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Juanita Banks Whittington at NPEA25

Helping Youth See Their Worth: A Conversation with Author & Social Worker Juanita Banks Whittington

November 21, 2025

At the 2025 NPEA Conference in Philadelphia, we sat down with Juanita Banks Whittington — an Army veteran, social worker, curriculum developer, children’s book author, nonprofit founder, and dynamic youth advocate who led a powerful session titled “I Know I Matter, But Who Am I?”

Her session explored identity, intersectionality, self-awareness, and how adults can better show up for youth, especially those from marginalized communities. The conversation was insightful, grounding, and full of practical tools for educators, parents, mentors, and students.

Understanding Identity Before You Lead Youth

Juanita opened her session with a message that set the tone:

“If you don’t know who you are, how can you work with youth?”

She emphasized that adults often bring their own life experiences, trauma, and biases into the classroom or mentorship space. Without understanding those parts of ourselves, it becomes harder to truly connect with young people.

One of the tools she uses is the Identity Wheel, which helps adults reflect on different parts of who they are — race, gender, culture, upbringing, beliefs, experiences — and how those factors shape the way they show up for students.

Creating the “I Matter” Journal and Supporting Youth in Maryland

With her sister, Juanita co-founded Charlene’s Circle of Support, a nonprofit supporting youth in Maryland with incarcerated parents, mental health challenges, or families impacted by substance abuse.

Wanting to reach youth in the middle-to-high-school range, she created the “I Matter Journal for Teens”, a guided resource centered on mental health, identity, and emotional wellness. It became the anchor of their care-package program and opened doors to school partnerships — including a mentorship group of sixth-grade boys she meets with every Friday.

Many of the boys do not have fathers in their lives, making her consistency crucial. Through the journal and weekly conversations, they discuss:

  • Mental health

  • Emotions

  • Confidence

  • Identity

  • Boundaries

  • The importance of knowing they matter in every room they enter

At first, the boys were hesitant to talk about their feelings — now, after building trust, they’ve opened up.

Teaching SEL, Mental Health, and Self-Awareness

Juanita explained how SEL (Social Emotional Learning) connects to real-life mental health needs:

  • Self-awareness

  • Decision-making

  • Relationship skills

  • Emotional understanding

  • Self-management

But she stressed something many adults don’t think about:

“If you don’t know how to use SEL for yourself day-to-day, how can you teach it to youth?”

She encourages adults to use tools like:

  • The Identity Wheel

  • The Emotion Wheel

  • Personal reflection

  • Self-care planning

  • Trauma-informed grounding practices

Her message was clear: take care of yourself so you can show up fully for young people.

Helping Students and Families Navigate Mental Health

Juanita also works with teens experiencing anxiety about college, transitions, and the unknown. With her sister’s background in financial aid and higher education, their team helps families understand:

  • FAFSA

  • College costs

  • School options

  • The realities of the transition to higher ed

She also encourages parents to use the I Matter Journal as a tool to communicate and better understand their children’s inner world.

The Power of Boundaries, Affirmations, and Knowing You Matter

One powerful part of the “I Matter” framework is its focus on boundaries, which many teens struggle with. The journal includes scripts that help young people learn to say:

  • “You’re a little close — can you back up?”

  • “I don’t like being called that name.”

  • “No.”

  • “I don’t like this conversation.”

These small but important phrases build confidence and personal safety.

“I want young people to say with confidence: ‘I matter in every room that I’m in.’”

Juanita’s Journey Into Mental Health Work

Her passion for mental health is deeply personal. Growing up with a mother who used drugs and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Juanita felt called to help families understand the “why” behind their challenges.

She earned her graduate degree in Clinical Mental Health from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Her favorite college memory?
A life-changing two-week experience in the Philippines, working with social workers, nurses, and pharmacy students to understand the needs of communities abroad.

What She Would Tell Her High School Self

“You matter. Work on being the best version of yourself. You matter in every room you enter.”

Where to Find Juanita’s Books & Work

🎥 Watch the Full Interview

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