​“There is a fear of getting involved because of the ‘imposter syndrome.’ What do I have to offer? You are built to serve and are more effective in every other space of your life when you are serving God and serving well. It makes everything else in life come together and work.” These are the words of Valeria Saucedo, recipient of Young Life’s inaugural Young Professional Award.

Valeria is the daughter of Mexican parents who made their way to El Paso, Texas, before bringing her into the world. Val knew nothing of Young Life until attending Southwestern University in Austin, Texas. It was there, while attending a worship gathering, that she met some people who were helping to start Young Life College. Having grown up in a Christian household, and being eager to impact other students, Val immediately joined the fledgling effort, becoming the second Young Life College leader at her school. Looking back, Val remembers jumping in and, before she knew it, leading a Bible study of more than 30 girls!

The following summer, Val had the opportunity to serve on summer staff at Frontier Ranch, where she met James Rockwell, field senior vice president of the Southeastern Division. This month of service and connection served to grow Val’s understanding and passion for Young Life, while also bridging a significant gap that was fast approaching. As fall semester resumed, Val would be transferring to the University of Houston. James was able to connect her to the University of Houston Young Life College Director, Anthony Adamson, before she even arrived.

Arriving to the University of Houston as a junior, Val immediately jumped into the Young Life College community. During this time, she served as a volunteer leader with YoungLives, Young Life’s ministry to teen moms, and also began working part time as an administrator for the Houston Heights area. In Val’s words, “The opportunity to volunteer with YoungLives was a truly refreshing experience that felt like coming home. The diversity of people and family orientation was a great fit for me.”

In 2017, Val graduated with a major in biology and needed to step away from her Young Life commitments. At that time, Anthony asked if Val would consider being the very first alumni representative on the UH Young Life College Board. Val accepted, and continues to serve in this volunteer role four years later. According to Adamson, “When we first dreamt up the idea of bringing recent Young Life College graduates onto our committee, I never imagined how deep the impact would be! As a Latina, Val was a part of the first wave of diversity on our committee, and she has been unbelievably gracious as she has befriended and shared life with our committee at large. The meals she has shared, the friendships she’s made and the wisdom she’s imparted has helped our entire Young Life College family better care for, serve and share the gospel with students of all ethnicities for Christ and His Kingdom. We love the model so much that we brought three more alumni onto the committee, and hope to one day hand the entire ministry into their very capable hands!”

Today, Val continues to serve on committee while also studying to be an attorney at the South Texas College of Law, Houston. When asked how she continues to serve while juggling the demands of law school and life, Val responded, “You only think about cost if you are in a deficit or in a budget. Serving is not draining. It gives energy and makes me more purposeful. I’m in the top 5% of my class, I’m not stressed or anxious; I’m doing well. Young Life is adding, not subtracting to my life.”

Responding to a question about her Young Life involvement and how it has impacted her personally and professionally, Saucedo points to the impact of consistency. “Through life struggles and disillusionment; including things I didn’t agree with, Young Life was a tether. I was still in the community, even if I was rejecting and processing things. Especially in college, when questioning. The Young Life people were friends regardless. Anthony and his wife have always been there for me, especially when I was struggling and missing family. I can now be that for others in return.” Professionally, Val points out that “for communities of color we don’t have people to look up to, because they don’t look like us. (Only 2% of lawyers are Latina.) There is no mentorship. Young Life has served as a bridge to spaces that I didn’t have access to. Anthony connected me to trusted, safe people and experiences that widened my scope. Today, I get to meet with girls thinking about law school. I find myself impacting other young women of color.”

As Val looks to the future and graduating with a law degree in 2023, she does not see the title of “attorney at law” as her identity, but rather a means to an end. “Ultimately, I’m called to be a counsel, to bring wisdom into the room, to help with decision making and offer cultural representation. I look forward to being in spaces where decisions are being made and resources are being allocated.”

Valeria, all of us look forward to you being in those spaces as well and know that God has great plans for you as you move forward trusting Him. Thank you for leading, serving and advocating in so many ways. We are proud to call you our own, and are privileged to honor you with the 2020 Young Life Young Professional Award.​