Identity Forward
Strength in your story, power in our community.
Mission
Identity Forward provides culturally grounded, trauma‑informed, and liberatory educational experiences that center identity, honor lived experience, and build real‑world skills through human connection and facilitated dialogue.
Vision
We envision communities where youth and adults can show up fully in their identities, lead with their strengths, and grow in environments that honor their brilliance.
Creating what I needed
My name is Felicia Hernandez, and I am the Founder of Identity Forward. After years of serving youth and families across education, prevention, criminal justice, and social services, I saw how deeply our environments shape the way we see ourselves and how often systems work against the growth of our communities. I watched young people carry brilliance, resilience, and stories of identity that were overlooked or misunderstood. At the same time, I found myself constantly having to explain why this work mattered and why our communities deserved better. It was exhausting to keep asking for a seat at tables that were never built with youth, community, or liberation in mind.
So I stopped asking. I created my own table. A place where young people never have to prove their worth because it is recognized the moment they walk in. I design identity-centered, liberatory, and trauma-informed learning experiences that give youth the space to name their reality, understand who they are, and recognize the power they already hold. Through intentional curriculum, facilitation, training, and handmade empowerment products, I create spaces that affirm their brilliance and support them as they rise into their full potential. Identity Forward is my way of reparenting my inner child, refusing to abandon myself as an adult, and offering the same healing, dignity, and possibility to every young person I see myself in.
Where It all began
Identity Forward’s seeds were planted during my time as a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Sam Houston High School in Arlington, Texas. After a staff meeting discussing the complex challenges our campus was facing, I approached my principal with an idea: an after-school program designed to give students real tools and resources to navigate life, build resilience, and strengthen our school community. With the blessing of my principal and the full support of the Assistant Principal, R.E.A.L. Life was born.
We met weekly after school, and even transitioned online during COVID-19. Students consistently showed up because they craved the education, connection, and safe environment we built together. In that space, young people felt seen, heard, valued, and cared for, and they thrived.
The Evolution to Identity Forward
When I first left my position as a teacher at Sam Houston HS, my dream was to run R.E.A.L. Life full-time. Life took a few turns, and while the project sat in the background for a while, I never stopped editing, learning, and refining the vision.
After years of attempting to reform system from within, I realized it was time to return to the original mission I set back in 2021. Looking back, I am degrateful for that journey. The hands-on experience I gained working across prevention and education, combined with extensive research, allowed me to pinpoint exactly what our youth need most.
Out of that refined vision, Identity Forward was officially born on March 2026, bringing trauma-informed, culturally grounded, and liberatory social-emotional learning directly to the youth.
Our Values
Humanization First
We honor the full humanity of youth and adults, centering dignity, compassion, and lived experience in every interaction.
Cultural Grounding
We uplift identity, community wisdom, and cultural strengths as essential sources of power and learning.
Liberatory Growth
We create spaces where youth can rise beyond limiting narratives and step into agency, possibility, and self‑trust.
Connection and Co-Creation
We believe transformation happens through relationships, shared dialogue, and collaborative learning.
Intergrity in Action
We commit to showing up with transparency, consistency, and purpose, in our curriculum, our products, and our community work.
Let’s Build Something Meaningful Together!
Together, we can create spaces where young people are honored, affirmed, and supported in rising to their full potential. If this work aligns with your community’s vision, I’d love to connect and explore what’s possible. Complete the form below or connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn, or by email.
If you’re looking for resources you can use while working with youth, click the link icon below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers storefront.
Email: info@identityforward.com
Phone: (817) 616-2556