1 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to wik a f Daily 2 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: with Meet your Girl Danielle Moody, recording from the Home Bunker, Folks, 3 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: I want to take a minute to talk about something 4 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: that I try and inject in most shows and most weeks, 5 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: but it's come up a lot, particularly since the shooting 6 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: in Tennessee on Monday, which is mental health. And you know, 7 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: I've gotten a lot of tweets from people. I posted 8 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: a video on both Instagram and TikTok yesterday about what 9 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: it means to take care of yourself during these times. 10 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,599 Speaker 1: And I know that a lot of us right by 11 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: virtue of working and you know, having families and taking 12 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: care of whether it's children or elderly people. Just continue 13 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: to power through, continue to power through in a way 14 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: that does not acknowledge the feelings of overwhelm, that does 15 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: not acknowledge and allow ourselves to sit with the fear 16 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: that many of us are living with. There is a 17 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: lot of fear, and rightfully so, because this world, this 18 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: society that we are living in, is incredibly unpredictable. Now 19 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: people will say, look, life is unpredictable. You know, you 20 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: many of us have lost people that we cared about unexpectedly, 21 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: through accidents, through disease. We know that life is unpredictable, 22 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: but what it feels like right now is that we 23 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: are just sitting ducks, literally, just sitting ducks, just waiting 24 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: for the next mass shooting, waiting for the next disaster, 25 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: waiting for the next insurrection, waiting for the next you know, 26 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: historic storm, waiting for the next derailment, waiting for the 27 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: next announcement of a town that doesn't have clean water. 28 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: And so what I say to all of you is 29 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: the same thing that I say to myself and the 30 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: same thing that I've been saying all week. You know, 31 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: turn it off. That doesn't mean to ignore what is happening, 32 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:29,079 Speaker 1: but it's to understand when you've reached your limits, when 33 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 1: it is okay to tap out and make sure that 34 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: you are getting outside and going walking that you or running, 35 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: that you are, you know, moving your body that you 36 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: are able to you know, sit, whether it is in 37 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: prayer or in meditation or just taking some nice, slow 38 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: deep breaths, you know, if it is going and sitting 39 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,399 Speaker 1: in nature, or focusing on a houseplant that you may have, 40 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: or taking a care of a pet. But folks, it 41 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: is really really critical that each and every day, a 42 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: few times a day, that you allow yourself to just pause. Now, 43 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: I gave examples of things to do that is not 44 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: a way to neglect how you're feeling, but it's a 45 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: way to balance your feelings, you know. I find and 46 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: as many people therapists and doctors have said, crying is cathartic, right, 47 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: Like it's okay to cry, It's okay to have moments 48 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: of breakdown. Right. It's when we start wallowing and marinating 49 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: in despair and in hopelessness that we need to be concerned. 50 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: But we should be having conversations with each other about 51 00:03:54,800 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: how we are feeling. Asking yourself as well as your 52 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: friends and family, are you okay? You know, how has 53 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: all of this news, How has it been hitting you? 54 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: What you know, mechanisms for processing have you been using. 55 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: I have told many of you that I have been 56 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: in therapy over the last five years. It is the 57 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 1: best money that I could ever spend. You know, I 58 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: had the privilege during the pandemic to begin a meditation 59 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: practice that I continued to this day. You know, on Monday, 60 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: after the news broke, and I'm on social media and 61 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: I'm furious and the rage, you know, began to subside. 62 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: The grief set in, and I got off of my 63 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: couch and I turned off my television. I put my 64 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: phone on do not disturb. I took out a book. 65 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: I did a long meditation and some breathing, and I cried. 66 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: I for the families. I cried for the children. I 67 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 1: cried for those I cried for the children that were taken, 68 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: that were killed, the administrators, the custodian that were taken 69 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: that were killed. But I cried for all of the 70 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:26,720 Speaker 1: children and the administrators, the teachers, the families, the community 71 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,239 Speaker 1: that would now have to join a club that nobody 72 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: wants to be a part of. Because while we sit 73 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: and we grieve for those that are lost, we're not 74 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: really understanding the trauma that these kids are now going 75 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: to live with and grow into adulthood with, right as 76 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: well as those teachers and those administrators. Like, look, we 77 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: can tell ourselves logically like, oh, this will never happen again, 78 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: or but it's not true. It may not happen in 79 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: that particular school again, but we know it's going to 80 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: happen again. And so with each shooting, our anxiety, our grief, 81 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: our fear go through the roof and we take that 82 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: on in a very physical and real way. You know, 83 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: I spoke about this on the Mary Trump Show that 84 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: I've gone to the dentist recently to find out that 85 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: I pretty much ground my back molars flat. They said, 86 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: are you under a lot of stress? They and I 87 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: literally laughed at the dentist. I am, I under a 88 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: lot of stress? Yeah, just a little bit, right. But 89 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: if we don't find purposeful, therapeutic and healthy ways to 90 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: release the pain, emotional and physical pain that we are in, 91 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: it will turn into disease ease. So it is not 92 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: about becoming ostriches and ignoring our feelings. It is about 93 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: processing those feelings, building community to process those feelings, finding 94 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: healthy habits to help us process these feelings. Because the 95 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: overwhelm is real, and it is okay, dear friends, to 96 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: not be okay all the time. So you know, I 97 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: really hope that you really do heed this and take 98 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: this advice that I offer, because it's something that I 99 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: literally tell myself every day in the mirror, which is 100 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: why walking has become my salvation in a lot of ways. Okay, 101 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: Coming up next, dear friends, my interview with Don L. 102 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: Brown from the Empower Her Institute to talk about something 103 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: good that is happening in schools with young women of color. 104 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: And I really enjoyed this conversation and I hope that 105 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: you all do too. Folks. I am very excited to 106 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: welcome to woka F Daily Don L. Brown, who is 107 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: the President and CEO of Empower Her Institute. Don you 108 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: come to woke F at a good time and also 109 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: a bad time, a time when we are recognizing that 110 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: there is a pandemic that we are not talking about 111 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: in this country, which is that of the mental and 112 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: emotional health and well being of our nation's youth. And 113 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: a CDC report had come out that stated that from 114 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: twenty eleven until twenty two one, this ten year spanning 115 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: report says that suicidal thoughts and behaviors of young people 116 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: had increased at an alarming rate and disproportionately affects girls 117 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: of color. Can you tell us some more about this 118 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: crisis that we don't seem to see in the news 119 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: or in the headlines in the way that we should. Yeah, So, 120 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: what the CDC report essentially said is exactly what you 121 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,839 Speaker 1: just mentioned. That we are seeing an increase over the 122 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: past ten years with a significant increase over the past 123 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: three to five years of a suicidal ideation with girls 124 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: of color. And you know, often in our country, when 125 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: we were talking about girls of color, it isn't something 126 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: that makes the news right, and so it's not shocking 127 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: that it has. What we're seeing as young people are 128 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: experiencing significant trauma, and that increase comes from everything from 129 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: the social social media. There's been an increase of bullying 130 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: as a result of social media. You know, we're making commons, 131 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,439 Speaker 1: children are making comments to one another like kill yourself, 132 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: things that we even when we were bullying each other 133 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: back in the day, we were saying those kinds of things, 134 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: but it becomes a joke that feels like so much 135 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: more for them. We're seeing, you know, young girls are experiencing. 136 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: What we're not talking about is that black and brown 137 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: girls specifically are experience and massage in law. They are 138 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: experiencing high increases of that which we are not having 139 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: conversations about, and they think that there's something wrong with them. 140 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,359 Speaker 1: There is normal teenage angst that's happening, but the conversations 141 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: aren't happening to support them through what is happening in 142 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: their bodies. What's happening in their emotions and their feelings. 143 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: Everyone thinks, we're looking at social media, everyone's life looks perfect, 144 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: and so they think something is wrong with them, that 145 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: their life doesn't feel that way. UM. And the conversations 146 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,719 Speaker 1: that are happening amongst one another when we talk, when 147 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: they talk about UH supporting one another is more around 148 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: UH discussions of UM harm and UM and supporting one 149 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: another in group decisions around harm. So we are that, 150 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 1: you know, this is what's happening in the world right now. UM. 151 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: Black and brown girls are experiencing racism and sexism and 152 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: gender you know challenges UM in ways that and and 153 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: there's there's challenges and questions around sexual identity UM that 154 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 1: are now openly being discussed and yet still hushed in 155 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: our community. UM. And so I think all of those 156 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,719 Speaker 1: things sort of poal on UM in addition to just 157 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: the the the weight of what it looks like when 158 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: we are when young people are, you know, dealing with school, 159 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 1: we always want to say, hey, that's not a big deal, 160 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, though I got to work every day, 161 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: but you know, having to go through tests and the 162 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: anxiety that comes with that and having you know, multiple 163 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 1: responsibilities and expectations on them and then being dismissed around 164 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: that really those weights are heavy, and they do calls 165 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: additional trauma and a silencing of their voices. I think 166 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: that a part of this, in a large way, one 167 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: goes to the fact, and you tell me if I'm wrong, 168 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: that we have never created the type of mental health 169 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: infrastructure in our schools, right, correct, in our public schools 170 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 1: to deal with the varying emotions, hormones, but very live 171 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: and real trauma. You know, while while a parent could say, 172 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: you know, as you mentioned in your example, say well 173 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 1: you know, I have to work every day. All you 174 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: have to do is go to school. Well, this is 175 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: a generation of children that do active shooter drills the 176 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: way that we used to do fire drills. You know, 177 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: we grew up. I would like to think that those 178 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: of us who are adults of a certain age grew 179 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: up at a time when school was seen as a 180 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: safe place, right, like the worst thing that could happen 181 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: was a fire, right that you were prepared for, and 182 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: you saw the fire doors, and you did those drills. 183 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 1: But now we send kids to school all over this 184 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: country and we can't tell them for certain that they're 185 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: coming back. That's just one instance of daily lived trauma. 186 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: So can you speak to how that which has become 187 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: regular headlines and a regular part of the American experience, 188 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 1: also plays a part in what children are experiencing nowadays. Absolutely, 189 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: there is no real discussion around social emotional learning. That 190 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,719 Speaker 1: is not happening, That is not a part of the curriculum. 191 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 1: I know that there has now been discussions around schools 192 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: and a school districts now that are beginning to introduce 193 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: social emotional learning but as part of the curriculum and 194 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: a required part of the curriculum. But for ten years 195 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: even more, that wasn't happening. So no, there was They've 196 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,559 Speaker 1: taken health classes out, so they're not having conversations. I 197 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: remember when I went to school. I remember not wanting 198 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: us sit in there on those classes, but then loving 199 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: them afterwards because we had we got to talk about 200 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: what was happening in our bodies and what was happening 201 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: in our emotions, and they separated us male and female, 202 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: and they had those conversations. That's been taken out of 203 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: the schools because of budget cuts, right, and so even 204 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: something as simple as pe in many cases has been 205 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: taken out of schools because of budget cuts, and we 206 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: think about the stress reduction that comes with that physical activity. 207 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: And then when you as you mentioned, when it comes 208 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: to like psychology and having school therapists in public schools, 209 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: when we look at the budget cuts, they got to 210 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: focus on the specifics of the education the abc D, 211 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: you know, requirements. And so when you look at somewhere 212 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: like La County, which is where I am based, when 213 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: you look at LAUSD and other public schools that are 214 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 1: in the area that we work with, a school psychologist 215 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: gets five schools. So there's one school psychologist to five schools. 216 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: When you think about that, they have one day at 217 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: each school. Sometimes they don't even have a full day. 218 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: And that's your average. And so we have I work 219 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: with a thousand girls a year and we see them 220 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: on a weekly basis. Most of them have no idea 221 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 1: that there is a school psychologist because they have never 222 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: seen that person, or if they do see them, they're like, oh, 223 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: we see them like once every other week, like and 224 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: nobody goes there because she's always booked, you know. And 225 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 1: so when you're when we're dealing with those kinds of 226 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: economical challenges and yet in the same situation as you mentioned. 227 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: They're going through active shooting courses, right, they are learning 228 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: drills who so that I never had to learn, you know, 229 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: we've never had to learn those things. And you know, 230 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: even just talking without girls, one of the projects that 231 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: our girls do is a social justice Seemed project and 232 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: they get to decide on a social justice issue they 233 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: want to explore. And you'd be surprised how many of 234 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: them wanted to have conversations. They either want to explore 235 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: an issue around race or they want to explore an 236 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: issue around shooting and gun you know, and gun control. 237 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: And you know, one of the things that you know 238 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: has been said is but nobody cares because there hasn't 239 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: been a change in the policies and the laws. And 240 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: people don't think that our young people are having those 241 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 1: conversations or having those thoughts, but they are. They're very aware. 242 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: They're very aware of what's happening in the world. They're 243 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: very aware of the fact that, you know, there are 244 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: no change in laws and policies. They understand that their 245 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: government has said, hey, you know, we know that this 246 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 1: is happening, and we're just gonna keep praying for you, right, 247 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: and so you know, those those are conversations that the 248 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: girls are having, that they are having with us, that 249 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: they say to us. And so we're not introducing these thoughts, 250 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: they're introducing them to us. Right, So yeah, that does 251 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: that plays a big role in this. And we we can't, 252 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: you know, we can't negate the fact that you know, 253 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: I remember going to school and we learned about officer 254 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: friendly in elementary school and there was an officer who 255 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 1: would come and I would grew up in DC and 256 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, they talked to us. And then by the 257 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: time we got to middle school in high school, were 258 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: a little you know, side out of an officer friendly 259 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: because we had had our experiences at that point, right, 260 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 1: But we also still under you know, but there was 261 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: still this idea that even beyond that, there was still 262 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: this general idea that if it got down to it, 263 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 1: I could go I could call the police some you know, 264 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: someone would you know, I could go to someone. Well 265 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: that has that idea is gone, right, And so our girls, now, 266 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: our young people now in general, absolutely if they are 267 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,640 Speaker 1: young people of color, male, female, they are young people 268 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: of color. And then on top of that you add 269 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: black and brown in and then you add on top 270 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: of that social economic challenges. Then absolutely they there's no 271 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: idea of Office of Friendly at all anymore. There's no 272 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: thought in them that that didn't come and it wasn't 273 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: introduced in elementary school, and it hasn't and it won't 274 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: won't be introduced because what they're seeing visually every day 275 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: on social media looks very different. What they're experiencing in 276 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: their communities looks very different. You know. I teach a 277 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: class with my girls around the juvenile justice system, and 278 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 1: every school class that I go to, I ask them 279 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: who has been impacted either themselves or someone in their 280 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: families by the justice system, and every hand goes up 281 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 1: in every class. Wow, right, And so that that says 282 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: something about where they where. The idea of who could 283 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 1: protect them can't and won't. So I have to fear 284 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 1: the people who have been put into the world that 285 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: are supposed to protect me. I have to fear them. 286 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: I don't have somewhere to go in school, and that 287 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: is my safe space, and you know, but yet I 288 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: don't have somewhere to go to to process my feelings. 289 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 1: And then on top of that, you know, when I 290 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 1: come home and I talk to my parents, there while 291 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: they want to be supportive. They have their own traumas 292 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 1: around socio economic challenges that's happening. You know, more children 293 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: in the household that they're trying to balance, and they're 294 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: just trying to figure it all out because there's such 295 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: a big difference in the generational divide, right, that wasn't 296 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: necessarily there before, But there is a big difference. Again, 297 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 1: we're not having we didn't have actors school shooting. I'm 298 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: not that much older than I the girls that I served, 299 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: but we don't have that. We didn't have that, So 300 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,120 Speaker 1: how do you have those conversations? Yeah, it's like how 301 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: do you facilitate than conversations on issues that you don't 302 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: have truly an experience or advantage point on, right, Like 303 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: I talk about on willkaf all the time, we talk 304 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: about the night shootings, We talk about actors shooting drills. 305 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: I've never experienced one, so I honestly I don't even 306 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 1: know what that entails, right, But I think about it 307 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: as this disruption or this bell or whatever sounds you know, 308 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: go off. You don't know in that moment whether this 309 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: is practice or it's actually happening. You go through this 310 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: and then you're supposed to sit back down and learn 311 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: exactly so that to me is already like you've created 312 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: this experience that induces anxiety, then you don't have anything 313 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 1: that brings that level of anxiety back down. And we're 314 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 1: just supposed to ask these young people who are still 315 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: learning how to regulate their emotions as their aging to 316 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,919 Speaker 1: then be able to just go right back to functioning. 317 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: What number were we on? Like? What problem was I 318 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 1: trying to solve? So I think about the ways in 319 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:55,680 Speaker 1: which the people Dawn who are creating education policy, which 320 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: is something that I went to work on Capitol Hill 321 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: to do, us to try and create education policy from 322 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: the vantage point of an actual teacher, which I was, 323 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 1: and recognize that the people who are doing this haven't 324 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: been in a classroom in fifty years. Do you know 325 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: what I'm saying? Like, they have not been in a 326 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: classroom in fifty years. And you don't have to have 327 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: an education degree in order to make policy around education. 328 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: Let's not forget that party. And you don't have to 329 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: have a child development degree, which is absolutely wild. But 330 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: how do you with empower her? How do you deal 331 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: with a society a government that really does not put 332 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: any emphasis on anything other than teaching kids their ABC's. 333 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: And yet we know that schools in many ways should 334 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: be the community focal point, right and a place of 335 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: safety and healing and learning not only for the child 336 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 1: but of their caregivers and their parents, and we do 337 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 1: the exact opposite. Yeah, And I think one of the 338 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: things that I want to also just quickly say is 339 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: that often, you know, as adults, we expect that we're 340 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: going to have the answers, but we don't in this 341 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: situation when now young people come to us and ask 342 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: these questions, we don't have answers. And that's some part 343 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: of why there's a fear to even have those conversations 344 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: with them, because you have these conversations and then where 345 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: do we go. I don't have an answer for you. 346 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: I don't have a solution, and so there's a fear 347 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: to even have those conversations. And what we're seeing in 348 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 1: policymakers now is because there's such a fear of that 349 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: that they're saying, we just don't talk about it, don't 350 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: talk about all these things that young people want to 351 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: explore because we don't know how to, you know, we're 352 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: uncomfortable with them, right, And so you know what we 353 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: do and empower her Institute. We are a nonprofit organization 354 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:53,880 Speaker 1: based in Los Angeles County. We serve a thousand girls 355 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: a year. We start with them from seventh grade through 356 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: twelfth grade, and we are actually the only gender responsive 357 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: non organization in LA that provides a social emotional learning 358 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: course during the school day. We are fully integrated into 359 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: the school day. We work with Title one schools, which 360 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: for those who don't know, our schools that are that 361 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: have at least sixty percent of the young people who 362 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: attend are qualified for free or reduced lunch. When we 363 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 1: only work with bipop girls. And so we do a 364 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: social emotional learning and a skills based learning course that happens. 365 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: And then in addition to that, part of the course 366 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: is mentoring and so they actually get monthly mentoring in 367 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: addition to that by adult women. And our whole goal 368 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 1: is to help them deal with the muck of being 369 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: a team and processing all of that in order to 370 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: support them to become career in college ready. See, we 371 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: go to college, we go to school, and we say 372 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: this is all about career in college readiness, right, But 373 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 1: we miss the social emotional component. We miss the trauma 374 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,680 Speaker 1: that young people are experiencing that make it difficult for 375 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: them to even concentrate on anything that has to do 376 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: with career or college or anything else. And so what 377 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: we do is we look at it from that perspective. 378 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 1: We're looking at it from a lens of we've got 379 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: to support you in the trauma in addition to supporting 380 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: you with developing those skills and those resources and the 381 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: access so that you can become a college and career ready. 382 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: Our ultimate goal is to break generational cycles of poverty, 383 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: and we understand what that means. We understand that we 384 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: take a social justice lens to this work. We are, 385 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: you know, we take a where we're constantly looking at 386 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: gender and race and the sort of levels of that 387 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: in working with our girls, and so we don't just 388 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: have conversations about how to go how to prepare a resume, 389 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 1: and how to behave in your first day of work, 390 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: but we have conversations in addition to that about microaggressions 391 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: and man splaining in the workplace right and in the school, 392 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: and how to negotiate those situations and how to navigate 393 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,199 Speaker 1: those situations. So those are the kinds of conversations that 394 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: we have when we talk about a budget, we're not 395 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: just doing financial literacy from a universal perspective, but we 396 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,360 Speaker 1: talk about what does it sound like in your household 397 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 1: when you talk about money, when parents, when you hear 398 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: your parents talk about it, what does it sound like? 399 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: Because it sounds very different in a household that's financially 400 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 1: is challenged and struggling than it does in one that 401 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: has a lot of money, right, And so we have 402 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,959 Speaker 1: those conversations and as we continue with them, we have 403 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,120 Speaker 1: conversations about how to prepare what financial wealth looks like, 404 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 1: and how what generational wealth looks like. And they start 405 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: learning about investments and things of that sort, and they 406 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: actually get money to buy their first piece of stock 407 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: by the time there in the twelfth thirteen. So that's 408 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: the kind of way that we do it. So we 409 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: really are talking about how to handle your emotions, how 410 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,199 Speaker 1: to deal with the muck of that. We talk about that, 411 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: we talk about sex, we talk about just the fact 412 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: that as you get older, from seven through twelfth grade, 413 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: it's a whole bunch of stuff that comes with that. 414 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: People forget that post traumatic stress. There have been studies 415 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: that have shown that young people who live in violent 416 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: communities have the same response level, chemical response level, and 417 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: emotional response level as those who have gone to war, 418 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,159 Speaker 1: And so we forget that post traumatic stress is something 419 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: that is not just for war heroes, but it's also 420 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 1: something that young people who live in violent communities experience 421 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 1: every day and they are they continue to experience. It's 422 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:29,680 Speaker 1: a trauma and so we have to have those conversations 423 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,360 Speaker 1: with them as well. And so that's who we are. 424 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: That's what we do with our girls. And because we 425 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: do it on a weekly basis, it's an hour course 426 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,120 Speaker 1: for our middle schoolers, and then when our high schoolers 427 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:42,719 Speaker 1: they take an hour course twice a week. Middle schoolers 428 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: taken it once a week for the entire school year. 429 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,959 Speaker 1: And then in addition to that, they are getting social 430 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: justice esteem support. And we're the only ones in the 431 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: country that are combining that together to do that kind 432 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: of work and to do these really cool, cool and 433 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 1: awesome like summer camps that no one else is doing 434 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,360 Speaker 1: with our girls where they train as marine biologists. And 435 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:06,679 Speaker 1: you know, I got these are middle schoolers that are 436 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: training as marine biologists and their training and getting a 437 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: scuba diving certifications and things of that sort. Middle schoolers 438 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: black and brown girls. And again that goes back to 439 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: also the social emotional learning component because they get to 440 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: be in a space where they're jumping in the water 441 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: and everybody's hair looks the same yea, So nobody's questioning 442 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 1: that it and thinking about that, right, And so we 443 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: create those immersive experiences for them as well. And you know, 444 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: with that, it allows us to really help our girls 445 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: address the challenges that our schools aren't able to. It's 446 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: not that our school principles don't want to, they don't 447 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: have its budgets to do so, they don't have the resources. Yeah, Dawn, 448 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: every bit of your institute sounds like something that I 449 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: would love to see nationalize. I'd love to see it 450 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: in every single school district across the country with a 451 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: significant BIPOC student body that needs this right. You know, 452 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: at a time, particularly when we hear about black curriculum 453 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 1: being banned, and black sororities and fraternities being banned, and 454 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: you know, anything that is considered inclusive and equitable being 455 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:27,520 Speaker 1: banned in states, it is really heartening to hear that 456 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 1: an organization like yours exists and is doing the work 457 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: to create you know, a powerful healed generation of young 458 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: BIPOC women. Before I let you go, please do tell 459 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: the woke f audience how they could learn more and 460 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: get involved with empower her. Yes, definitely. Let me say 461 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: that one hundred percent of the girls that we work 462 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 1: with actually in the middle schools matriculate into high school 463 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:56,959 Speaker 1: and one hundred percent about high schoolers if they continue 464 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: with us through the twelfth grade, graduate and are accepted 465 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: in the college. An eighty nine percent of the girls 466 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: who we work with report having an increase of self 467 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: confidence and a decrease is significant decrease in trauma and 468 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 1: and suicidal ideation in our program. So the program and 469 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: it works, right, Yeah, And I think that's important before 470 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: we say, you know, get involved, like I want to 471 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: show and say that we have statistics that show that 472 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:28,479 Speaker 1: our work works. You know. The best way to get involved. 473 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: We are a nonprofit organization and so all of what 474 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: we do we have to fundraise for. And so you 475 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: can always make a donation to the organization. If you're 476 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: not in the lam even if you are in LA 477 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: please make a donation. But if you are in the 478 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: LA County and would like to volunteer as a mentor, 479 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: we're looking for women who are twenty one and over 480 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 1: who are interested in becoming volunteering as a mentor. It's 481 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: two hours of your time once a month. You go 482 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: to a school and you get a group of girls 483 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: who you talk with and you get to explain your 484 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: exp is. They ask questions of you, and you ask 485 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: questions of them, and you learn from one another. And 486 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: then there's also ways to get involved. And we are 487 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 1: always looking for companies who want to take on a 488 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: high school girl to actually work with them for the 489 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: summer so that they can make money and take these 490 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: skills and apply them. And so it's a four week 491 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: program and you pay them and we actually pay our 492 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: kids above minimal wage to go and work for four 493 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: weeks in the summer so they can get those experiences. 494 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: We teach them the skills, but then we want them 495 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: to apply those skills. And so those are some key 496 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: ways to get involved with our organization. John Brown, thank 497 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: you so much for the work that you are doing 498 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: for bringing a little bit of light to will get 499 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: off on a little bit of hopefulness. With organizations like yours, 500 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: we will see some significant change. So I really appreciate you. 501 00:30:56,280 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: And folks check out empower her institute. Thank you so much, 502 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: thank you. That is it for me today. Dear friends 503 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: on Woke a f as always power to the people 504 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: and to all the people power, get woke and stay 505 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: woke as fuck.