Who we are

rYOUminate is a thoughtful edtech platform that demystifies adulthood for underrepresented individuals through research, reflection, and relationships.

Because life doesn’t come with a manual, rYOUminate offers workshops, tools, and community to help underrepresented young adults write their own.

Book a workshop Read our story

I’m Montana Houston, founder of rYOUminate. At 19, I was googling how to co-sign a lease, dispute a medical bill, and self-advocate at work. I seriously struggled to find answers by people I could relate to, felt right for my life-stage, and felt actionable. rYOUminate is so young adults don’t have to piece life together alone.

Some are lucky to ask family how to navigate life's moments, but many choose not to for a variety of reasons. Some do not have family to tap into at all.

No one should have to go without the information they need to live their life. It's time for the opporunity gaps that exist for historically marginalized groups to close.

rYOUminate blends research and reflection to turn unspoken rules into usable steps, delivered by underrepresented peers under 30 and co-created with our community.

Education is the practice of freedom. — bell hooks

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Mission, Vision, & Values

To empower underrepresented young adults to navigate life on their own terms with the content, community, and confidence they need to thrive in adulthood.

To eliminate the learning curve of independence and make adulthood accessible for every young adult, especially those whose support is overdue.

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Reflection

Each person shapes their own life. Understanding your unique background guides you authentically. Our company, like you, is on a journey of growth. Reflecting on successes and areas for improvement helps us evolve. We welcome feedback from everyone.

Research

We all have blind spots! Experiencing life for the first time means missing things. To account for the things we don't know, we find the best information and frame it in today’s context so you don't have to.

Respect

Always do what's best for you, even if it conflicts with what you read or see. There's no one way to live life. Respect others' choices and engage positively with the community.

Relevance

Life changes. What was true for past generations may not apply today. We stay current with new opinions, research, and ideas, balancing trendiness with groundedness. Having our community (you) drive the content we make is key to making this happen.

Roundedness

Being a Jack of All Trades gets a bad rep, but we believe otherwise! Exposure to diverse topics is healthy. We're all about finding new passions, places, or people that help us become our best selves.

Rest

Life feels like a race. It’s stressful to manage so much information and to do all the things as soon as possible. We incorporate fun to prevent burnout and make designing our lives exciting, not stressful. And we support taking breaks when needed!

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Awards

And a special highlight for our first pitch competition ever:

We're ecstatic to announce we won Business Impact NW's 2024 Impact Pitch Competition Grand Prize Winner for the Start-up category! You can watch our founder pitch at the event from the live stream available here (around the 19-minute 30-second mark), read their block post recap on our Media & Press page, and see photos that Business Impact NW took below.

We also received a 2024 Community Impact Award by Business Impact NW!

We were 1 of 6 businesses out of 25 finalists who received a $1,000 prize for demonstrating exceptional community impact in socially and economically disadvantaged communities. These persons are women and members of the following groups: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Native Alaskan, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, LGBTQ+, Immigrant/Refugees, veteran/military-connected individuals, and individuals with disabilities.