Jes Ward

About Jes

• Jes’ mother was a teen mom who struggled to raise six children.
• Realizing they needed to forge a better path for their younger siblings, Jes moved in with their grandmother.
• Chose to do a year of AmeriCorps instead of going directly to college.
• Ended up working for an organization called PeaceJam for 13 years.
• The job started to feel too corporate, and Jes wanted to get back to their hometown of Denver, Colorado, and work directly with students.
• Took a job at CityWILD, a Denver nonprofit that "uses the lens of nature to teach leadership and self-empowerment."
• One of the activities CityWILD does with at-risk youth is whitewater rafting; they teach kids to "scout rapids," both in the water and in their lives.
• Believes one of the best things about nature is that it isn't about perfection—it's about the appreciation of diversity.