Welcome to the first edition of Youth Leader in Law’s Newsletter! Here you will find information and updates in YLL, as well as opportunities, legal information, and advice from lawyers.
This month marks the beginning of YLL’s first-ever newsletter, presented by Areeba Haque and Emma Ding. YLL is very excited to bring this to you!
Announcements
It’s been an exciting start to YLL’s 2025-26 term! Here is what you may have missed from the past month.
Sponsors: For the past couple of months, YLL’s finance team has been looking for businesses to help fund our cause. As of recently, we now have two sponsors! Thanks to Kello Inclusive, a talent agency exclusively representing disabled and visibly different talent, and Chartwell Retirement Residences, who are allowing us to use a space in one of their residences to hold meetings and events! Their immense contribution will lead to a much stronger year for us! Check out their websites below.
New Socials: YLL now has a TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook page! Learn about upcoming opportunities and fun facts about the law. Follow us @ylledmonton.
Ambassador Program: This year, YLL has also decided to launch an Ambassador program! From schools across Edmonton, we have chosen one representative to share YLL’s updates and promote our cause. Learn more below!
Access to Justice Competition: Registration is now open! This national competition challenges students to think critically about barriers to justice and propose innovative legal solutions. It’s a great chance to showcase your ideas, strengthen research and advocacy skills, and connect with other youth passionate about law. The deadline is the end of February, but only 40 submissions will be accepted! Submit fast!
Go to our Instagram page to find out more about the competition!
Blog Issue #1: How Alberta Students are Standing Up for Teachers
On October 30th, 2025, thousands of students walked out of classrooms in solidarity with teachers across Alberta. After over three weeks at home due to the Alberta Teachers’ Association strike, the government required students to return under the notwithstanding clause.
Many students empathized with teachers despite having their own concerns, from diploma exams to missing extracurricular activities. Some, like Arya Mishra, a Grade 12 student at William Aberhart High School in Calgary and founder of Alberta Students for Teachers (ABSFT), took action. “Public education is for all of us; we are all on the same side,” she says.
ABSFT is a youth-led organization that gives students a voice in shaping their education while advocating for better conditions for teachers. “Students are being silenced and infantilized when they try to speak up. Our education is not a bargaining chip. We deserve to be heard,” Arya explains. The group supports teachers and broader educational reform, and plans events such as sign-making, protests, petitions, and student-led initiatives to rally young voices.
Arya founded this initiative after seeing student voices shut down, including when Evan Li had his microphone cut off during a provincial town-hall panel seconds into his question. “If students want to shape their education, we have to step up—not just for ourselves, but for future learners,” she says.
Asked what message she would send to the Education Minister, Arya responded: “In our interest to support public education, it’s very reasonable to have classroom caps, especially since private schools already receive public funding. No job can exist without teachers, and the growth of students is facilitated by them. Investing in teachers is investing in our overall future.”
ABSFT will also host their next event in collaboration with Chords of Care, a youth nonprofit organization, where students will perform music reflecting their experiences, ending with We Shall Not Be Moved, a song tied to protests and activism.
Arya stresses the importance of student participation: “We are the most affected group. If we take an active role in our education system, we show that students deserve to speak out on what impacts them.” Three words she has for other students who may want to become an advocate like her are: self-assurance, support, and consistency.
Lawyer Advice: What is something about being a lawyer that people don’t understand till later?
“Something that people don’t realize about being a lawyer until they go into the field is that your career goals will continuously change. You may go into law school with a clear plan — maybe to become a corporate lawyer — but along the way, you discover new passions. You might find yourself drawn to criminal or administrative law, or shift from private to public practice. Later, you could even return to school, start your own firm, or move into academia. The opportunities are endless, and you often end up in a completely different place than you first imagined — which is usually a really good thing.”
Sponsorship Package:
Empower the next generation of young leaders—partner with YLL and make an impact today! 🌟 Your support helps amplify student voices, create opportunities, and shape the leaders of tomorrow. Become a sponsor now!
Sponshorship Package: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oDFuUAf_C7CltJALPWaqUG9LQunXOFeL/view?usp=sharing
Junior Achievement (JA) is a global nonprofit that empowers youth with real-world skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness. Their Company Program allows high school students to create, run, and manage their own business with guidance from experienced mentors. You can sign up for their program here!
Opportunities:
YLL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
Youth Leaders in Law is an organization based in Edmonton that strives to make the legal field more accessible to young people through increasing accessibility and diversity in the law.
Apply to be part of our Ambassador Program to help spread its messages within your local school community. There is no deadline for applications; instead, they will be evaluated on a rolling basis. This means that early applicants are more likely to secure an Ambassador position with YLL Edmonton. Apply now!