HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS EVENING'S EPISODE OF BEHIND THE WOMAN.

I'M YOUR HOST, DOCTOR JUHANNA ROGERS, AND TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MERRIETTE POLLARD, WHO HAS BROUGHT HER EXPERIENCES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BACK TO SYRACUSE WHERE SHE IS USING HER KNOWLEDGE TO HELP DEVELOP STRONG LEADERS IN CENTRAL NEW YORK.

SO, GATHER YOUR FAMILY AND SEND A TEXT TO YOUR FRIENDS - THEY WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!

I'M EXCITED BECAUSE I MET YOU PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING MOMENT.

I WAS AT ST. JOE'S, MY COLLEAGUE HAD BROUGHT ME TO A MEETING AND I WAS SITTING IN THE MEETING AND I WAS HAVING ONE OF THESE ALLERGY ATTACKS.

AND YOU REACHED OVER AND HANDED ME THE CUTEST PACK OF TISSUE.

IT WASN'T JUST LIKE REGULAR KLEENEX.

THESE WERE LIKE SOME DECORATIVE AND I WAS LIKE, WHO IS THIS WOMAN?

AND SHE IS ON IT.

AND FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, YOU HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN UP IN SUCH PREPARED, READY TO LEAD, CHALLENGING FOLKS.

THAT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME.

SO WHO IS MISS MERRIETTE POLLARD.

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I THINK ME WR WR IETTE POLLARD IS COMPOSED OF MANY DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS.

MY EXPERIENCE IN LIFE HAS DEVELOPED FROM LIVING IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND MEETING DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

SO MERRIETTE IS A LITTLE GIRL WHO GREW UP IN NORTH CAROLINA AND MOVE ADD ROUND AND HAVE HAD DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.

AND TODAY SHE IS A RETIRED WOMAN TRYING TO STILL SERVE HER COMMUNITY.

>> RIGHT.

AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LITTLE GIRL WHO GREW UP IN NORTH CAROLINA.

AND ATTENDED SHAW UNIVERSITY AND SO YOU ARE ONE OF THE FOLKS, WHEN IT COMES TO EXEMPLIFYING THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN OUR COUNTRY AND MODELING HOW THEY SHAPE AND EMPOWER FOLKS.

I THINK YOU ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

>> I WOULD SAY SO.

HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES HAVE A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE AND THEY CONTRIBUTED A LOT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONS, ESPECIALLY PERSONS OF COLOR.

AND GOING TO A HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE GAVE ME A FOUNDATION.

THEY DEVELOPED THE WHOLE INDIVIDUAL.

AND I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE THERE, GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL, BE SUCCESSFUL BUT IT WAS DUE TO THE FOUNDATION AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY TAUGHT ME THAT YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE GROW AND DEVELOP BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DID FOR ME AND IT WAS THERE THAT I MET MY HUSBAND OF 55 YEARS.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THAT MAKES IT IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> WHAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LESSONS YOU LEARNED IN YOUR EXPERIENCE AT SHAW COMING UP DURING THAT TIME?

>> ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS I WOULD SAY I LEARNED AT SHAW WAS THE FACT THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO WORK AT IT.

AND THAT PROGRESS DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT YOU CAN ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE.

>> AND I DIDN'T ATTEND A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE, MY SON IS LOOKING TO ATTEND ONE IN THE FALL.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING-- I'VE MET A LOT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE ATTENDED AND GRADUATED AND THEY ALWAYS COME BACK WITH THIS MESSAGE ABOUT-- NOT JUST THAT I CAN BE ANYTHING, BUT IF I PUT THE WORK IN, LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE I ACTUALLY CAN DO IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S A DISTINCTION, SOMETIMES BETWEEN SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF, WHERE I WALK AWAY FROM MY UNIVERSITY AND I'M LIKE, I'M TIRED.

I JUST-- I HAD TO GO THROUGH A LOT TO MASK UP, TO ENGAGE EVERY DAY, TO SIT IN THE CLASSROOM AND BE ONE OF... >> MANY.

>> RIGHT, IN MY CASE, ONE OF A FEW, RIGHT?

SO I'M ALWAYS INTRIGUED AND CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE THAT WAS SO DIFFERENT THAN MINE.

>> YOU GET A CHANCE TO JOIN A FAMILY.

THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL AT THE HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ALSO WORRY ABOUT A LOT OF WHAT OTHERS THINK.

I ATTENDED A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE COLLEGE-- I MEAN GRADUATE SCHOOL.

AND THERE YOU HAD TO CONSTANTLY PROVE WHO YOU ARE.

IT'S LIKE IN THE WORLD, THE WAY YOU HAVE TO, AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE, PROVE YOURSELF.

WELL, AT THE HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE, THAT'S NOT AN ADDED LAYER OF STRESS.

YOU ARE ABLE TO BE YOURSELF AND YOU HELP GET DEVELOPED BUT YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT IS THERE FOR YOU.

>> TO DO THAT.

SO YOU ARE AT SHAW.

YOU ARE GETTING EMPOWERED, I MIGHT SAY, RIGHT?

YOU FIND YOUR HUSBAND AND YOU MOVE ON TO GRADUATE SCHOOL.

HOW DO YOU GO IT TO SYRACUSE?

>> THAT'S A LONG STORY.

I HAVE LIVED IN DIFFERENT CITIES.

SO WHEN WE FIRST GOT MARRIED, WE MOVED TO SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA, LIVED AT LIVINGSTON COLLEGE, LEFT THERE AND WENT TO CHICAGO, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOR GRAD SCHOOL.

WE BOTH QUIT OUR JOBS AND WENT TO GRAD SCHOOL.

>> TOGETHER?

>> TOGETHER.

>> OH WOW.

>> AND THIS THEN WE WENT BACK TO LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE AND THEN TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AND THEN FROM GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY WE CAME HERE AND THERE I WAS PROGRAM ASSOCIATE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, AND ALSO CO-CHAIR OF THE GERONTOLOGY PROGRAM.

AND MY HUSBAND WENT THERE AND HE WAS A FOUNDING DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK THERE.

SO WE WERE RECRUITED TO COME HERE AND HE WAS THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK HERE AND THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED I WOULD WORK ON MY DOCTORATE AND DO SOME WORK IN SOCIAL SCIENCE BECAUSE MY MASTERS WAS IN GERONTOLOGY AND INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY STUDIES IN GRAD SCHOOL.

>> WAIT A MINUTE, NOW, MISS POLLACK.

YOU DONE TOOK US-- TALK ABOUT BLACK EXCELLENCE.

THAT IS IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ABOUT HOW YOUNG YOU ARE, BUT I THINK YOU ARE DOING THIS, IF I'M CORRECT, IF IN A TIME UNLIKE WHERE WE ARE NOW... >> WE WERE DOING IT AT A TIME WHEN INTEGRATION WAS REALLY JUST STARTING AND WITH GRADUATE SCHOOLS, PERSONS DID NOT WANT US TO INTEGRATE INTO THE IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS.

>> RIGHT.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND LET'S BE CLEAR.

YOU WENT FROM SHAW TO THE IVY.

>> AND SHAW GAVE ME, AS A HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE, THE PREPARATION TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE AND I WENT THERE ON FELLOWSHIPS AND I WAS ABLE TO COMPETE AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS; YES.

>> OKAY.

>> AND IT MADE THAT DEVELOPMENT COMING FROM THAT HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE.

>> AND I THINK I STOP TO GO BACK THROUGH THAT POINT, RIGHT?

BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE TWO THINGS, RIGHT, THE TIME IN WHICH YOU ARE DOING THIS, BUT ALSO FROM WHICH YOU CAME, RIGHT?

AND OFTEN TIMES WE HEAR THESE NARRATIVES ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE FROM AND HOW THEY CAN PREDICT WHERE YOU CAN GO.

>> NO.

I CAME FROM THE SEGREGATED SOUTH.

WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AND THEN ON TO MY LIFE THE WAY I DESCRIBED IT A FEW MOMENTS AGO.

>> AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU STAYED COMMITTED, EVEN POST UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AND THEN TO GLAM BLING, ANOTHER HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND THAT BRINGS YOU FORWARD TO THIS MOMENT.

WHAT HAS BEEN SPECIAL ABOUT SYRACUSE IN THAT YOU MADE THIS PLACE YOUR HOME?

>> SYRACUSE, WHEN WE MOVED HERE, IT WAS THE FIRST PLACE THAT WE LIVED WHERE WE LIVED A LONG TIME.

THAT WAS MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS, BECAUSE WE MOVED IN HIGHER ED.

AND SO LIVING HERE 15 YEARS, SORT OF GRABBED ME, BUT IT HAD-- SYRACUSE IS A UNIQUE PLACE.

IT HAS THE BENEFITS OF A LARGER CITY, BUT IT'S SMALLER, AND WHEN I MOVED HERE, I STARTED DOING VOLUNTEER WORK AND I WENT TO THE SENIOR CENTER AT DUNBAR AND THE SENIOR CENTER AT SOUTHWEST WHILE I WAS WORKING ON MY DOCTORATE.

AND IN DOING THAT, I FELT A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND I ALSO TRANSFERRED-- YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, TO ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY BECAUSE I HAD BEEN A LIFE MEMBER, SO MOVING AND REJOINING AND TRANSFERRING WITH MY CHAPTER HERE, THAT GAVE ME A PLACE.

BUT IT WAS THE WARMTH OF SYRACUSE AND CONNECTING WITH THE DUNBAR CENTER THAT ALSO HELPED ME REALLY ENJOY BEING HERE.

>> AND YOU ARE STILL CONNECTED TO DUNBAR CENTER THIS MANY YEARS LATER.

>> YES.

>> SO I WANT US NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MERRIETTE IS HELPING ENRICH HER COMMUNITY THROUGH THE DUNBAR CENTER.

>> TODAY WE ARE AT DUNBAR ASSOCIATION AND ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, THEY HAVE THE SENIOR PROGRAMMING.

DUNBAR ALSO PROVIDES YOUTH SERVICES AFTER SCHOOL AND A SUMMER PROGRAM.

IT ALSO PROVIDES A MEETING SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

PERSONS CAN COME AND WE CAN HAVE EVENTS HERE.

THEY ALSO PROVIDE WELFARE TO WORK PROGRAMS, AND OTHER SERVICES.

PERSONS CAN DROP IN, WE TRY TO SERVE THEM IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN.

SO, TODAY, THE SENIORS WILL HAVE THEIR LUNCH AND THEY WILL HAVE THEIR EXERCISE CLASS WHERE THEY DO CHAIR EXERCISE AND LINE DANCING.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PERSON WHO WANTS TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN I MOVED TO SYRACUSE SOME 30 YEARS AGO, I VOLUNTEERED AT THE DUNBAR ASSOCIATION IN THE SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER.

LATER, A FEW YEARS LATER ON, I BECAME THE E.D.

OF THE DUNBAR SOME 30 YEARS AGO.

AND IT WAS WHAT IT STANDS FOR THAT DROVE ME AND GAVE ME THE PASSION TO REALLY WANT TO BE A SERVANT.

IT'S A PLACE THAT SERVES THE COMMUNITY.

IT SERVES THOSE THAT ARE HARD TO REACH.

IT SERVES THE OTHER PART.

IT PROVIDES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES.

IT WAS A PASSION.

I HAVE SEEN IT SERVE AND SERVE IN MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.

FOR ME, I'VE SEEN THE IMPACT OF FEELING THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING OF VALUE.

IT'S A RECIPROCAL KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.

FOR THE COMMUNITY, I HAVE SEEN IT PROVIDE SERVICES DURING COVID WHERE SENIORS WERE ABLE TO TUNE IN THROUGH THE COMPUTER.

THE SUMMER PROGRAM PROVIDES A SAFE PLACE.

THE BUILDING ITSELF PROVIDES A PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I HAVE SEEN DUNBAR IN ITS HIGHS AND SEEN DUNBARS AT ITS LOWS.

IT'S HAD ITS CHALLENGES AND ITS SUCCESSES AND IS MOVING FORWARD NOW WITH SOME OF ITS SUCCESSES.

>> I THINK I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP IT PROVIDE SOME STABILITY AND TO HELP IT RECRUIT E.D.s, TO HELP IT RECRUIT BOARD MEMBERS, AND TO HELP IT JUST BECOME STABLE.

IT'S AN ONGOING KIND OF THING, AND I THINK ONE THAT HAS SOME EXPERIENCE IS ABLE TO DO THAT.

I THINK BEING HERE AS A VOLUNTEER TO THE BOARD NOW, NOT AS A PERSON WHO WAS ONCE DELIVERING THE SERVICES, I'M ABLE TO SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE IT AND I'M ALSO ABLE TO SEE THE PASSION OF THE PEOPLE, THE STAFF, AND THE BOARD WHO WORK WITH IT.

I HOPE TO SEE THE CENTER IN THE FUTURE BE ABLE TO FULFILL ALL OF ITS AREAS: FAMILY SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES, YOUTH SERVICES, I HOPE TO SEE IT EXPAND AND BE ABLE TO OFFER MORE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY DAYCARE, TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT OFFER MORE WELFARE-TO-WORK PROGRAMS, AND TO REALLY EXPAND INTO A FULLY COMPREHENSIVE AGENCY.

STILL YET, FOCUSING ON THE THINGS THAT IT IS GOOD AT.

AND YOUTH IS ONE OF THOSE AND SENIOR SERVICES IS ONE OF THOSE.

>> YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON-- AND YOU ASK ME THIS OFTEN, YOU SAY JUHANNA, WHAT IS NEXT?

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DUNBAR?

AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO THE DUNBAR CENTER.

IT REALLY WASN'T MY FIRST TIME BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE COUPLE OF TIMES THAT I HAD BEEN THERE.

AND I LEARNED ABOUT IT BEING A SETTLEMENT HOUSE.

AND HOW IT WAS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE FOLKS, WHEN THEY MIGRATED HERE, SOME OF MY FOLKS CAME THERE TO FIND WORK OR A ROOMING HOUSE OR RESOURCES TO HELP THEM SUSTAIN SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE TRADITION OF GIVING BACK AND BEING A PART OF SOMETHING, DUNBAR STILL EXUDES THAT.

WHY NOW... YOU ARE IN THE THIRD PHASE OF YOUR LIFE CHAPTER... WHY IS IT THAT YOU REMAIN, YOU KNOW, SO COMMITTED THROUGH YOUR SORORITY, THROUGH YOUR ROLE AND PASSION WITH DUNBAR?

>> I STAY COMMITTED BECAUSE I THINK IT TAKES US, IT TAKES OTHERS TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE.

INDIVIDUALS HELPED ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE AND I FEEL THAT I SHOULD GIVE BACK.

GIVING BACK IS THE WAY WE KEEP OUR WORLD MOVING AND WE LET OTHER FOLK KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE.

IT'S NOT WHERE YOU FIND SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW.

IT'S HELPING SOMEONE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO AND THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE.

WE JUST NEED TO GIVE THE RESOURCES, GIVE THE HELP TO HELP PEOPLE BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND IT'S THE DUNBARS-- NOT JUST A COMMITMENT TO DUNBAR.

I FEEL COMMITTED TO ST. SHOW'S ST. JOE'S I'VE SERVED ON THEIR BOARDS AND SERVE ON THE REGIONAL BOARD NOW.

BUT WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO THEM IS THE FACT THAT THEY ALSO FELT NOT JUST SHOULD YOU HELP KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY WHEN THEY COME TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO DO SOMETHING ABOUT PREVENTATIVE HEALTH.

SO THAT THING OF GIVING BACK, IF WE ALL DID THAT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST IN THIS WORLD NOW.

AND IF GOD GIVES YOU A SKILL, THEN YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO USE IT.

AND THAT'S MY MOTTO FOR ME.

>> IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE ALMOST BECOME A MODEL OF WHAT YOU SAY YOU WENT THROUGH AT SHAW.

>> UH-HUH.

>> YOU ARE CARRYING THAT WITH YOU.

>> YES.

THAT'S JUST MY BELIEF.

YOU CARRY ON AND YOU HELP OTHERS AND YOU REACH BACK AND THEN IF THEY DO THE SAME THING, PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.

>> PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.

WHEN YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES-- AND I KNOW YOU ARE NOT ONLY DOING THE WORK, YOU ARE MENTORING OTHERS IN THE WORK.

WHAT DO YOU THINK RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ARE LEARNING FROM YOUR MENTEES?

>> IT'S FUNNY, I JUST SAID TO ONE OF MY MENTEES THE OTHER DAY, THE MENTEE HAS BECOME THE MENTOR.

YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKING HER A QUESTION ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING.

I THINK BEING A MENTOR IS SOMETHING THAT I OWE.

AND WHAT I AM LEARNING IS THAT YOU CAN ALSO LEARN FROM OTHER PEOPLE.

YOU GIVE BUT YOU GET SOMETHING BACK.

I ALSO GET SOMETHING BACK FROM BEING A MENTOR WHEN I SEE THE YOUNG LADY THAT WALKED ACROSS THE STATE WITH HER MSW ON SATURDAY, AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S GREAT.

AND THEN NOW SHE WILL BE ABLE TO GO ON AND HELP SOMEONE ELSE.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT I CAN THINK OF WHO CAME THROUGH DUNBAR OVER 30 YEARS AGO I WAS THE E.D.

THERE AND I WAS ABLE TO NOW SEE THEM IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT LETS YOU KNOW IT'S VALUE TO IT.

>> YEAH.

>> A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN YOU ARE MENTORING, YOU MAY NOT DIRECTLY SEE THE IMMEDIATE RELATES OF IT.

BUT THEN LATER ON, YOU WILL SEE THAT.

>> YEAH, YEAH WHO WAS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MENTORS?

>> THERE ARE SO MANY.

I CANNOT SAY WHICH ONE BECAUSE WOULD I GET INTO TROUBLE.

[LAUGHTER] ONE OF MY MENTORS AND I WON'T CALL HER NAME BECAUSE SHE IS NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.

BUT I WAS TEACHING AT LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE, A YOUNG LADY WALKED INTO MY CLASS AND SHE HAD ON THIS PARTY DRESS.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SO, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF CALLED HER OUT AND WE TALKED AND SHE TOLD ME ABOUT HER LIFE.

AND SHE ASKED ME TO TEACH HER TO BE A LADY.

WELL THIS YOUNG WOMAN NOW IS RETIRED.

BUT SHE HAS BEEN CHAIR OF A DOCTORAL PROGRAM.

SHE HAS HER Ph.D., SHE HAS DONE ALL SORTS-- IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES.

SO SHE WENT FROM NOT GOING, YOU-- OF COURSE NOT BEING WHERE SHE WANTED TO BE IN LIFE TO BEING ABLE TO HELP EACH OTHER AND RUNNING A DOCTORAL PROGRAM AND TEACHING AT AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.

ANOTHER ONE OF A MENTOR IS SOMEONE THAT SHE IS IN THIS AREA AND SHE IS DOING FANTASTIC THINGS.

BUT SHE IS A HUMBLE PERSON.

AND ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO SEE WITH PEOPLE THAT I MENTOR IS THAT THEY BELIEVE WHEN YOU GET INTO A LEADERSHIP POSITION OR YOU OBTAIN POWER, YOU DON'T USE THAT TO BULLY PEOPLE, BUT YOU USE THAT TO HELP INDIVIDUALS.

AND THIS WOMAN IS VERY MUCH A LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND SHE WILL GIVE TO OTHERS BUT SHE IS HUMBLE WITH THAT LEADERSHIP.

SO BEING ABLE TO SEE SOMEONE EMBODY THAT HUMBLENESS TO ME IS GREAT.

>> IN THIS, IT IS POWERFUL THAT YOU HAVE THOSE EXAMPLES BECAUSE IT SHOWS WHAT YOU SAID.

SOMETIMES THE MENTORS BECOME THE TEACHERS.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU ARE COMING INTO SOMEBODY'S LIFE.

>> MENTORING IS HELPING DEVELOP THE WHOLE PERSON.

THERE ARE SOMETIMES WE TALK ABOUT THE SOFT SKILLS OF LIFE AND AN INDIVIDUAL NOT HAVING THE SOFT SKILLS CAN SOMETIMES PREVENT THEM FROM BEING WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO REACH THEIR TOP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I TALK A LOT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING AGGRESSIVE AND BEING ASSERTIVE.

AS WOMEN, SOMETIMES WE GET THAT IDEA THAT I JUST HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE.

HIT WHEN I'M TALKING, BUT YOU CAN MAKE A STATEMENT YOU CAN CAN -- YOU CAN BE ASSERTIVE BUT IT CAN BE IN A KIND WAY.

THOSE ARE SKILLS HAVE YOU TO HELP PEOPLE DEVELOP AND LEARN.

>> WHEN YOU ARE GOING ABOUT YOUR DAY TO DAY AND MAYBE WHEN YOU ARE MEETING WITH YOUR MENTORS.

YOU HAVE A WHOLE PLAN, I THOUGHT YOU WAS RETIRED, AND YOU'RE LIKE... >> I THOUGHT SO, TOO.

I LOOK TO THAT AS SOMEBODY IN THE START OF THEIR CAREER AND SAY I GUESS THE WORK IS NOT DONE.

>> IT'S NEVER DONE.

LIFE, AS THEY SAY IN THE GERONTOLOGY FIELD, YOUR AGING BEGINS WHEN YOU ARE BORN.

AND AS YOU MOVE ALONG, JUST DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OF YOUR LIFE.

YOU ARE WRITING YOUR LIFE'S STORY AND I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET HUNG UP IN THAT ONE PIECE OF THE STORY AND DON'T THINK THEY CAN GO ON, AND BUT WE ARE WRITING DIFFERENT CHAPTERS OF A LIFE.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, YOU WILL ALWAYS SEE THE GLASS HALF FULL THAT YOU CAN MOVE ON.

YOU ARE AT A PLACE IN YOUR LIFE NOW, YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE ANOTHER CHAPTER AND ANOTHER CHAPTER.

WE ALL ARE WRITING THOSE CHAPTERS.

>> THAT'S POWERFUL BECAUSE SOMETIMES AS WOMEN ESPECIALLY, RIGHT?

WE HAVE ROLES THAT WE PLAY.

IF YOU ARE A DAUGHTER OR A MOTHER, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND SO SOMETIMES EITHER THE ROLES AND ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES GO TOGETHER OR SOMETIMES IT'S PULLING YOU IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

AND SO WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, MENTORING, EDUCATING, GIVING BACK, LEADING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A WOMAN THAT IS LISTENING TO US NOW THAT IS TRYING TO GET ON TO HER PATH?

>> WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOU IS PROBABLY SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T EXPECT.

I HAVE THIS SAYING ON MY WALL, AND THIS LITTLE PIECE THAT SAYS IF GOD BRINGS YOU TO IT, HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH IT.

AND I WOULD SAY TO ANYONE THAT'S STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, JUST SEE THAT AS JUST ONE LITTLE BARRIER, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH IT, SEE, GOING THROUGH THAT BARRIER BRINGS YOU ON THE OUTSIDE AND YOU GROW WITH IT.

DON'T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU.

DON'T LOOK AT TIMELINES AND SAY I GOT TO DO THIS BY SUCH AND SUCH A DATE.

SLOW, STEADY WE WILL ACHIEVE THE GOAL.

AND I WOULD SAY DON'T EVER STOP DREAMING.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS CONTINUE TWASHEDZ THAT DROME AND YOU'LL MAKE IT.

ALWAYS CONTINUE TOWARD THAT DREAM AND WILL YOU MAKE IT.

>> THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK MORE OF US NEED TO HEAR THAT.

ME, AND THOSE LISTENING TO THAT NEED TO HEAR IT.

>> YEAH, AND YOU DON'T LOOK AT OTHERS FOR WHAT YOU SHOULD BE.

YOU DEVELOP YOURSELF WHAT YOU SHOULD BE.

AND DON'T LOOK AT SOMEBODY ELSE THAT THEY'RE IN THIS SPOT THAT YOU SHOULD BE THERE.

YOU WILL BE THERE WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO BE THERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TANNED ALLOWING US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR STORY AND THE WAYS YOU ARE ENRICHING THIS COMMUNITY AND ME, RIGHT?

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW TONIGHT'S EPISODE AGAIN OR WATCH PAST SEASONS OF THE SHOW, PLEASE GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF THE "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.