CHARLOTTE — Once upon a time, Sarah Mikhail wanted to be in the fashion industry. But it was one social work class in college that changed her life, and the lives of countless others.
“It actually just feels like what I’m supposed to be doing is to be using the power and privilege I have as a leader to support young people who aren’t given that opportunity to use their voices,” Mikhail told Channel 9′s Deneige Broom.
Mikhail is the CEO at Time Out Youth, and the first woman of color to hold the position.
She spent almost 15 years as a social worker in New York and she really saw the struggles of LGBTQ youth there. She brought that passion and experience to Time Out Youth in Charlotte.
Time Out Youth provides a safe haven for LGBTQ young people who need something as simple as a shower, to more complex issues like housing and therapy. She sees women in leadership having a unique skill set.
Women in leadership have different ideas. We have a softness to us and ... we can do really hard things, and we might be emotional, and I love that we’re emotional. Emotions drive everything that we do. It’s passion and energy, excitement, sadness, fear makes me a strong leader,” Mikhail told Broom.
As a queer woman from Egyptian parents, she’s dealt with her fair share of barriers. She shared advice for finding success in spite of stigma.
“I would say don’t do it alone. I haven’t done anything that I have done in this work alone, and make sure your fight is principled. There are fights that we do at work sometimes that feel like they’re not moving us forward. Leave those behind and save your energy for the fights that are meaningful,” Mikhail said.
You can learn more about Time Out Youth at this link.
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