As executive director, Huey-Booker leads the faith-based program that serves hundreds of people ages 6 to 25 each year in six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, and its home base in Santa Clara County.
On this day, YUPP is hosting an annual conference at Family Life Christian Center in San Jose called Teach Me to Play and Pray.
Year round, the nonprofit provides lessons in music, dance, vocals, theater and public speaking through its Light It Up School of the Arts afterschool program and monthly Breaking the Barriers Performing Arts group.
Instruction is free, funded by donations and grants.
In fact, several students designed their own show and raised money to travel to Washington D.C. to perform at four churches in April.
Keion Rothschild was a part of that group. He says Huey-Booker has helped him and his four siblings build confidence.
"They all came out of their shell in their own individual ways. It's just amazing to see," he said.
His mom, Ona Rothschild, brought all five of her children to YUPP's San Jose conference from Brentwood.
Rothschild says Huey-Booker has become as close as family.
"She plants seeds in every one of the kids' lives, and we just see that growth. Everything she does is genuine," Ona Rothschild said.
That makes Huey-Booker smile.
"Being completely happy with being authentically who they're created to be -- that gives me joy," she said.
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