Deonyae-Dior Valentina
National Policy & Government Affairs Strategist | Founder, Strength Over Struggle | Advancing LGBTQ+ Justice, HIV Modernization, Youth & Systems-Impacted Communities Through Storytelling, Strategy & Lived Experience
- Role
- Equity Youth Justice Consultant at Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Deonyae-Dior Valentina
DeOnyae-Dior Valentina (she/her/ella) is a policy strategist, nonprofit executive, and national advocate advancing equity across public health, justice systems, and LGBTQ+ policy. She is the Founding Executive Director of Strength Over Struggle, where she built a QTBIPOC-led advocacy organization from the ground up—establishing governance, partnerships, programming, and campaigns that expanded youth civic engagement and increased policy storytelling reach by 40%Her work bridges lived expertise and institutional strategy. As a National Policy Fellow with Positive Women’s Network-USA, she co-leads federal and multi-state advocacy on HIV criminalization, care access, and civil rights protections, helping develop policy tools used by more than 100 advocates in congressional engagement and national campaigns.DeOnyae advises national reform initiatives, government agencies, and coalitions on youth justice, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and systems design. She has produced policy frameworks adopted by multi-agency partners, led municipal needs assessments influencing public-sector decision-making, and designed training curricula that have reached hundreds of justice professionals and service providers nationwide.A recognized emerging leader, she has received honors from national legal, youth justice, and advocacy institutions and serves on the International Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed Board. Her work is grounded in a core principle: policies are most effective when shaped with the communities they impact.DeOnyae is currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Legal Support and Services and Communications while preparing to enter legal practice, expanding her ability to translate community voice into enforceable systems change.
Experience
Equity Youth Justice Consultant
Feb 2023 — Present · IN, US
As an Equity Youth Justice Consultant, I support equity-centered legal and policy initiatives through research, analysis, and documentation. I contribute to the development of reports and educational materials used by state and local partners to inform youth justice reform efforts.My work includes coordinating across interdisciplinary teams, analyzing data and emerging trends, and supporting alignment between legal frameworks, implementation strategies, and decision-making processes.
Education
Ivy Tech Community College
Associate of Arts and Sciences - AAS, Research Analysis
Purdue Global
Bachelor of Applied Science - BASc, Major: Public Relations; Minor: Legal Support and Services
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