The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) was honored to be represented at the United Nations screening of the WETA/PBS documentary Caregiving in New York City on the evening of June 11, 2025. As a national outreach and engagement partner, AACY continues its commitment to raising awareness about the 5.4 million children under the age of 18 in the United States who provide care for family members with chronic illness, injury, disability, or aging-related needs. AACY is proud to be a part of this national effort to bring visibility to caregivers of all ages and is included as a national outreach and engagement partner in this project alongside leading organizations working to support caregivers.
Representing AACY at the event were:
Maria Miranda, LMSW, a licensed Case Management Social Worker specializing in community-based aging and a member of AACY’s National Advisory Council. Maria is also a former Caregiving Youth and a strong advocate for youth and families navigating caregiving responsibilities.
Neo, a New York teen who balances school while caring for his father following a stroke. He was invited to represent AACY and the more than 5.4 million Caregiving Youth across the United States at the screening, in recognition of his contributions to the national conversation, including:
- A creative and powerful seven-part Instagram video journal documenting his caregiving experience
- Active engagement with AACY-led efforts to gather stories from Caregiving Youth for the Well Beings campaign, and effective use of hashtags to bring visibility to young caregivers
- Sharing his family’s story, alongside his mother and father, to help inspire and connect with others
Neo is the only youth under 18 who responded to AACY and Well Beings’ call for Caregiving Youth stories with such originality, honesty, and depth. His Instagram account, @neosunivrse, will continue to be a valuable resource. Neo’s Dad’s Instagram account is: https://www.instagram.com/pinot/
Dita W. Yolashasanti, an NYC-based artist and Neo’s mother, also attended the event. Dita has been a dedicated support to Neo throughout his caregiving journey and is an important voice in sharing their family’s story with compassion and purpose. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ditut/
A special moment from the evening came when Charles Katoanga, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), presented Neo with an official UN pin following his opening remarks. Neo later described the event as emotional and affirming, saying it was the first time he truly felt seen and valued as a caregiver.
AACY extends its gratitude to the team at WETA and all those involved in ensuring that Caregiving Youth were represented in this important project.
