. Link in bio or visit https://lnkd.in/grB3UJDd Contact: siarah@accessyouthacademy.org

Partnership at work! It takes a village, and Life Science Cares San Diego is definitely part of the Access family. Thank you to the Board of Advisors who shared their time, experience, and insight with Access Youth Academy students.