>>> TONIGHT ON A SPECIAL EDITION

OF METRO FOCUS, CHASING THE

DREAM.

MEET THE ORGANIZATION USING AN

AGE OLD APPROACH TO OVERCOMING

POVERTY AND HELP YOUNG PEOPLE BE

THEIR BEST.

HE GREW UP IN A LIFE OF POVERTY,

DRUGS AND JAIL BUT BEAT THE ODDS

TO BECOME A VOICE FOR HIS

COMMUNITY.

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO

CHANGE THE LIFE OF A CHILD?

IF SO NOW IS YOUR CHANCE.

WE HAVE THE DETAILS.

>>> THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION,

HEALTH, SAFETY AND EQUITY ALL

THINGS ALL CHILDREN SHOULD BE

ENTITLED TO BUT FOR AT RISK

YOUTH GETTING THOSE RIGHTS ARE

NOT GUARANTEED.

MEET THE PEOPLE HOPING TO CHANGE

THAT.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS "ME

FROM CUSS" ST

>>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH

RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND

JENNA FLANAGAN.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS

PROVIDED BY --

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO

THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF

"METROFOCUS."

TONIGHT WE'RE TAKING AN IN DEPTH

LOOK AT THE CONTEMPORARY STATE

OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, THE

CHANGING NATURE OF JOBS, THE

VANISHING MIDDLE CLASS.

WAGE DISPARITY AND ECONOMIC

OPPORTUNITY.

THIS IS OUR ONGOING REPORTING

INITIATIVE CALLED CHASING THE

DREAM.

POVERTY AND OPPORTUNITY IN

AMERICA.

FIRST WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT A

VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM THE

NATIONAL CARES MENTORING

MOVEMENT A PROGRAM WITH A

MESSAGE WITH A SIMPLE MESSAGE

MENTORING CAN CHANGE LIVES.

>> BECOME A MENTOR.

HELP SECURE THE MOST VULNERABLE

AMONG US, OUR CHILDREN, OUR

BELOVED CHILDREN.

>> SO I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> I'M IN.

>> ARE YOU?

>> SINCE 2006 THE NATIONAL CARES

MENTORING MOVEMENT HAS RECRUITED

TRAINED AND CONNECTED MORE THAN

140,000 CARING MENTORS WITH MORE

THAN 200,000 CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS

AND YOUTH SERVING PROGRAMS IN 58

U.S. CITIES.

SUSAN TAYLOR IS THE FORMER

EDITOR CHIEF OF "ESSENCE"

MAGAZINE AND THE FOUNDER OF THE

NATIONAL CARES MENTORING

PROGRAM.

JACK FORD SAT DOWN WITH HER TO

ASK WHY THIS PROGRAM IS SO

IMPORTANT FOR ALLOWING YOUNG

UNDERSERVED CHILDREN TO REALIZE

THEIR DREAMS.

>> I WALK THROUGH AIRPORTS OR

DOWN THE STREETS AND READERS

WILL COME UP AND SAY I LOVE THE

MAGAZINE.

YOU'RE WRITING IN THE BOOKS.

THE MAGAZINE ITSELF CHANGED MY

LIFE.

WE KNOW WE GO TO WORSHIP SERVICE

AND THERE MAY BE ONE PERSON IN

THE PULPIT AND NOT EVEN WORSHIP

SERVICE ALONE, EVEN CONFERENCES.

THIS PERSON IS THIS DYNAMIC

SPEAKER.

WE'RE TAKING NOTES AND SOMETHING

IN US SHIFTS.

WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT WITH

SCHOOLS.

WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT IN PLACES

WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE THERE IN

GREAT NUMBERS AND REALLY NEED

THAT KIND OF SUPPORT?

THAT GAVE RISE TO THE RISING

WHICH IS A PROGRAM WHICH I'M SO

EXCITED ABOUT.

>> I WANT TO SHOW OUR VIEWERS

SOMETHING.

YOU HAD RECENTLY, YOUR GALA

FUNDRAISING DID MARVELOUSLY WELL

AND PART OF IT WAS ESSENTIALLY

SORT OF TESTIFYING, IF YOU WILL,

BY SOME PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO

HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THIS AND IT

CAN BE SUCH A COMPELLING

RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT TWO OF THEM

HERE.

I WANT TO COME OUT AND TALK WITH

YOU ABOUT THEM.

>> I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED TO DO

WITH MORE WITH MY LIFE.

I DIDN'T WANT TO END UP IN

PRISON OR IN A CASKET.

AT THE SAME TIME I WAS FEELING

THIS WAY A NEW PROGRAM CAME INTO

MY SCHOOL CALLED HORIZON.

THE PROGRAM AND PEOPLE WHO

WORKED THERE SHIFTED MY ENERGY.

I LEARNED I WANTED TOO MUCH MORE

MYSELF TO LET BAD ENERGY CORRUPT

ME.

BEING AROUND SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE

MEANT MANY THINGS INCLUDING WHAT

IT MEANT TO BE A MAN.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> MY NAME IS KYTIE AND I WAS

NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

NONE OF YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW

MY NAME OR HEAR MY VOICE.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE

STREETS, PRISON OR DEAD.

THAT'S THE STORY OF TOO MANY

YOUNG PEOPLE OF MY GENERATION.

AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY STORY

AS WELL.

INSTEAD, I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A

TEACHER, A MENTOR, AND A

SURVIVOR.

[ APPLAUSE ]

>> SO YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO

YOUNG PEOPLE AND FIRST THING

THEY SAY, IT WORKS.

IT CAN WORK AND THEY ARE

EVIDENCE.

IT CAN WORK FOR SELF-ESTEEM,

CULTURAL IDENTITY AND IT CAN

WORK FOR BIGGER ISSUES SUCH AS

POVERTY.

HOW SO?

>> WELL LOOK AT THE YOUNG MAN

WHO JUST SPOKE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ONE TO ONE

MENTORING WITH US IN SCHOOL ON

THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO AND IN

THAT SCHOOL IN ONE ACADEMIC YEAR

30 YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SHOT.

CHAOS.

HE WAS PART OF THE GROUP WHERE

MENTORING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN

IN THAT SCHOOL THROUGH GROUP

MENTORING.

A THOUSAND STUDENTS MR.ING

STUDENT BODY AS CHILDREN ARE

SHIFT FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.

IT'S CHAOS.

SIX EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND FORMER

TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS THAT RUN

THE PROGRAM.

HE WAS PART OF THE GROUP WE WERE

MENTORING.

YOU HEARD THE REST OF THAT, YOU

KNOW WHAT HE SAID?

HERE ARE MY GRADES TODAY.

HE HELD UP HIS REPORT CARD.

ALL As AND Bs.

WE'RE SHIFTING CONSCIOUSNESS.

WE'RE LETTING YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW

THEY ARE INTELLIGENT.

THEY ARE NOT WHO THEY SEE

THEMSELVES REPRESENTED AS ON THE

NIGHTLY NEWS.

NO YOUNG PERSON OUT HERE IS

TRYING TO MAKE TROUBLE, WHO HAS

A GUN IN HIS OR HER POCKET OR

TRYING TO ASSAULT SOMEBODY IF

THEY HAVE A JOB AND SEE A WAY

FORWARD.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SEEKING LIFE

IN YOUNG PEOPLE.

HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHY

ACADEMICS ARE IMPORTANT.

AND THAT THEY ARE INTELLIGENT

ENOUGH TO LEARN.

WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

SCHOOLS THAT ARE JUST -- THEY

ARE SUCH A GULF BETWEEN WHAT

SCHOOLS IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS

HAVE AND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE

AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO

ARE IN WELL RESOURCED SCHOOLS

AND WELL RESOURCED FAMILIES.

SO IN SCHOOLS LIKE WE'RE WORKING

IN, IN HARLEM AND OTHER CITIES

IN THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'RE

PILOTING PROGRAMS WE HAVE YOUNG

PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS

OR GREAT SCIENCE LABS OR HAVE

BAND EQUIPMENT OR

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES,

TEACHERS WHO ARE OVERWHELMED AND

NEED MORE SUPPORT AND A BUDGET

THAT IS CUT EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

SO WE'RE SAYING WE CAN DO BETTER

THAN THIS.

THE NATIONAL CARES MENTORING

MOVEMENT IS A COMMUNITY

MOBILIZATION MOVEMENT, GETTING

THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THE

RESCUE AND ADVANCEMENT OF OUR

YOUNG.

WE CAN FIX IT AND WE ARE.

>> CERTAINLY NOT TOO LATE.

MARVELOUS WORK BY YOU.

SO HAPPY YOU CAME IN AND CHATTED

WITH US.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO CHAT WITH

YOU.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>> AWARD-WINNING ACTOR, WRITER

AND COMMUNITY ACTIVIST DANIEL

BEADY HAS AN INCREDIBLE LIFE

STORY.

AS THE SON OF A HEROIN DEALER

WHO WAS IN AND OUT OF PRISON AT

LEAST 06 TIMES OVER THE COURSE

OF HIS LIFE, DANIEL LEARNED

ABOUT THE IMPACT INCARCERATION

HAS ON FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

HE OVERCAME THIS AND CHASED HIS

OWN DREAM.

HIS LATEST PROJECT IN WHICH HE

STARS AND CO-WROTE AND PRODUCED

REFLECTS THE DIFFICULTIES MANY

AFRICAN-AMERICANS FACE TODAY.

IN THIS GRIPPING FILM HE PLACE

LANCE A REFORMED GANG LEADER

RETURNING TO HARLEM AFTER

SERVING A TEN YEAR PRISON

SENTENCE AND FINDING HIMSELF

UPABLE TO USE THE TECHNOLOGICAL

SKILLS HE LEARNED IN JAIL.

FIRST HERE'S A PREVIEW OF

"CHAPTER AND VERSE."

>> I'M LANCE ENGEL.

I WANT YOU TO CHECK WITH YOUR

FIVE TAR GENERALS, HAVE THEM

CHECK WITH THE OLDER GENTS.

♪

>> HOW LONG YOU BEEN OUT OF THE

JOINT.

A FEW WEEKS.

>> I GOT TWO COMPUTER

CERTIFICATES.

>> I'LL WORK THE FIRST WEEK FOR

FREE.

>> MAKE THE DELIVERIES.

>> WHAT DID YOU GO TO JAIL FOR?

>> THIS IS A REALLY POWERFUL

FILM AND I THINK PARTICULARLY

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS IT'S GOING

TO BE INCREDIBLY POWERFUL

BECAUSE YOU SEE THE STORY OF, AS

WE MENTIONED IN THE LEAD, THE

GENTLEMAN LANCE COMING BACK FROM

PRISON AND TRYING REINTEGRATE

INTO SOCIETY BUT TOLD FROM HIS

POINT OF VIEW.

WHY DID YOU GO IN THAT DIRECTION

>> WE WANTED TO TALE STORY OF A

PORTRAYAL OF A BLACK MAN AND A

BLACK MAN WHO WE DON'T HEAR FROM

PERSONALLY A LOT.

WE HEAR ABOUT.

SO THIS IS A MAN THAT'S JUST

GETTING OUT OF PRISON AS YOU

SAID.

HE HAS CHANGED AND THE COMMUNITY

AROUND HIM HAS CHANGED.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME SEEING

THE WORLD THROUGH HIS EYES SO WE

CAN TRULY KNOW THAT'S RIGHT, THE

HUMANITY, THE VULNERABILITY OF

THIS BLACK MAN THAT WE THINK WE

KNOW BUT IN MANY WAYS WE DON'T.

>> WE USUALLY ONLY HEAR AS PART

OF STATISTICS AND NOT AS A

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL HUMAN BEING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE OF THE PLAGUE OF MASS

INCARCERATION IN THIS COUNTRY,

AND BECAUSE WHEN THESE MEN COME

OUT OF PRISON, MEN AND WOMEN,

THEY STILL HAVE DREAMS, THEY

STILL HAVE HOPE, THEY STILL HAVE

MANY YEARS OF LIFE.

WE DO NEED TO CREATE SPACE IN

OUR SOCIETY TO SEE THEM IN THEIR

FULL HUMANITY VERSUS BEING

STATISTICS.

>> HOW DID YOU INCORPORATE YOUR

OWN PERSONAL NARRATIVE

>> MY FATHER BECAUSE OF HIS

HEROIN ADDICTION AND SELLING HAS

BEEN IN AND OUT OF PRISON.

OLDER BROTHER ALSO IN AND OUT OF

PRISON.

MY CO-WRITER AND DIRECTOR OF THE

FILM AS AN ACTIVIST IN THE BLACK

PANTHERS SPENT TIME IN PRISON.

I DO PERFORMANCES IN PRISON.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL IN

GENERAL IS THAT WE HAVE TO FIND

WAYS TO HEAR FROM THE MOST

VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY,

ESPECIALLY IN THESE URGENT TIMES

AND SO MY OWN STORY CAUSES ME TO

ADVOCATE FOR NARRATIVES THAT

ALLOW US TO HEAR THOSE WHO ARE

DISENFRANCHISED AND ON THE

FRINGE OF SOCIETY HAVE A VOICE

AND SPEAK.

>> WHEN YOU MENTION ABOUT

HEARING PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST

VULNERABLE IN SOCIETY CAN YOU

TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THE

OUTREACH WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING

TO MAKE SURE THOSE VOICES ARE

HEARD SFLUM.

ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO THROUGH A

GRANT FROM THE KELLOGG

FOUNDATION I STARTED A PROGRAM

CALLED I DREAM THAT USES THE

TOOL OF THE ARTS TO HELP CREATE

A NEW GENERATION OF SOCIAL

JUSTICE LEADERS FROM OUR MOST

VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

THE IDEA IS PERSONAL

TRANSFORMATION IS A PATH TO

SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION.

SO MANY OF US INCLUDING THE

CHARACTER LANCE FROM MY FILM

INHERITED TRAUMA FROM RACE

INEQUITY.

HOW CAN WE GET CLEAR ABOUT THE

TRAUMA WE INHERITED AND THEN USE

THE TOOLS THROUGH CREATIVITY TO

IMAGINE WHAT WE WANT FOR

OURSELVES PERSONALLY AND OUR

COMMUNITIES AND THEN ENGAGING

SOCIAL JUSTICE PROJECTS TO START

MAKING THAT NEW NARRATIVE REAL.

>> AND POSSIBLY MORE FILM MAKERS

IN THE MAKING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO, GOING BACK TO THE FILM,

THOUGH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I

THINK MAKES IT SO PERSONAL, AND

AS WE MENTIONED ALREADY THAT

LANCE VERY MUCH A

THREE-DIMENSIONAL PERSON.

AND WE GET TO WATCH HIS JOURNEY

WITHOUT GIVING AWAY THE ENDING

BUT HE'S ABLE TO FIND JOY AND

HAPPINESS AND PURPOSE IN HIS

LIFE AGAIN.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR ANYONE

COMING OUT OF PARTICULARLY

PRISON WHERE YOU SORT OF HAVE

BEEN THROWN AWAY, TO BE ABLE TO

REDISCOVER THAT IN THEIRSELVES

AND LIVES.

>> I'M GAD YOU SAW THAT.

AS THE ACTOR PLAYING PETROLEUM

AND EVEN AS WE WERE WRITING IT

THAT WAS THE JOURNEY.

RIGHT.

THIS MAN WHO COME OUT, HE'S

AFRAID.

HE'S CONFUSED.

HE'S AFRAID TO HOPE.

AND THEN THROUGH HIS

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAJOR

CHARACTER --

>> AMAZING IN THE FILM.

>> AND A CHILDHOOD FRIEND WHO

TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND SLOWLY

ABLE TO TRUST.

IN THAT SPACE OF TRUST AND

COMMUNITY SLOWLY ABLE TO HOPE

AGAIN.

I THINK FOR A CHARACTER COMING

OUT OF PRISON LITERALLY LIKE

LANCE, US COMING OUT OF OUR OWN

PRISONS OF THE VARIOUS THINGS

THAT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT IN OUR

LIVES OR EVEN US AS A COUNTRY

NOW IN THIS URGENT MOMENT,

FINDING OUR PLACE TO HOPE EVEN

IN THE MIDST OF FEAR AND IN THE

MIDST OF CONFUSION IS WHAT WE

MUST ABSOLUTELY DO BECAUSE IF WE

DON'T HAVE HOPE, IF WE DON'T

FIND SOME WAY TO MAINTAIN VISION

OF POSSIBILITY EVEN IN THE MIDST

OF BREAKDOWN THEN WE LOSE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR

TAKING THE TIME TO COME DOWN AND

TELL BUS THE MOVIE.

WE'LL MAKE SURE AS MANY PEOPLE

GET A CHANCE TO SEE THE FILM.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> A NEW INITIATIVE FROM NEW

YORK CITY IS TAKE ON THE

PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR LOW

GRADUATION RATES HEAD ON WITH A

LITTLE HELPING HAND.

THE NYC YOUTH MENTORING IN SHY A

NEGATIVE HOPE TO REACH HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE

TOUGHEST NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE

CITY.

THEY ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

BETWEEN STUDENTS AND MEN

TOWARDS.

COMPANIES LIKE HBO AND AMERICAN

AIRLINES PLEDGING SUPPORT CITY

ORGANIZATION, THE ULTIMATE GOAL

IS TO HELP SHAPE STUDENTS VIEWS

OF THEMSELVES SO THAT THEY CAN

REALIZE THAT ANY FUTURE IS

POSSIBLE.

JACK FORD SPOKE WITH PAULA GAVIN

THE CHIEF SERVICE OFFICER AND

TWO OTHERS A MENTOR/MENTOREE DUO

WHICH BUILD MENTORING

RELATIONSHIPS THAT BUILD FIRST

GENERATION MENTORING.

>> WHAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND.

>> IT IN NEW YORK CITY THERE ARE

300,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND

WHILE THE GRADUATION RATE HAS

RISEN TO 70%, OUR CITY HAS SET A

GOAL OF 80% AS QUICKLY AS WE

CAN.

AND MENTORING IS ONE OF THE

STRATEGIES THAT HAS PROVEN TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN COLLEGE AND

IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

SO WE DECIDED TO PULL ALL OUR

CITY AGENCIES TOGETHER AND MAKE

A PLAN TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF

YOUNG PEOPLE WITH MENTORING

EXPERIENCES IN HIGH SCHOOL.

40,000.

MENTORING WHICH IS A

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CARING

ADULT AND YOUNG PERSON CAN

REALLY HELP THE INDIVIDUAL TO

CANE RESILIENCY SKILLS, PROBLEM

FISCA

SOLVING, COMMUNICATION.

THOSE ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT HELP

YOUNG PEOPLE SUCCEED BOTH IN

SCHOOL AND LIFE.

>> YOU'VE BEEN A SUCCESSFUL

EXECUTIVE IN THE FASHION

INDUSTRY AND YOU DECIDED YOU

WANTED TO BECOME A PART OF THIS.

WHY?

>> LIKE PAULA SAID THERE ARE

MANY CARING ADULTS OUT THERE.

MYSELF INCLUDED WHO WANT TO MAKE

A POSITIVE IMPACT AND USE THEIR

EXPERIENCE TO DO THAT.

THE COLLEGE PROCESS CAN BE

DAUNTING.

THAT'S SOMETHING I HAVE UNDER MY

BELT.

LET ME UTILIZE THAT TO HELP

SOMEBODY ELSE GET THERE.

>> EXPLAIN TO ME FROM YOUR

PERSPECTIVE, I MENTOR.

>> IT'S A REMARKABLE PROGRAM.

WHAT IT DOES IT INTERVIEWS

PEOPLE LIKE ME TO FIND OUT WHAT

DRIVES US, WHAT MOTIVATES US AND

WHAT'S OUR INTEREST AND MATCHES

YOU WITH A STUDENT THAT HAS

COMMON INTEREST.

IT STARTS TO BUILD A

RELATIONSHIP FOR YOU WHEN YOU

MEET THE PERSON YOU HAVE SOME

COMMON GROUND TO GET STARTED ON.

>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING

ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO

PREPARING JAY FOR COLLEGE.

>> THE REMARKABLE PART OF THE

PROGRAM BUT REALLY MENTORING

SPECIFICALLY THERE'S A WHOLE

DISCOVERY PROCESS WHERE YOU MEET

THIS PERSON AND YOU START TO

UNDER WHAT THEIR STRENGTHS ARE.

WHEN YOU FIND THOSE STRENGTHS

YOU SAY OKAY HERE'S WHAT YOU'VE

ALREADY GOT TACKLED AND HERE'S

WHAT'S MISSING.

HERE'S HOW I CAN HELP YOU.

FOR THE COLLEGE PROCESS WE

LOOKED AT HER GRADE, WHAT HER

S.A.T.s LOOK LIKE, DO WE NEED TO

SIGN UP FOR S.A.T. COURSES

TOGETHER, DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT

THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

JUST KIND OF DISSECTING THE

ENTIRE PROCESS AND DIVIDING AND

CONQUERING AND COMING TOGETHER

WHERE WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER.

>> HOW HELPFUL HAS IT BEEN FOR

YOU

>> PRETTY HELPFUL.

IT'S BIZARRE I'M A FIRST

GENERATION MY MOM DOESN'T KNOW

WHAT'S GOING ON THAT MUCH.

WHEN I KNEW BIANCA WENT THROUGH

THE COLLEGE PROCESS THAT'S

GREAT, I HAVE HELP.

>> PEOPLE WATCHING THIS, I WOULD

LIKE TO GET INVOLVED EITHER AS A

MENTOR OR I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO

WOULD BENEFIT FROM COUPLING UP

WITH A MENTOR.

WHERE DO THEY FIND THE

INFORMATION?

NEW DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE

TIME IN THE WORLD, YOU DON'T

HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.

YOU JUST NEED TO CARE.

ANYONE WHO HAS AND DEHAS A

DESIRE TO HELP OUR CITY WHICH IT

DOES, HELP THEMSELVES TO GROW

CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE,

NYC.GOV/SERVICE AND SEARCH FOR

MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES AND WE

HAVE DOZENS OF OPPORTUNITIES OF

ALL TYPES.

ANYBODY WHO IS A YOUNG PERSON WE

WOULD ADVISE THEM TO TALK TO

THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AND WE'RE

PUTTING MANY PROGRAMS IN NEW

HIGH SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT HIGH

SCHOOLS PARTICULARLY IN THE

POOREST COMMUNITIES.

I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE ALL

PEOPLE BRING SO MUCH.

THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH LIFE AND

HAVE CONQUERED THOSE CHALLENGES

AND WE JUST WANT TO BE OPEN TO

ANYONE WHO HAS THE TIME AND WHO

REALLY CARES AND WE KNOW THEY

CAN DO IT.

>> IF ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS CAME

UP TO YOU, I'VE HEARD YOU'VE

BEEN DOING THIS MENTORING THING

AND I'M THINKING OF DOING IT

MYSELF, WHUT SAY?

>> GO FOR IT.

MY FRIEND IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS

HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

YEAH I JUST FINISHED MOST OF MY

COLLEGE PROCESS.

WAIT WHAT?

I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED.

IT'S KIND OF NICE TO HAVE A

MENTOR.

SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT I HAVE

A MENTOR THAT'S THERE.

>> LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.

WHAT DO YOU GET FROM THE

RELATIONSHIP

>> HYPER REWARDING.

I GET SOMEBODY, I GET TO LEARN

ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO IS A

DIFFERENT AGE THAN MYSELF HORKS

IS GOING THROUGH THINGS IN A

DIFFERENT WAY THAN I DID BUT SHE

GIVES ME BACK SO MUCH.

VERY REWARDING PROCESS AND I

HOPE I GET TO DON'T SEE HER GROW

AND EXCEL AND THERE'S NOTHING

MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN WATCHING

SOMEBODY GROW.

>> A GREAT PROGRAM.

WONDERFUL FOR YOU TO BE A

CHAMPION FOR THIS YOUNG LADY AND

TO HELP HER AND YOU ARE DOING A

WONDERFUL JOB WORKING WITH HER

AND I KNOW WHEREVER YOU END UP

IN COLLEGE YOU'LL DO MARVELOUS.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> THANK YOU.

>>> FOR SOME HIGH SCHOOL

STUDENTS COLLECTING THEIR

DIPLOMA ON GRADUATION DAY MEANS

OVERCOMING HOMEWORK AND FINAL

EXAMS.

POVERTY AND INSTABILITY AT HOME

CAN DERAIL STUDENTS FROM

REACHING ACADEMIC SUCCESS.

THE NONPROFIT CHILDREN'S DEFENSE

FUND FOR NEW YORK ADVOCATES

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS TO EDUCATION,

SAFETY AND EQUITY.

EACH YEAR THE SCHOLARSHIP

PROGRAM RECOGNIZES A HANDFUL OF

STUDENTS WHO HAVE OVERCOME

TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES.

ANDREA CAUGHT UP WITH THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S

DEFENSE OF NEW YORK AND ONE OF

THE SCHOLARS WHO HAS BEATEN THE

ODDS.

FIRST SHE HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND

THE ORGANIZE'S GALA AND SPEAK

WITH ORGANIZERS ABOUT ADVOCATING

FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR

THEMSELVES.

>> HOW DID THIS BECOME SUCH AN

ISSUE FOR YOU?

>> I GREW UP IN A SEGREGATED

SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN THAT TOLD

BLACK CHILDREN WE COULDN'T DO

ANYTHING OR BE ANYTHING AND I

HATE ANY CHILD NOT HAVING A FAIR

SHOT IN LIFE.

I COULD HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE

CRACKS BUT THANK GOODNESS I HAD

A GOOD FAMILY AND THERE WERE

ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS

AROUND TO ASSIST MY GROWTH AND

THAT'S WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION

DOES.

IT SORT OF MAKES SURE CHILDREN

KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THAT

THERE SHEEP FOR THEM.

>> I GREW UP IN THE INNER-CITY

IN THE BRONX.

I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE LIKE TO

BE RAISED IN A SINGLE FAMILY

HOME AND ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS AND

BEING ABLE TO PAY IT FORWARD.

THERE'S A GROUCH INDIVIDUALS WHO

ARE SUCCESSFUL AND THEY ARE

RECOGNIZING THOSE WHO ARE.

>> THESE CHILDREN ARE SO

AMAZING.

THEY ARE MIND BLOWING.

THEY HAVE SUCH -- SOME OF THEM

HAVE SUCH HARD LIVES AND SO MANY

THINGS TO OVERCOME AND THEY

STILL MANAGE TO DO THAT AND DO

WELL IN SCHOOL AND I THINK THOSE

ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT

SHOULD BE CELEBRATED.

>> JOINING ME NOW IS THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S

DEFENSE FUND NEW YORK, SAMANTHA

LEVINE AND ONE OF THE SCHOLARS

WHO HAD BEATEN THE ODDS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

SO CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND AND

BEAT THE ODDS PROVIDES A

HOLISTIC APPROACH.

THERE'S THE SCHOLARSHIP MONEY

BUT ALSO ONGOING MENTORSHIP AND

SUPPORT.

WHY IS THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT

PART OF THE EQUATION?

>> THE PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY HAS

TWO DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.

ONE WE PROVIDE ACADEMIC AND

SOCIAL READINESS PROGRAMMING FOR

STUDENTS TO HELP THEM THINK

ABOUT APPLYING TO COLLEGE, TO

HELP THEM THINK ABOUT THE BEST

WAYS TO GET FINANCIAL AID

PACKAGE, WHY THEY MIGHT WANT TO

GO AWAY TO SCHOOL AND HELP THEM

PREPARE FOR SCHOOL.

AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE A

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WHICH GIVES

$10,000 SCHOLARSHIPS TO FIVE

STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO STUDENTS

WHO HAVE AS YOU SORT OF JUST

SAID OVERCOME INCREDIBLE ODDS TO

EXCEL ACADEMICALLY, GIVE BACK TO

THEIR CHUNTS AND SHINE AS A

POSITIVE SUPPORT FOR THEIR

PEERS.

>> AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE

STUDENTS.

GROWING UP YOUR FATHER TOLD YOU

THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE VALUE, THAT

YOU WEREN'T GOING TO AMOUNT TO

ANYTHING, BUT IN YOUR SPEECH

WHEN YOU WERE HONORED AT THE

GALA YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO BE

THE KID FROM THE BRONX THAT

CHANGED THE WORLD.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHERE DID YOU GET THAT DRIVE?

>> HONESTLY MY DRIVE ORIGINATED

FROM MY MOM.

SHE WAS THE MOST POSITIVE PERSON

IN MY LIFE.

WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY AND I WAS

ABOUT 12 AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW,

MY WHOLE LIFE JUST TOOK A

DIFFERENT TURN.

I DIDN'T HAVE THAT PERSON WHO

CONSTANTLY PUSHED NOTICE GO TO

THE RIGHT PATH.

SHE WAS THE ONE WHO KEPT ME ON

THE RIGHT TRACK AND AFTER LOSING

HER I LOST MY SENSE OF

DIRECTION.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS TIME

PROGRESSED I REALIZED I'M HER

SON.

YOU KNOW.

THIS WAS A VERY SPECIAL WOMAN

WHO LEFT US.

AND IF I WASN'T GOING TO

CONTINUE HER LEGACY AND IF MY

SISTERS WEREN'T GOING TO

CONTINUE HER LE GA CIRCUMSTANCE

WHO WAS?

SO THAT'S WHAT KEPT ME GOING,

KNOWING THAT I AM MY MOM'S SON

AND THAT'S WHAT I ESSENTIALLY

GOT FROM HER, HER POSITIVITY,

HER DRIVE, HER ABILITY TO FLIP

OVER EVERYTHING AND JUST SAY,

YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN ACTUALLY

COME OUT AND EXCEL.

>> WHAT HAS SOME OF THE OTHER

BEAT THE ODDS SCHOLARS GONE ON

TO EXCEL IN?

>> THEY WENT ON TO LAW SCHOOL.

SOME WENT ON TO JOURNALISM.

SOME ARE IN DIRECT SERVICE

CAPACITY.

THEY'VE GONE ON TO EXCEL AND

PROVIDE INSPIRATION AND

OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER YOUNG

PEOPLE WHICH IS SUCH AN FLY BALL

REWARD TO SEE FROM THESE YOUNG

PEOPLE.

>> SO WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE

FOR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE GOING

THROUGH SIMILAR HARDSHIP.

>> I WOULD SAY PERCEPTION.

IF YOU'RE PERCEIVING YOUR

REALITY IN A NEGATIVE WAY, THEN

YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GO FAR IN

LIFE BECAUSE, YES, I KNOW IT'S

NOT THAT SIMPLE.

AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN'T

DISMISS OUR PROBLEMS AND THEY

WILL ALWAYS THEREABOUT NO MATTER

WHAT WE DO SOMETIMES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE

THEM.

AT THE SAME TIME YOU HAVE TO

QUESTION WHY IT'S GOING ON PUP

HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.

HOW CAN I HELP MY SITUATION GET

BETTER.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T

THINK POSITIVE YOU'LL NEVER

REALIZE HOW FAR YOU CAN

EVENTUALLY COME.

YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO FULLY

MAXIMIZE YOUR POTENTIAL.

THAT'S WHY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

TO THINK POSITIVE AND BE

PERSISTENT AT IT AS WELL.

I ALSO SAY TO THE STUDENTS WHO

HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE SAME

OBSTACLES AS ME, FIND PASSION.

THAT'S ONE WAY TO STAY POSITIVE.

MY PASSION WAS BASKETBALL.

I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WHENEVER

I WAS IN A BAD MOOD I WOULD

PERFORM HORRIBLY AND I HATED

PERFORMING HORRIBLY IN A

BASKETBALL GAME.

THAT'S WHAT KEPT ME GOING.

EVEN IF IT'S THE SMALLEST

PASSION LIKE READING A BOOK,

WHATEVER SIRKTS FINDING A

PASSION WILL KEEP YOU ON THE

RIGHT TRACK AND KEEP YOU

POSITIVE.

SO, YEAH.

>> THANKS BOTH FOR BEING HERE

AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW YOU

TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

>> THANK YOU.

>> TO WATCH MORE CHASING THE

DREAM STORIES, GO TO THE

WEBSITE.

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