YOU ARE CO.

My name is Jessica Upchurch-King, and I am the founder and executive director of YOU ARE CO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating equal opportunities for women and girls living in extreme poverty. I am deeply passionate about seeing women rise in dignity, confidence, and purpose, and I believe lasting change happens when communities come together to invest in the potential of women and girls. Through YOU ARE CO, we currently support girls in Uganda by providing access to safe housing and education. Many of these girls were once vulnerable to cycles of poverty, early marriage, and exploitation, but today they are thriving in boarding schools where they are protected, encouraged, and given the opportunity to dream. Beyond education, we are committed to creating dignified job opportunities for single mothers, ensuring that women have both the stability and agency to support their families and contribute meaningfully to their communities. My mission through this work is to champion women and girls to live confident in who they are, reminding them that they are seen, worthy, and powerful. Our vision is bold yet clear: a world where women and girls are free from poverty and empowered to lead lives of possibility and impact. Since founding YOU ARE CO, I have witnessed the incredible power of collective impact. Our community of monthly donors, partners, and advocates has allowed us to double our impact year after year, proving what’s possible when people put their resources, talents, and hearts into a shared mission. For me, this work is not about one individual’s efforts, but about a movement: together, we are shaping a future where every woman and girl can stand tall, dream audaciously, and step boldly into the life she was meant to live.