Mercy Villa is the Youth Program Coordinator for Hudson Pride Center’s YouthConnect Program. They are a community-based organizer, educator, artist and facilitator whose work is rooted in the nurture, protection and empowerment of Queer, Trans, Gender Expansive, Undocumented, Neurodivergent, Black, Indigenous, Latinx + Youth of Color.

Mercy facilitates and creates weekly virtual workshops, events and support groups that center the co-creation of safe and affirming spaces that are inclusive of LGBTQIA+ youth and their intersecting identities. They collaborate with schools, universities and youth-serving organizations to further support the holistic wellness, leadership, visibility and needs of LGBTQIA+ youth.

In 2020, Mercy created an art-healing based program for LGBTQIA+ youth, known as the YouthConnect Art Program Series, which continues to provide youth with free and accessible creative art/writing/poetry workshops that nurture the self-exploration and self-expression of youth as they imagine and create a world that honors their healing, resilience and belonging.