YCD traces its roots back to 1994 with the founding of the Cherry Creek Diversity Conference, a student-driven gathering created to bring young people together across diffrent backgrounds to engage in meaningful dialogue around identity, inclusion, and diversity. What began as a single-day event organized by a small group of passionate students and a dedicated educator quickly grew into something much larger. Each year, the conference expanded its reach, bringing in more high schools from across the state.

In 2014, recognizing both the lasting impact of the conference and the evolving needs of our young people, several of the original student organizers reunited with the educator who helped bring the first conference to life. Together, with community support built over years, they envisioned something greater: an organization that could extend the spirit and impact of that single day into a holistic model of social justice and youth leadership development. From that idea, YCD was formally established, committed to advancing social justice education, centering youth voices, and equipping students with the tools to create meaningful change in their schools and communities. Over the following years, YCD has expanded its programming to include ongoing trainings, leadership development opportunities, and deeper engagement with students beyond the annual conference.

In 2023, YCD took a significant step forward by developing and implementing a chapter model. Through this approach, YCD partners directly with groups of students in schools and communities, supporting them in building local chapters that reflect their unique identities, needs, and goals. Rather than a one-size-fits-all conference and programming, chapters empower young people to identify the changes they want to see in their schools and communities and take action in ways that are meaningful, local and relevant. This is done through education, training, inspiration and networking, or through community-impact initiatives in the form of YCD Action Projects.