COMING UP ON BEHIND THE WOMAN.

>> I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE JASMINE LIGHTBURN.

I WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH OLDER NEW AMERICANS.

>> PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS TO PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION AND ENGAGE MANY ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT FIELD TRIPS THAT WE DO IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK AREA.

I THINK I'M INSPIRED BY THEIR RESILIENCE AND THAT HAS MADE ME A BETTER PERSON.

I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALING, FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING, INTEGRATION FOOT COMMUNITY CHANGE IS GOOD.

IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE GROWING.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING... ♪ YEAH I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FEELING YEAH, I'M UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME COMTO BEHIND THE WOMAN.

I'M I DON'T ARE HOST Dr. JEW JEW AND JUHANNA ROGERS AND WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE DIVERSE WOMEN ENHANCING CENTRAL CENTRAL NEW YORK, INCLUDING TONIGHT'S GUEST.

I'M HONORED TO INTRODUCE JASMINE LIGHTBURN.

SHE IS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR THE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OF HISTORICALLY OPPRESS COMMUNITIES WILL AND IS THE ASSISTANT MANAGER OF AGING SERVICES FOR NEW AMERICANS AT INTERFAITH WORKS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK WHY DON'T YOU GATHER YOUR FAMILY, SEND A TEXT TO YOUR FRIENDS.

THEY WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE OF BEHIND THE WOMAN.

>> WELCOME, JUHANNA ROGERS.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE WE WANTED THIS SEASON TO MAKE SURE WE NOT ONLY INTRODUCE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF WOMEN ACROSS THE REGION BUT ALSO HELP US TALK ABOUT SOME KEY ISSUES.

AND ONE OF THOSE ISSUES WAS THINGS AFFECTING OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY.

AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL LET'S SEE WHO IS DOING THIS WORK.

AND HERE YOU ARE, AND I'M LIKE, I DIDN'T EXPECT A VERY YOUNG THING TO BE TOTALLY HONEST.

BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THAT, LET'S GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BIT.

JASMINE LIGHTBURN, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

>> I'M FROM THE CITY OF SYRACUSE.

I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE.

WENT TO SCHOOL HERE IN THE CITY, GREW UP IN THE MIDDLE CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> WHAT HIGH SCHOOL DID YOU ATTEND?

>> CORCORAN HIGH SCHOOL, GO COUGARS.

SO YOU GREW UP HERE IN SYRACUSE, WENT TO CORCORAN HIGH SCHOOL AND DID YOU IMAGINE NAT DURING THAT TIME THAT YOU WOULD BE DOING WORK TO HELP SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY?

>> >> SHORT ANSWER NO.

IT'S FUNNY.

ORIGINALLY I THOUGHT I WANTED TO WORK WITH KIDS I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT I FOUND MORE SO IN MY UNDERGRADUATE YEARS.

BUT I REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED KIDS AND THEN TEENAGERS AS I GOT A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

AND DID NOT EXPECT TO BE WORKING WITH OLDER ADULTS.

>> NO.

>> YEAH.

>> SO DID YOU WANT TO BECOME LIKE A TEACHER OR... >> I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO WORK WITH KIDS WHO HAD BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I COMPLETELY DEFINED EXACTLY WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE AT THAT TIME, WHETHER THAT BE LIKE IN SOCIAL WORK, A THERAPIST OR A CASE WORKER FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE BUT I KNEW THAT WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WAS AN AREA OF PASSION AND STILL IS.

I THOUGHT THAT LIKE THAT WAS JUST GOING TO BE MY ROLE.

I WORKED WITH KIDS THROUGHOUT UNDERGRADUATE AND WAS CONSISTENTLY DOING THAT THROUGH MY MASTERS PROGRAM UP UNTIL THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME UP.

>> SO YOU LEFT CORCORAN.

IT SOUNDS LIKE, DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK OR WHERE DID YOU GO... >> NO, I WENT TO SCHOOL AT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY IN NEW JERSEY.

>> I'M NOT THAN ALUM BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT CAMPUS.

>> I THINK I HAD THAT FEELING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL OF JUST LIKE WANTING TO GET OUT AND EXPLORE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, SYRACUSE IS KIND OF SMALL, AND I THINK AS A YOUNG PERSON, I KIND OF OVERLOOKED SOME OF THE HIDDEN GEMS THAT ARE HERE AND JUST WAS LIKE I WANT A BIGGER CITY.

I WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A BIGGER CITY.

SO I WENT TO SETON HALL AND GOT MY DEGREE IN BUSINESS IN NON-PROFIT STUDIES.

>> OH WOW.

>> AND DID A COMPLETE 360 TO SOCIAL WORK.

>> AND WHAT MADE YOU-- BECAUSE I HEARD YOU SAY, RIGHT, LIKE AT CORCORAN ALL THROUGH YOUR FORMATIVE YEARS, YOU KNEW THAT YOU WANTED TO WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.

WHAT HAPPENED THAT GOT YOU TO SETON HALL AND MADE YOU FOCUS ON BUSINESS AND NON-PROFIT STUDIES IS?

THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

THAT'S NOT A COMBINATION THAT YOU HEAR GOING TOGETHER.

>> EXACTLY.

I REMEMBER THINKING THAT GROWING UP IN SYRACUSE, I REMEMBER SEEING A LOT OF NON-PROFITS.

THERE ARE SO MANY NON-PROFITS HERE IN SYRACUSE.

>> THERE ARE.

AND I THINK SOME ARE SUCCESSFUL AND SOME ARE NOTED AS-- ARE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AND I REMEMBER THINKING THERE IS SO MUCH POTENTIAL HERE AND MAYBE IF I GET MY DEGREE IN BUSINESS LIKE I CAN KIND OF BE A LEADING FIGURE IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES FOR SOME OF THE NON-PROFITS.

I THOUGHT MAYBE WITH A BUSINESS MIND AND SMIB MORE NON-PROFITS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

THAT WAS MY MIND SET AND I HAD ALL THESE IDEAS OF LIKE, CREATING A NON-PROFIT OR POURING INTO THE NON-PROFITS THAT WERE ALREADY EXISTING AND HAVING MY FOCUS BE TOWARDS SERVICES THAT HELP CHILDREN.

>> OH MY GOD.

THAT'S SO INTERESTING.

I WAS A PERFORMANCE MAJOR AND ENTREPRENEUR.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP MAJOR AND MY SENIOR PROJECT WAS ON CREATING A NON-PROFIT.

AND I HAD PROFESSORS TELL ME THAT THAT WASN'T REALLY BUSINESS.

YOU DON'T COME FROM I COMMUNITY THAT I COME IN BECAUSE YOU SEE SO MANY SERVICES AND THAT'S NORMALLY WHERE FOLKS GO FOR HELP.

SO YOU KNEW THAT.

AND THEN WHAT MADE YOU PURSUE THE MASTER'S?

>> SO HONESTLY, A LOT OF GUIDANCE FROM MY PARENTS WHO WERE MY MAIN SUPPORT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO FROM MOFL MENTORS THAT-- PROFESSIONAL MENTORS THAT I HAD THAT HEARD WHAT MY PASSION WAS, AND SAID MAYBE NOT BUSINESS.

MAYBE SOCIAL WORK.

I SAID YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> GOT IT.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIDDEN GEMS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT THAT YOU THINK YOU OVERLOOKED FOR A LITTLE BIT IN SYRACUSE?

>> YEAH, I THINK AS I GOT MORE INTO MY ROLE AT INTERFAITH WORKS AND HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, I WASN'T AWARE OF THE WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN THE CITY FOR INDIVIDUALS, FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDREN, AND FOR OLDER ADULTS.

I THINK OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER, ARE OFTEN SEEN THROUGH A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING OFFERED THROUGH SERVICES AND I DON'T THINK I WAS AS EXPOSED TO THAT AS A YOUNGER PERSON HERE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND IT MADE ME APPRECIATE THE CITY OF SYRACUSE AND ALL THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE HERE SO MUCH MORE.

>> THAT'S BEAUTIFUL TO HEAR YOU SAY.

SO WHAT, IN RECOGNIZING THAT AND WORKING AT INTERFAITH WORKS, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THEIR WORK, BUT I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AROUND SENIORS SO CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR DAY LOOKS LIKE?

>> YEAH, SO I WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH OLDER NEW AMERICANS, SO THAT INCLUDES REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, ASYLUM SEEKERS, ALL NEW AMERICANS WHO COME TO SYRACUSE AROUND THE AGE OF ABOUT 60.

I PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SO THAT REALLY MEANS JUST BUILDING COMMUNITY AMONG EACH OTHER AND REDUCING SOCIAL ISOLATION THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE HUGE GOAL BEHIND THAT.

IT IS EASY TO BECOME ISOLATED AS AN OLDER ADULT WHO IS NEW TO THE AMERICAN SYSTEMS AND HAS LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND TRANSPORTATION AND EVERYTHING.

SO I AM ABLE TO KIND OF STRUCTURE ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHARED EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

IT'S SO MUCH FUN.

>> OH MY GOODNESS.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE.

WHY DON'T WE TAKE A MINUTE BEFORE WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW JASMINE PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIOR REFUGEES TO HELP THEM SOCIALIZE AND EXPERIENCE WHAT CENTRAL NEW YORK HAS TO OFFER.

>> WE ARE AT FROM THE GROUND UP THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP.

THIS IS A FIELD TRIP FOR OUR OLDER REFUGEE CLIENTS.

PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING IS TO PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION AND ENGAGE MANY ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE DIFFERENT FIELD TRIPS THAT WE DO IN THE CENTRAL NEW YORK AREA AND WITH THE AIM TO REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION AMONG OUR OLDER ADULTS.

WE HAVE CLIENTS FROM THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.

WE HAVE CLIENTS FROM RWANDA, CLIENTS FROM VIETNAM.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MAIN COUNTRIES THAT MOST OF OUR CLIENTS ARE FROM.

AND, YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF WORK SETTING UP TRANSPORTATION.

WE RELY HEAVILY ON VOLUNTEER DRIVERS WHO ARE SO FUNDAMENTAL TO THE PROGRAMMING HERE.

TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN A HUGE BARRIER.

BUT OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE AMAZING.

WE ALSO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE INTERPRETERS PRESENT OR ON CALL TO HELP WE CANS PLANATIONS AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

I HOPE THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AMONG EACH OTHER AND TO ENCOUNTER A NEW EXPERIENCE AND SEE MORE OF THE SYRACUSE AREA IN CENTRAL NEW YORK THAN WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO.

MANY OF OUR CLIENTS DON'T DRIVE AND ARE KIND OF SAY IN THEIR ONE BLOCK RADIUS OF THEIR HOMES AND SO OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS ALLOW THEM TO GO EVEN JUST 20, 25 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF SYRACUSE AND EMBARK ON A NEW EXPERIENCE AND ALSO CONNECT TO SOME OF THE TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL VALUES THAT THEY HAVE FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES WHERE ANIMALS AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES ARE VERY PROMINENT.

SO WE KNOW THAT ISOLATION HAS DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS NO THE ONLY TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH BUT ALSO TO YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WE KNOW THAT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS HELP TO REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION.

AND THEY HELP TO BRING HEALING.

A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE TRAUMA.

THEY'RE SURVIVORS OF FORCED DISPLACEMENT THAT HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY AND HAVE MADE IT THEIR HOME AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW AND TO FEEL SAFE AND JUST ALLOW THEM TO LAUGH AND HAVE FUN AND SEE THESE BIG HORSES, THESE ANIMALS AND JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME.

I LOVE MY JOB.

I'M ABLE TO DO THESE FUN ACTIVITIES AND PLAN THESE FIELD TRIPS AND TAKE OUR ELDERS OUT.

IT'S SO MUCH FUN.

LIKE WHO GETS TO GO AND SEE HORSES MIDDAY ON A WORK DAY ON A WEDNESDAY?

IT'S SO MUCH FUN AND I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE I SAID FOR HEALING, FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING, FOR INTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME AND LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES AND HAVE THEM SHARE STORIES ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING REMIND THEM OF AN EXPERIENCE BACK HOME IN RWANDA.

LIKE IT'S SO COOL AND I REALLY ENJOY IT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST REMEMBER THAT OUR OLDER ADULTS EXIST.

I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET ABOUT THEM AND ESPECIALLY OLDER NEW AMERICANS, IMMIGRANTS, ASYLUM SEEKERS, REFUGEES.

IT'S VERY EASY TO FORGET THAT THEY'RE HERE.

BUT THEY ARE HERE AND THEY HAVE STRENGTH AND THEY HAVE STORIES AND THEY ARE THE GATEKEEPERS OF CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND VALUES.

AND THEY HAVE THINGS TO TEACH US.

AND WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT US TEACHING THEM.

BUT THEM ALSO TEACHING US.

AND US BEING RECEPTIVE TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SHARE.

>> OH MY GOSH.

THAT IS SO-- I'M UP HERE ABOUT TO CRY.

THAT IS SO POWERFUL.

AND I HAD LIKE A STRING OF QUESTIONS, BUT WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENTS FOR YOU YOU IN DOING THIS WORK?

>> THERE IS A LOT.

THERE IS A LOT OF MOMENTS WHERE I JUST HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND GATHER MYSELF.

A LOT OF THE STORIES THAT ARE SHARED AMONG MY CLIENTS ARE VERY MOVING AND REALLY CAUSE ME TO OPEN, LIKE OPEN MY EYES TO NOT ONLY SYRACUSE AND NEW YORK AND THE UNITED STATES, BUT LIKE A WORLDWIDE VIEW OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT EXIST IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE WAS OF MY OLDER CONGOLESE LADIES WERE JUST TELLING ME ABOUT LIVING IN ONE OF THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN RWANDA.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT GOING IN-DEPTH BECAUSE IT PROVOKINGS A LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL ACTIVATION THAT IS HARD TO RECOVER FROM ONCE YOU GET THERE AND RESPECTING THOSE BOUNDARIES, JUST SEEING THE EMOTION IN HER FACE AND LIKE HER WHOLE DEMEANOR CHANGED WHEN SHE BEGAN TO START TALKING ABOUT SOME OF WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED AND JUST THE POLITICAL CONFLICT AND HOW THAT HAD CAUSED HER TO JUST FEEL SO MUCH STRESS WAS REALLY A MOMENT WHERE I HAD TO HUMBLE MYSELF AND BE SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL AND ALSO BE-- ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY WORK ALLOWS FOR HEALING, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> YEAH, AND I THINK WHAT IS REALLY POWERFUL, AS I WAS WATCHING THE VIDEO, RIGHT, I SAW ONE OF THE GENTLEMAN WAS DRESSED IN A SUIT.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SOCIAL ISOLATION AND THE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GOING SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?

AND HOW HIM IN THE SUIT JUST STRUCK ME BECAUSE I KNOW CULTURALLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU ARE GOING SOMEWHERE, YOU NEED TO LOOK LIKE YOU ARE GOING SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

>> BUT ALSO IF IT WEREN'T FOR HUMAN INTERFAITH WORKS AND THE WORK YOU ARE DOING, WHERE WOULD THEY BE GOING?

OR MAYBE WHERE WOULD THEY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO?

AND SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ESPECIALLY WITH SENIORS THAT LOOK LIKE US FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, AND WE THINK ABOUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE.

WE THINK ABOUT THE PROFESSIONALS, BUT THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHRPS TO OUR ELDERS, RIGHT.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS WORK IS GOING TO FOREVER CHANGE YOU?

>> I THINK THIS WORK IS SOMETHING I WILL ALWAYS TAKE WITH ME, LIKE I HAVE GROWN SO MUCH, NOT ONLY PROFESSIONALLY, BUT ALSO JUST AS A PERSON IN MY OUTLOOK.

LIKE I SAID IN LIFE AND I THINK I'M INSPIRED BY THEIR RESILIENCE AND THAT HAS MADE ME A BETTER PERSON JUST BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM.

>> OH MY GOSH.

>> I CAME HERE AND MY FIRST JOB WAS AT THE SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER AND I KNOW HOW TRANSFORMATIVE THAT WAS.

WHEN YOU ARE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL AND YOU ARE TRYING TO PUT ALL THE THEORETICAL IDEAS LIKE WHAT REALLY-- HOW DO I PUT WHAT I LEARNED IN THE BOOK INTO ACTION?

I RESONATED WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT SO MANY HIDDEN GEMS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND AS I'M SITTING HERE TALKING TO ONE OF OUR HIDDEN GEMS, I'M THINKING WHERE HAS JASMINE LIGHTBURN BEEN?

YOUR NAME CAME UP WHEN WE WERE RESEARCHING, YOU KNOW, WHO DOES THIS WORK.

AND LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY-- MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

LIKE WHO IS WORKING WITH SENIORS?

I WAS THINKING NURSING HOMES, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT CARE LOOK LIKE.

BUT TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE IN AT INTERFAITH WORKS DOING THAT WORK AND BRINGING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND BRILLIANCE AND YOU ARE DOING IT AND LEARNING RIGHT HERE IN YOUR HOMETOWN.

>> YEAH.

>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

>> IT'S AMAZING.

LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IN HIGH SCHOOL, LIKE I SAID, I JUST HAD THIS WHOLE, I WANT TO GET OUT OF SYRACUSE.

I WANT TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD AND COMING BACK HAS JUST MADE ME APPRECIATE THE CITY SO MUCH MORE.

AND I THINK THERE IS JUST A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CONNECTION WHEN YOU ARE FROM THE CITY, BEING I WAS BORN IN SYRACUSE AND BEING ABLE TO WORK HERE IN SYRACUSE, THERE IS JUST A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PASSION THAT I THINK IS INVALUABLE.

LIKE NOT THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PASSION ELSEWHERE, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT WORKING IN THE CITY THAT I'M FROM AND I JUST LOVE IT.

>> AND THAT IS A REAL LIKE REAL OPPORTUNITY.

BECAUSE SOME OF US, YOU KNOW, WISH THAT WE COULD RETURN HOME BUT FOR DIFFERENT FACTORS, DIFFERENT REASONS, THE CULTURE, BUT I DO FIND THAT SYRACUSE IS ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.

IF YOU ARE PASSIONATE AND YOU BRING YOUR A GAME, THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HERE.

AND THAT'S BEAUTIFUL TO HIGHLIGHT.

SO JASMINE LIGHTBURN, OUTSIDE OF BEING ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THIS PROGRAM, WHAT ELSE CAN WE FIND YOU INVOLVED IN, ENGAGED WITH HERE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK?

>> YEAH, SO I AM VERY MUCH SO KIND OF, I THINK, IN THIS PROCESS OF LIKE REDISCOVERING MYSELF.

I THINK THROUGHOUT SCHOOL I WAS SO KIND OF OVERWHELMED FOR ONE, AND JUST SO WRAPPED UP IN SCHOOL, THEN THAT'S WHERE I FUND MY IDENTITY THROUGHOUT UNDERGRADUATE.

I DID A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK AND STUDENT LEADERSHIP WORK.

I WAS A MENTOR, A TUTOR.

I VOLUNTEERED IN SOUP KITCHENS AND HOMELESS SHELTERS AND SCHOOLS, AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

AND THAT KIND OF CONSUMED A LOT OF MY TIME.

AND NOW WE ARE SOMEWHAT IN THIS POST-COVID ERA AND I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL NOW AND TRYING TO KIND OF, ON THIS PATH OF SELF DISCOVERY AND TRYING TO FIND MYSELF AGAIN NOW THAT I DON'T HAVE THAT IDENTITY OF BEING A STUDENT.

WHAT CAN I OFFER WITH ALL THESE SKILLS THAT I'VE GAINED AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE NOW?

BUT ASIDE FROM WORK, I DO LOVE SPENDING TIME WITH MY FAMILY.

I THINK I'M ABLE TO KIND OF TIE IN THE EXPERIENCE OF MY GRAND PARENTS AGING WITH THE WORK THAT I DO AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGE THAT I SEE IN MY OWN FAMILY AND KIND OF CONNECT THAT AND RELATE TO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I SEE WITH MY CLIENTS.

>> YEAH, YEAH WERE YOU IN THE MIDST OF GRADUATE SCHOOL WHEN COVID HAPPENED?

>> >> SO I GRADUATED IN MAY OF 2020 FROM UNDERGRADUATE.

AND SO, YEAH, MY FIRST FULL ALMOST MY FIRST FULL YEAR OF GRAD SCHOOL WAS ONLINE AND COVID WAS STILL, YES.

>> SO YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST FOLKS I'VE GOTTEN ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH, DOING THIS WORK, POST-COVID.

I IMAGINE YOUR SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE WAS ALSO INTERRUPTED.

>> YES, NO GRADUATION.

WE HAD TO LEAVE EARLY AND KIND OF DIDN'T REALLY GET A LOT OF CLOSURE WITH FRIENDS AND IT WAS VERY, YEAH VERY INTERRUPTED.

>> BUT YOU KNEW AT THAT TIME THAT YOU WERE ALREADY HEADED TOWARDS SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL.

>> YES.

>> SO YOU HAD A PATH LAID OUT.

>> UH-HUH.

>> WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT CLASS OF 2020.

>> YEAH!

>> AND SO JASMINE LIGHTBURN, TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT CLASS FROM SYRACUSE GRADUATE OF CORCORAN HIGH SCHOOL LANDED ON HER FEET AND IS DOING SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S REALLY AWESOME.

SO YOU ARE HELPING OUT AT HOME.

YOU ARE HELPING OUT AT WORK.

>> YES.

>> ANY OTHER PLACE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, IF FOLKS WANTED TO MEET YOU OR CONNECT WITH YOU, WHERE ELSE WOULD THEY FIND JASMINE LIGHTBURN?

>> AS OF NOW, I'M INVOLVED NOT EVEN ONLY THROUGH MY OWN DEPARTMENT AT INTERFAITH WORKS, WHICH IS THE SENIOR SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BUT I ALSO HAVE WORKED WITH THE CENTER FOR DIALOGUE IN ACTION IN THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITATING WHAT WE CALL DIALOGUES AROUND RACE AND RACIAL EQUITY.

I WAS A FACILITATOR AT FOWLER HIGH SCHOOL AND I DO ENJOY MY WORK WITH YUCKER YOUNGER PEOPLE AND YOUNGER ADULTS AS WELL.

>> SO YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE SENIORS BUT ALSO, WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE, YOU ARE GOING BACK TO YOUR ROOTS AND GOING BACK INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

WELL, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR A YOUNG LADY OR YOUNG PERSON AT FOWLER OR CORCORAN OR ONE OF THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS HERE IN THE CITY THAT ARE LOOKING TO FIND THEIR WAY IN THE WORLD?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?

>> I THINK I WOULD TELL THEM THAT, FOR ONE, IT'S OKAY TO THINK THAT YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN CHANGE AND THINK YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE AND CHANGE.

CHANGE IS GOOD AND IT MEANS YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE GROWING.

IF YOU ARE CHANGING THE WAYS THAT YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE, THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.

IT MEANS THAT YOU ARE GROWING AND FINDING YOURSELF.

AND I THINK EMBRACING THAT RATHER THAN FEELING THAT YOU ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE OF THAT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.

I THINK EMBRACING CHANGE AND BEING OKAY WITH THAT CAN HELP YOUNG WOMEN JUST FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE THING I WOULD SAY.

>> CHANGE IS OKAY.

IT MEANS YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

I LIKE THAT.

SOME PEOPLE FIND CHANGE VERY SCARY.

>> EXACTLY.

AND LIKE NO, IT'S NECESSARY.

AND IT'S A NATURAL PART OF GROWING.

SO WHY ARE WE LIKE RUNNING AWAY IN THERE THINKING THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE CHANGE, LIKE WE NEED THAT.

>> YES!

SPOKEN LIKE A WOMAN THAT SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HER SENIORS.

YOU ARE GAINING INFINITE WISDOM.

>> YES, I AM.

>> I FEEL IT LIKE EXUB RATING FROM YOU-- EXHUB RATING FROM YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT YOU HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS EPISODE AGAIN, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, WE WISH YOU WELL AND HAVE A BLESSED NIGHT.

NEXT WEEK, ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> TONIGHT I AM DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE LINDA LOWEN.

>> INCOMING FRESHMEN AND TRANSFER STUDENTS WE ARE SIGNING BOOKS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY WHO STOPS DOWNTOWN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO IS I WORK WITH WOMEN TO TELL THEIR STORIES.

THE BOOK IS JUST A GIANT CALLING CARD FOR ME TO TALK TO ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WANTS TO TELL ME ABOUT THEIR OWN STORY.

I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY IF I DIDN'T LIVE IN SYRACUSE NEW YORK.