JJDPA 50th Anniversary Staff Stories: Diamond Lewis

Hello, my name is Diamond Lewis and I'm a program manager with OJJDP’s State and Tribal Relations and Assistance Division.

Currently, my work here includes managing title two grant funds as well as co facilitating OJJDP's
Youth and Family Partnerships working group. Throughout my time here, I've had the pleasure and honor of impacting youth by managing grant funds for mental health programs, reentry programs, and collaborating and authentically engaging with justice involved youth in decisions that affect them.

This includes, but is not limited to, our National Conference on Youth Justice to be held in November, where the expertise of those with lived experience will be front and center. This authentic collaboration is exactly what the 50th anniversary means to me. A new era in juvenile justice, where we realize that those closest to the ground are often closest to the solutions. A new era of second chances and unlimited opportunities.

As OJJDP gets our 50th anniversary celebrations underway, we'd like youth and family members to know that we hear you,
we see you, and we are working to shape the next 50 years of youth justice, not only for you, but with you. We are excited to embark on this journey in service of our youth, and can't wait for you all to join us.