"Maj is a life changer."~Forrest

The non-profit LEAD was founded in 2001. But our roots go back farther than that. Parents, teens and Housing Authority staff began working together in 1996 brainstorming and beginning the direction of a teen leadership program. They created the name LEAD and at that time it stood for Leadership, Education And Direction. After two years in 1998 it was handed over to the City of Eugene River House Outdoor Program under Outdoor Staff person, Maj Hutchinson and her supervisor, Marilyn Kalstad. Maj Hutchinson had a vision of teaching positive world change work with teens after her involvement with the school shooting at Thurston High School.

She was working for Options Counseling at that time with emotionally disturbed boys, when the school called for volunteers to help with the counseling needs of the teens and staff. After walking around the school and seeing the bloodstains in the cement and the bullet holes in the walls of the cafeteria, she was resolved to help create a change.

In 1998 Maj took the reins of LEAD and never looked back. She introduced teaching oppression theory and liberation work as a key curriculum piece, brought in the concept of life assignments and trained the adults to work with the teens as equals. The monthly outdoor trips became a favorite and the year end 5 day river camping trip became an institution now in it's eighth year.

Maj knew that the teens needed real life leadership experience, so with the inception of the nonprofit, teens were written into the bylaws as needing to be voting members of the board of directors. She put teens in front of politicians, press and youth educators to talk about their perspectives and to train adults. She's pushing alongside the teens to see to it that organizations that serve teens have teens in decision making capacity.

Maj is following the vision of her teen co-leaders in expanding LEAD to serve more teens and more communities.

"I am truly blessed to be of service to these young people and to this organization. I have come out of some difficulties myself and wouldn't have made it without my mentors and angels in my life. I want LEAD to be there to offer that for any young person who wants it. The teens say 'LEAD is not a day care program for teens. It's not just a place to come in out of the cold.' I am honored to be co-creating a world change organization with these teens leaders and in this community. I am grateful for the opportunity I've had these past eight years. It's been the most exhilarating, challenging, frustrating, educational adventure of my life. I look forward to more." - Maj

NEW Award!

Maj and LEAD were recently given the Martha Young award for outstanding service to the youth of Lane County by the Cow Creek Unpqua Indian Foundation