Kevin Ippolito
AHO Youth Outreach Advisor
Kevin Ippolito, age 25
AHO Youth Outreach Advisor, Board Member and Youth Task Force Team Co-Founder.
I was adopted at birth by two loving parents and raised in Novato. Today, I am working at Toscalito Tire and have my own apartment in San Rafael. I have a half brother 6 years older than me (also adopted) who continues to struggle with an addiction to Crystal Meth. Although I had my material needs covered growing up, emotionally I felt alone in the world. I often wondered where I came from, who my birth Mom was and how I fit into the world. I spent 7 years in therapy, participated in a 28 day Wilderness Rehab program in the Nevada desert trying to figure this out. I eventually graduated from Phoenix High School in Marin. There were several key events in my life that put me on a new path that focused on social justice and social change for youth. 1) I met Jimmy Hayes, AHO youth outreach advisor, and started to get involved with other youth who were struggling. 2) Next, I changed the social group I was hanging out with and started spending time with youth committed to helping others. 3) A year ago I met my birth Mom and my other brother and sister for the first time. This event was critical in helping me connect to the power inside myself in a way that therapy never did. Through these 3 life-altering events, I was now taking ownership of my life and how I viewed myself. I started making different choices. I also accepted responsibility for the consequences of those choices (whether good or bad) and kept trying to do better. One of my strengths I am proud of is how easily I can relate to people of all ages and ethnicities. This has helped me in my work with AHO. My personal goals are to become financially independent and have a self-sustaining organic farm to raise animals and produce. My goals for AHO are to assist in any way I can to bring funding and national attention to the AHO program model that is helping me and so many other youth find hope and meaning in their lives.