“This is not okay.
It doesn’t have to be this way.”
- JESS UPCHURCH-KING, FOUNDER & CEO OF YOU ARE CO.
From teaching PE to founding a global nonprofit, Jess’s journey shows that anyone can make a difference. Join her mission to provide safe spaces and educational opportunities that empower women and girls to become everything they are meant to be.
How it started
A chance conversation and an instinctual urge led Jess to Uganda, where she witnessed stark inequalities—especially for women. One evening, she met a group of 20 women involved in sex work. Unsure of what to say, she shared what she knew: that they were worthy, valuable, and capable.
After graduating, Jess moved to Uganda to teach and coach, witnessing firsthand the challenges women and girls faced in extreme poverty. After leaving, she felt called to do more. When her wife asked if she had thought about starting a nonprofit, doubt crept in—was she capable?
Then, a quiet but powerful voice whispered: "YOU ARE."
In 2019, while living in Beijing with support from her parents, YOU ARE CO. was born. Rooted in sports and education, but yet, something still felt missing, an instinctual pull toward something greater.
In 2022, she met a Ugandan woman supporting women in sex work through vocational training with the youngest being 10 years old. She thought to herself, “This is not okay and it doesn’t have to be this way.”
From her time in Uganda, Jess knew that real, lasting change could only happen by working alongside local leaders—those who best understand the needs of their own communities.
In 2023, she officially partnered with local leaders, and sponsored the very first girl to attend a safe boarding school while securing the basic resources she needed to thrive.
The organization set out on a bold mission—to create equal opportunities for women and girls who are too often overlooked. Through safe housing, education, and a strong community of belonging—led by local leaders—our impact is both intentional and lasting.
In under two years, with the support of 157 donors, YOU ARE has raised over $70,000—empowering 26+ girls to attend a safe boarding school and helping 30+ single mothers access dignified vocational training. When women are educated and empowered, they transform their communities.
Join Jess’s mission to empower women and girls through safe housing and education.
Safety and education shouldn’t be a privilege.
Together, we can change that—and give girls the chance to dream, grow, and thrive.
26+
girls in safe housing, attending school, and surrounded by a community where they feel valued, supported and loved.
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