(upbeat music) - We're now joined by Amanda Ebokosia who is the founder and CEO of The Gem, G-E-M, Project, Inc. Amanda, good to see you again.

- Good to see you as well, Steve.

- Amanda, I met you because you're a 2021 Russ Berrie Making a Difference awardee, along with so many other terrific leaders.

Tell everyone what The Gem Project is while the website goes up.

- Yeah, so The Gem Project's a nonprofit organization that is based in Newark, New Jersey and what we do is we create year-long paid fellowships for both high school students and college students to work on social justice issues of their choice and learn how to participate in community organizing as well as get a pathway to employment.

- You know, when I met you I was struck by how strong a leader you are and how important it is that you are a role model for other young people, but in watching our news report with our colleagues at NJ Spotlight News, I was watching you and some others, I believe it was in City Hall in Newark.

- Yes.

- And testifying, making it clear to city elected leaders that younger people need the right to vote.

Now, let me be specific.

Are you calling for young people, as young as 16, to be able to vote in school board elections?

- Yes, 16 and 17 year olds.

- And city council, or just school board?

- School board, for now.

- For now.

(laughs) - Yes.

It's gonna send a ripple effect, and so we're just so excited.

- Okay.

Okay, Amanda, do this, 'cause there are a whole bunch of folks right now saying, "Come on, seriously?

16, 17?

They're not, they?

They're not mature enough to do that."

Go ahead, talk to them.

- Well, they have every right to be able to participate in electoral process, especially if it means that those who are elected has such a profound impact over their entire lives, how they even get educated in schools and also how they see themselves as members of society.

So they definitely have every right to engage in the electoral process, like everyone else.

- But it passed in the city of Newark, in the city council, correct?

- Yes.

- So I wanna be clear, so what does that mean for 16 and 17 year olds?

When will they be able to actually vote in a school board election in Newark?

- Well, they're actually able to vote this coming April.

So we, as community- - Hold on a second, we're taping this in late January.

In a few months, they're gonna vote.

- Yes, yes.

- Wow!

- Very soon.

- So I'm curious about this, because I saw some members of the state legislature in that same news report, and you saw it as well, who were saying, "Come on, seriously?"

They're saying, "Okay, maybe in a school board election, but not for state legislature, not for...

They don't know who their legislators are, they don't know who their congress members are."

And I thought, "Well, if that were the criteria for voting, there are a whole lot of folks who wouldn't be voting."

Go ahead, you're turn.

(chuckles) - Yes, that's exactly correct.

Why not?

My question is, why not?

Young people have been around and have kicked off every single movement from the civil rights movement and so much more and they- - Absolutely.

- Because of them, we've had an opportunity to benefit from their actions, so this could only be a win-win situation for young people as well as all residents of Newark, by making their voices heard.

- Amanda, you've been very committed, not just to education, social justice, voting rights, but also mental health.

Talk about the mental health, the youth mental health first aid initiative at The Gem Project please.

- Thank you so much for mentioning that.

We have been a recipient from a grant from United Way Greater Newark that made it possible for The Gem Project to be certified instructors to lead the mental health first aid certification.

So what that means is that we get to work and train with individuals and provide training for individuals as well as organizations or anybody, or any adult 18 and up, who work with youth.

And so that would make it possible for them to be certified for three years and be able to know how to identify non-crisis and crisis situations surrounding mental health.

So this is really critical, especially as we transition out of the pandemic.

- And more and more young people dealing with a whole range of mental health issues.

I'm curious about this, Amanda.

When I met you when you were winning the Russ Berrie Award on behalf of your organization, how did that award, the Berrie Award, change you and the organization, impact you and the organization, please?

- Yes, definitely.

It has impacted us in such a profound way, Steve.

We've been connected with so many different community leaders, and also opportunities for us to really engage in society in a much more meaningful way.

We've been able to do a lot of partnerships since then and we have just grown as an organization.

- Question for you.

I'm a student of leadership, try to understand it, make mistakes as a leader all the time, for you, Amanda, as young as you are, the impact that you've already made in such a, just a few years, how have you grown as a leader?

What's one really significant way you've grown and improved as a leader?

I'm curious.

- I've been much more empathetic.

I've never thought I could even be more empathetic than I am but just being around our young people every day has been just a meaningful experience, working alongside such great people.

I've just had a conversation with one of our program managers, Stacy Tyndall-Brown, and we just talked about just our journey together in the past three years, and really elevating this fellowship and I can not be where I am today if it's not for my team, nor will I be where I am today if it's not for the young people we serve every day in this community.

- Wow.

So well said.

You've also, because I remember meeting you then and I see you now, you continue to grow in terms of what I like to call one's executive presence, your public communication, your confidence.

I'm a student of that, I'm obsessed by it and I see it in you, and I'm so proud of you- - Thank you.

- We're all very proud of you.

Continue doing important work with The Gem Project.

That's Amanda Ebokosia.

- You're so nice.

- Amanda, thank you so much.

- Thank you, Steve.

- All the best.

I'm Steve Adubato.

We'll see you next time.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Celebrating 30 years in public broadcasting.

Funding has been provided by The Russell Berrie Foundation.

Newark Board of Education.

PSEG Foundation.

Kean University.

Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

The Turrell Fund, a foundation serving children.

New Jersey Sharing Network.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

And by Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

Promotional support provided by Northjersey.com and Local IQ.

And by ROI-NJ.