I feel good about this work. I feel I am supporting young people in Worcester and being able to kind of see Worcester in a different light than through school, but also get to know themselves so they can go down a successful path. This new position that I am doing, which is youth employment coordinator, has been a great experience to connect with youth from ages 16 to 24 and just supporting them in the time they are out of school or in school and thinking what is their next steps, and what the career is going to look like, or what jobs do they want to get to reach that career. So it kind of is what I just went through so it’s so prevalent in my mind so I’m thinking about how getting them to know themselves to be successful and it’s been a really good experience so far.
Lila Milukas was born in Ashley Falls, Massachusetts, in 1988. She was raised by her mother and father, both of whom were successful in their careers. She attended a small private high school, which emphasized the equality of women and men. From there, Lila went on to attend Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in geography. During her time in school, in addition to work on her studies, Lila volunteered at African Community Education, as well as at AmeriCorps, a nonprofit organization focused on “helping others and meeting critical needs in the community.” She currently works at Worcester Community Action Council as a youth employment coordinator. In this interview, Lila spoke about her life journey from childhood to adulthood, her educational background, her job experiences, and her family life. Lila and her fiancé share responsibilities in their household. Both contribute to the couple’s finances, home care, and care of their child. For those just starting their adult lives, Lila stressed the importance of learning to manage money, stating, “So when I started living on my own and with my family now, having to realize how much we need to make to get by was a learning experience, definitely.”