COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE NATI TORRENCE.

>> WAS WE ARE IN AT THE MOMENT IS A SPECIAL DINNER FOR MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN OUR TASK FORCE DIVISION PROGRAM.

>> WE FOCUSED ON PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AND STEAM.

>> IF WE POUR INTO THEM, IF WE DO OUR JOBS RIGHT, THEY ARE GOING TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY.

>> WE TEACH, WE LOVE THEM, WE FEED THEM.

GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I AM YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE DIVERSE WOMEN THAT ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK.

AND THAT IS GOING TO INCLUDE A WOMAN SITTING NEXT TO ME TONIGHT I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE NATI TORRENCE.

SHE IS EMPOWERING YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY AS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF MERCY WORKS.

WHY DON'T YOU BRING YOUR FAMILY OVER, SEND A TEXT TO SOME OF YOUR GIRLFRIENDS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO MISS TONIGHT'S EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

WELCOME NATI.

>> THANK YOU.

AWESOME TO BE HERE.

>> WE FINALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN.

>> YES.

>> I REMEMBER US TALKING AND MEETING FOR COFFEE ONE WINTER DAY IN LATE 2019.

AND WE HAD ALL THESE PLANS TO LIKE RECONNECT AND.

>> HAVE COFFEE AND TALK.

>> AND THEN THE PANDEMIC HITS.

>> CHANGED EVERYTHING.

DIDN'T IT?

IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT MYSELF AND WOMEN LIKE YOURSELF ARE SITTING DOWN TO EACH OTHER-- TALKING WITH EACH OTHER, LIFTING UP EACH OTHER'S WORK AND SO WHEN YOU AGREED TO COME AND SIT DOWN ON THE COUCH, I WAS LIKE, YES!

>> I WAS LIKE WHAT!

THAT'S Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS, I CAN'T SAY NO.

THAT'S MY SISTER.

>> I ALWAYS START WITH THIS QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU GOT TO SYRACUSE.

BUT I'M GOING TO SWITCH THAT OVER TO ALSO SAY TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN TO SYRACUSE SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE.

>> OH MY GOODNESS.

ON A JOURNEY, LIKE EVERY OTHER WOMAN.

WE ARE ALWAYS SEARCHING.

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH, OPPORTUNITIES TO POUR INTO OTHERS.

SO MY JOURNEY KEEPS ME CEMENTED WITH THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF MERCY WORKS.

AND IT KEEPS ME GROUNDED IN MY LOCAL CHURCH.

EVERYTHING THAT I AM ABLE TO POUR OUTCOMES OUT OF THAT PLACE BECAUSE BEFORE I'M ANYTHING, I'M A BELIEVER.

I AM A WOMAN THAT SERVES GOD.

AND THAT ALL TRANSLATES INTO THE WORK THAT I DO, THE PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT I DO AT THE RELATIONAL CURRENCY GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH.

>> AND IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT YOU BEING A BELIEVER AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE WORK THAT YOU DO REFLECT THOSE BELIEFS AND I'M OFTEN AMAZED AT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT FOLKS FIND IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE ALIGNMENT OF WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT COMING HERE FROM NEW YORK CITY, LOOKING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT PACE AND YOU SEEM TO HAVE FOUND THAT.

>> YES.

VERY MUCH.

AND I THINK IT ALL BEGAN WITH MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

ONCE I GOT THAT ESTABLISHED AND IT HAPPENED HERE AT MY CHRISTIAN CENTER AND I BEGAN TO GET FED AND I BEGAN TO GET NURTURED SPIRITUALLY AND PRACTICALLY, I WAS LOADING UP, RIGHT?

AND THEN IT WAS TIME TO POUR THAT OUT.

AND YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD GOES, SO GOES EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO NATURALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THINGS JUST BEGAN TO LINE UP.

SO GOD WILL OPEN DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN CLOSE AND CLOSE DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN OPEN.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID FOR ME.

AND SO TODAY I GIVE OUT OF THE RESERVOIR THAT IS IN ME.

>> AND IT'S IN THAT THAT YOU, I THINK, FIND YOUR WAY TO MERCY WORKS.

TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT SORT OF HIVE-- HIVE WHAT SORT OF ALIGNMENT MEANT FOR YOU.

YOU FOUND YOUR CHURCH HOME.

BUT HOW DOES THAT LEAD TO PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES?

LIKE WHAT IS NATI'S "BEHIND THE WOMAN" STORY.

HOW DO YOU GET TO PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT MERCY WORKS?

>> YOU GET TO PROGRAM DIRECTOR BY SERVING AND BY GIVING.

VOLUNTEERISM IS AN AMAZING WAY TO KIND OF DAPPLE AND TRY DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.

I VOLUNTEERED IN DIFFERENT AREAS.

AND THEN ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER, MERCY WORK IS AN OFF SHOOT.

IT CAME OUT OF ACTUALLY OUT OF A STORY THAT THE SENIOR PASTOR WENT TO READ AT THE ELEMENTARY AND LONG STORY SHORT, HE OPENED AND BEGAN A NON-PROFIT CALLED MERCY WORKS.

I WAS INVITED INTO THE DISCUSSIONS ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS.

AND WE SAT AND STRATEGICALLY MAPPED OUT WHAT MERCY WORKS WOULD BE.

MERCY WORKS PURCHASED THE CLARENCE JORDAN CENTER AND OUT OF THERE, THEY BEGAN TO RUN PROGRAMMING.

ONCE THOSE PROGRAMS BEGAN, I STARTED VOLUNTEERING.

I WAS RUNNING A BUSINESS WHERE I WAS CONTRACTED BY PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS TO TEACH SPANISH.

AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE I WAS WORKING SEPTEMBER-JUNE, JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT THE VISION CENTER.

AND THE TWO WORLDS, IT BECAME TIME, I POURED INTO YOUNG PEOPLE BY TEACHING THEME SPANISH AND THEN VOLUNTEERED MY TIME OFF AT THE VISION CENTER.

AND THE LORD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME.

LIKE THERE WAS A SHIFT AND A CHANGE COMING.

AND THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR MERCY WORKS HAD TRANSITIONED ON AND I WAS ASKED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO COME IN AND TAKE THE POSITION AT THE VISION CENTER AND THE REST HAS BEEN A JOYFUL JOURNEY.

YOU KNOW, WE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT AND NEW PROGRAMMING.

WE FOCUSED ON PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND STEAM AND WE HAVE A NICE ROSTER OF PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER AND WE ARE INVESTED.

WE TEACH, WE LOVE 'EM, WE NEED FEED 'EM.

THAT'S WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO.

>> BEFORE WE GET FURTHER INTO THIS CONVERSATION, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT MERCY WORKS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT NATI AND THE STAFF THERE ARE PROVIDING TO HELP DEVELOP YOUNG PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> SO WE ARE AT THE CLARENCE JORDAN VISION CENTER IN THE SOUTH SIDE OF SYRACUSE AND WHAT WE ARE IN AT THE MOMENT IS A SPECIAL DINNER FOR MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN OUR PASSPORT DIVISION PROGRAM.

IT'S A WEEK LONG CONFERENCE THAT STARTED ON MONDAY.

IT STARTED YESTERDAY AND IT'S GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH SATURDAY AND WE COVER DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO GIRLS WHERE THEY ARE IN THIS GENERATION, IN THIS SEASON OF TIME.

TOPICS LIKE SELFIE-- SELF ESTEEM, BULLYING, CAREER EXPLORATION, SELF LOVE WE ARE COVERING A WHOLE LIST OF TOPICS THAT WE WANT THE GIRLS TO EQUIP THEM AND GIVE THEM TO SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN NAVIGATE THE WORLD THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN TODAY.

>> HI, MY NAME IS ANNETTE THOMAS AND I'M HERE TONIGHT FOR MY NIECE, JAZZ MARIE.

IT KEEPS THE KIDS OFF THE STREET.

SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO AND THEY END UP-- THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT AT FIRST AND THEN THEY END UP ENJOYING IT.

THEY GET TO MEET MORE PEOPLE.

>> RELATIONSHIPS, WE ALL NEED THEM.

NUTRIENTS LIKE BEING ACCEPTED BY OTHERS, NUTRIENTS LIKE FULFILLING YOUR DREAMS, NUTRIENTS THAT SPEAK TO YOU EMOTIONALLY, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TEACH GIRLS TO WALK ACROSS THE ROOM AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, THINK ABOUT DEVELOPING THEIR CAREERS AND THEIR FUTURE AND THEN GIVING BACK TO OTHERS.

WE WANT TO START THIS CYCLE OF LOVE BETWEEN WOMEN, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT BRING WISDOM SO THAT THEY CAN GROW AND DEVELOP AND BECOME EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AND THEN COME BACK AND COME BACK AND GIVE TO OTHERS.

WE WANT TO START THAT CYCLE.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

>> I LOVE THE WORK THAT MERCY WORKS DOES.

IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN MY COMMUNITY ON DIFFERENT SCALES, SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE LIKE IN CHURCH OR SOMETIMES AT SCHOOLS OR NEARBY COLLEGES WOULD HOST THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.

HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT, I WOULDN'T BE WHERE I AM TODAY.

>> MERCY WORKS IS THE UMBRELLA.

IT OWNS AND OPERATES THE CLARENCE JORDAN VISION CENTER.

AND OUT OF THE VISION CENTER WE HAVE A ROSTER OF PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE STEAM ENRICHMENT PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

I HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND MY ROLE IS TO OVERSEE ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT TAKES PLACE AT THE VISION CENTER TO BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN CREATE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WILL ELEVATE AND PROPEL THEM AND TRANSFORM THE TRAJECTORY OF THEIR FUTURE SO I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF GALVANIZING THEIR COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND POUR IN.

IF WE DO OUR JOBS RIGHT, THEY'RE GOING TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT?

>> I'M IN LOVE WITH THE KIDS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE AND THEY'RE WORTH ALL OF OUR TIME COLLECTIVELY.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN AT MERCY WORKS FOR EIGHT YEARS.

WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU ABOUT SEEING THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK, IS THERE AN EXAMPLE OR SOMEONE WHO COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND THE DIFFERENCE IT HAS MADE IN SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLES LIVES?

>> WHEN WE SEE THEM BLOSSOM AND MATURE, WHEN AFTER GOING THROUGH A PROGRAM, LIKE OUR PEN WEEK PAID INTERNSHIP THAT WE DO OUR SINNER SYNERGY PROGRAM, YOU HAD INTERNS FROM THAT PROGRAM.

WHEN THEY'RE IN THE TRENCHES AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH WITH US, THEY DON'T LIKE US VERY MUCH, RIGHT?

BECAUSE WE ARE CHALLENGING THEM.

WE ARE ASKING THEM TO LEVEL UP, TO COME UP A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT THEN THERE COMES A TIME AFTER THEY GRADUATE WHERE THEY START TO CONNECT THE DOTS, RIGHT?

WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN SYNERGY YEARS AGO WHO NOW SERVE ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

FOR US, THAT'S LIKE WOW, THEY DAME BACK.

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE VISION CENTER, WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES AND I THINK ABOUT THE CLARENCE JORDAN VISION CENTER WHAT I SEE IS AN AMAZING SELF SUSTAINING ORGANISM WHERE THE VERY YOUTH WE ARE POURING INTO, COME BACK AND THEY POUR IN.

AND MORE AND MORE WE ARE SEEING THAT COME TO FRUITION.

WE HAVE COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT COME BACK AND SPEAK, RUN WORKSHOPS.

THEY WILL SERVE AS MENTORS.

THEY COME BACK AND SERVE.

AND I'M PULLING ON A FEW TO COME BACK AND TEACH, YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS THEIRS.

IT'S NOT MINE ALONE.

IT'S THEIRS AND THEY NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT.

SO WE PROVIDE ALL OF THE TRAINING.

WE TREAT THEM LIKE OUR OWN KIDS EVERYBODY GOT TO HEAR WHEN I SAY NOPE.

RIGHT?

BUT WE ARE ALL POURING INTO THEM.

AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO REST ON THEM EVENTUALLY.

SO WE NEED TO BE TOUGH LOVING THEM, RIGHT?

AND TEACHING AND TRAINING THEM.

SO I'M OVERJOYED EVERY TIME A STUDENT COMES BACK.

TODAY I HAD ONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SYNERGY PROGRAM THAT SUMMER AND HE CAME BACK TO TELL ME.

I GOT HIRED AS A COUNSELOR AND ROBERTS ELEMENTARY AND WE HAD A CELEBRATION RIGHTED THERE.

>> BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OF WE GOT ON CAMERA ABOUT WE ARE ALL SEARCHING, RIGHT AND LOOKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HOPE WILL LEAD US TO THE PATH OUR LIVES WILL BE ON.

>> AND HERE IS THE THING, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING BUT SOME OF THEM ARE SEARCHING FOR ALL THE WRONG THINGS, RIGHT?

WE TRY TO GROUND THEM IN WHAT OUR VALUES THAT ARE LONG LASTING SO YOU SEE AN EXODUS OF STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE AND GOING TO OTHER PLACES.

WHEN THEY RUN THROUGH OUR SYNERGY PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY REALIZE THERE IS VALUE IN WHAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY CAN GIVE BACK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, REMAINING IN THE COMMUNITY BECOMES AN OPTION WE GET THE QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU IN SYRACUSE, KIND OF LIKE, WHY NOT SYRACUSE?

WE HAVE TO INVERT THE QUESTION.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU HERE AND THINK ABOUT THE SPACE IN ONE IN WHICH THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND FULL OF POTENTIAL JUST LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AROUND THE WORLD, RIGHT?

>> AND WE, AS ADULTS HAVE TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND REALLY MAP OUT THOSE DREAMS THAT THEY HAVE.

AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAPPEN HERE BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING TALENT.

I REFUSE!

>> YOU ARE LIKE NO, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT HERE.

>> WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT HERE.

>> WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT MERCY WORKS YOU ARE NOT AT MERCY WORKS I KNOW YOU ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN I DON'T ARE CHURCH.

WHAT ELSE DOES NATI ENJOY DOING.

WHAT IS IT YOU ENJOY?

>> THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

>> SHAMEFUL, RIGHT?

BECAUSE WOMEN POUR, WOMEN INCUBATE, WOMEN CREATE AND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT, WE GIVE OF OURSELVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET WHO WE ARE OR WHAT WE ARE DOING BECOMES.

>> WHO WE ARE.

>> WHO WE ARE.

>> THIS IS "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> THIS IS "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

SO I GOT TO COME WITH IT, RIGHT?

I'VE GOT TO LIKE... >> YES.

>> I THINK THE WAY I'M GOING TO ANSWER THAT, LIKE WHAT DO I DO TO REGROUP, TO REFUEL, TO REGENERATE?

BECAUSE I'M NOT A BIG PUBLIC FIGURE.

I'M NOT A PERSON THAT LIKES TO BE OUT THERE.

I'M NOT AN A TYPE PERSONALITY.

I'M VERY INTROVERTED.

>> SURPRISED AT THAT.

>> IT TAKES THOSE QUIET RECESSED MOMENTS FOR ME TO BREATHE DEEPLY AND REGAIN MY STRENGTH, TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK OUT AND POUR.

BECAUSE WHEN I'M TALKING TO STUDENTS, WHEN I'M TALKING TO VOLUNTEERS, WHEN I'M TALKING TO FACILITATORS, WHEN I'M TRAINING, TEACHING, DOING THAT KIND OF STUFF, I'M UP BECAUSE I'M GIVING THE BEST OF MYSELF, RIGHT?

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON PERSONALLY.

WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS IN THE ROOM, I AM IMMEDIATELY GIVING.

SO I HAVE TO RESET TO BE ABLE TO GATHER MY STRENGTH, TO BE ABLE TO POUR BACK OUT.

SO HOW DO I DO THAT?

I GET ALONE.

I WILL HIKE.

I LIKE GOING TO CLARK'S RESERVATION.

MAYBE YOU'LL WALK WITH IT ME ONE DAY.

>> I WOULD LOVE TO.

>> AND I JUST WALK.

I DO A LITTLE BIT OF GARDENING.

I'M NOT A GARDENER.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE FANTASTIC MANICURED LAWNS?

>> NO, GIRL.

YOU CAN SEE MY NAILS.

I DO TRY.

IT'S JUST A PEACEFUL THING TO PLAY IN THE DIRT.

TO RYE TO SEE IF I CAN KEEP SOMETHING ALIVE.

>> I'M BAD AT IT.

WE'LL WORK ON IT.

>> AND THEN I LOVE TO COOK.

YOU CAN ASK MY HUSBAND.

I LOVE TO COOK.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE WAYS WHERE I'M, WHAT DOES THIS RECIPE REQUIRE?

HOW CAN I TWEAK IT?

AND THOSE LITTLE THINGS AND READING.

I LIKE TO READ AS WELL IN THE WORD.

>> AND I THINK THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT, ALLOW US TO SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK, LIKE YOU SEE THE PASSION, AND WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH YOU ARE IN IT, EVEN IN THE VIDEO YOU HAVE LADIES NO, IT WASN'T A DATE.

IT WASN'T LIKE A COUPLE OF HOURS.

IT WAS LIKE A WEEK LONG FROM FRIDAY TO THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

LIKE YOU ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO IT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND MANY OF THE WOMEN THAT SIT HERE ARE.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REFLECT ON HOW WE CARE FOR OURSELVES.

WHAT ARE WE DOING AND EVEN SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT IT, YOU ARE LIKE, OKAY.

BUT I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SOFA BECAUSE WHILE YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT IT, I'M QUITE SURE THERE WERE SITTING AND WATCHING LIKE OH, LET ME REMEMBER SOMETHING TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING FRIENDS THAT WILL REMIND YOU GIRL, YOU NEED TO EAT.

GIRL, IT'S TIME TO DO THAT.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOUR LOAD AND WHAT YOU DO.

AND HOW DO YOU REFRESH, RIGHT?

WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES BECAUSE WE POUR SO MUCH.

I THINK IT'S IN OUR CHROMOSOME.

I THINK IN THE X CHROMOSOME IMPLANTED MULTITASKING, NURTURING, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS EMBEDDED IN THAT.

>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THIS FINAL QUESTION AS WE ARE ROUNDING OUT OUR TIME TOGETHER TONIGHT BUT HOPEFULLY YOU ARE GOING TO INVITE ME OVER TO EAT.

>> GIRL, WE ARE GOING TO EAT.

>> WHAT WAS SOME ADVICE THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK YOU AND YOUR FAITH, GETTING CENTERED, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WERE A BELIEVER FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT BE SEARCHING FOR THAT CENTERING FACTOR, MAY NOT HAVE FIGURED OUT WHERE IT IS GOING TO COME FROM, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO SEARCH FOR THEIR PATH.

THEY'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO BRING THEIR PASSION AND THEIR BELIEFS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO POUR INTO OTHERS TOGETHER IN SOME SHAPE, FORM OR FASHION.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE?

>> YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOURSELF.

YOU HAVE TO FEED YOURSELF AND FOR ME, IT'S SITTING AND READING THE BIBLE OR I GO ON YOUTUBE SOMETIMES AND I'LL JUST LISTEN TO MESSAGES LIKE FROM JOSEPH PRINCE OR JOEL OLSTEEN.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT MESSAGES THAT ARE BEING TAUGHT THAT GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN THEN POUR OUT.

IT WOULD GIVE YOU THE FUEL TO POUR OUT, TO CONTINUE TO POUR OUT.

SO SPENDING THAT QUIET TIME.

DOING DEVOTIONALS, THINKING ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS, SOMETIMES WE FOCUS ON THE BIG THINGS.

THAT BIG THING COMES IN LARGE CHUNKS AND WE CAN'T-- IT'S OVERWHELMING.

BUT IF I CAN GET UP TODAY AND BE THANKFUL FOR MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD, FOR THE HUSBAND THAT I HAVE, FOR THE CHILDREN THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IF YOU SPEAK THOSE THINGS OUT LOUD IN YOUR PRIVATE TIME, THEY START TO NAVIGATE AND THEN THOSE I AM CONCESSION.

WE HAVE TO TALK TO OURSELVES, GIRS.

>> AFFIRMATIONS.

>> I AM BLESSED.

I AM ANOINTED.

>> I AM BEAUTIFUL.

I AM WORTHY.

>> AND DO YOU SAY THEM IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR?

BECAUSE I'M LIKE... >> IT DEPENDS HOW I WAKE UP THAT MORNING.

SOMETIMES I WAKE UP AND I SAY YOU ARE DOING GOOD TODAY.

SOMETIMES I'M NOT THERE.

SO I HAVE THEM WRITTEN OUT AND I SOMETIMES WILL JUST READ THEM.

YOU ARE KIND.

YOU ARE GENTLE.

YOU ARE PATIENT.

YOU ARE IMPORTANT.

ALL OF THAT.

>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>> YOU ARE IMPORTANT, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU NATI FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING AND SHARING THOSE WORDS OF AFFIRMATION.

THIS IS "BEHIND THE WOMAN" AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU AND THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT YOU ARE HAVING ON THE COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE SHOW OR SHARE THIS SHOW WITH SOMEONE WHO MAY NEED TONIGHT'S MESSAGE, VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN".

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

NEXT WEEK ON BEHIND THE WOULD MANY.

>> I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE EMILY DARRENBACHER.

>> I'VE COME TO WORK FOR MENTAL HEALTH PREVENTION AND THAT CAME AFTER I LOST MY BROTHER IN 2014 TO SUICIDE.

WE ARE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR HOMECOMING GAME AND THEY'RE ACKNOWLEDGING MY BROTHER REED WHO ATTENDED WESTHILL AND PLAYED FOOTBALL HERE.

>> LITTLE PROBLEMS MIGHT BE LITTLE TO SOME PEOPLE BUT THEY DON'T FEEL LITTLE TO OTHERS.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHO REED WAS AND IF WE CAN SPREAD AWARENESS, THAT'S MY BIGGEST MISSION RIGHT NOW.