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From YouTube: February 9, 2023 Embracing and Empowering our Youth
Description
This event is part of the Minneapolis Black Employee Network's celebration of Black History Month.
A
Give
everybody
a
little
time
to
get
settled.
It's
my
mic
working,
my
mic
isn't
working
I'm
waiting
on
him.
There
we
go
all
right
good
morning.
Everyone
I'm
just
waiting
to
get
queued
up
here.
All
right
here
we
go
so
welcome
so
excited
for
this
event
today.
Welcome
that
you
I
mean
glad
you
all
could
join
us
this
morning
or
afternoon
now
we're
already
at
12
p.m.
A
I
am
shawana
Rodriguez,
chair
of
Hennepin
County.
Let
me
start
over
good
morning.
Everyone
I'm
shawana
Rodriguez,
chair
of
the
people
of
color,
employee,
Resource
Group,
with
Hennepin,
County
and
I,
want
to
welcome
you
all
to
join
us.
This
afternoon
we
have
an
amazing
event
aligned
up
today
with
several
steppers,
that's
coming
from
Park
High
School.
They
are
the
wolf
Rider
steppers
and
today
we
are
embracing
and
empowering
our
youth.
A
We
all
know
that
youth
is
the
center
they're
the
focus,
and
we
want
to
uplift
them
in
every
way
that
we
can
so
without.
Oh
I
also
want
to
remind
everyone
that
this
event
is
being
recorded.
We
will
be
on
YouTube,
so
tell
your
friends
and
family
to
check
it
out
if
they
could
not
make
it
or
see
us
online.
While
it's
going
on
right
now,
so
without
further
Ado
I
will
get
us
started
and
we
have
the
wolf
Rider
steppers.
B
B
B
Energy
mike
check,
can
we
hear
me,
are
we
good
is
the
name?
Is
it
different?
Thank
you,
okay.
So
my
name
is
chandela
daring
I'm
here,
because
I've
been
in
youth
work
for
over
15
years,
both
in
Chicago
but
also
here,
I
moved
here
like
eight
years
ago
and
so
right
now,
I'm
working
right
now
with
step
up
who's,
two
floors
above
here
step
up.
We
hire
young
people,
we
recruit
them.
You
know,
hire
train
them
and
get
them
placed
into
different
internships.
So
then
they
can
get
that
work
experience.
B
So
if
you
know
any
young
people
looking
for
uh-oh
looking
for
summer
employment,
just
let
me
know
I
can
give
you
that
information
and
we're
also
looking
for
employers.
So
if
you're
feeling
eager
got
some
extra
money
in
that
discretionary
budget,
think
it
over,
but
before
I
run
out
of
here,
I
want
to
introduce
our
moderator,
Kelsey
Dawson
Walton
she's
over
there
well
before
she
I
just
want
to
give
you
a
little
bit
of
background
and
I'm
going
to
get
out
of
the
way.
B
So
she
received
her
master's
degree
in
public
policy
and
Leadership
and
bachelor's
degree
in
political
science
and
black
cultural
studies
from
the
University
of
Saint
Thomas
go
St
Thomas.
She
worked
at
Hennepin
County
for
over
12
years
when
she
began
her
career
as
a
policy
aide
and
commissioner
Gail
dorfman's
office
for
four
years,
and
so
that
she
used
that
experience
to
build
relationships
and
gain
a
founding
and
strong
commitment
to
engaging
community
and
County
and
policy
and
decisions.
B
She
then
went
on
to
lead
Community
engagement
on
the
Penn
Avenue
Community
Works
project
in
North
Minneapolis,
in
addition
to
Consulting
on
Special
Projects
throughout
the
city
in
2018,
County
Administration
began
to
discuss
the
need
for
a
county-wide,
coordinated
and
integrated
approach
to
community
engagement,
and
so
now
Kelsey
is
the
deputy
director
of
the
Outreach
and
community
supports
department
and
so
finally
Kelsey's
a
mom
of
four
and
a
puppy.
So
five,
you
think
about
it:
she's,
a
wife,
a
bridge,
builder,
Community,
Connector
and
so
much
more.
So
please
help
me
welcome
Kelsey,
a
moderator.
D
D
What
that
looks
like
and
I
know
you
know,
I
mentioned
I
have
four
kids
and
my
daughter,
my
oldest,
is
a
senior
and
even
some
of
her
college
application
essays,
like
I,
said
you
know,
think
really
deep
as
a
young
person
as
a
young
African-American
female,
navigating
these
two
years
with
in
and
out
of
school
and
friendships
and
and
academics
and
kind
of
your
future.
You
know
what
do
you
you
know?
How
do
you
look
at
the
future?
D
How
do
we
set
ourselves
up
for
success
and
really
pass
that
baton
to
our
young
people,
to
give
them
the
confidence
and
equip
them
to
really?
You
know
unleash
their
Brilliance
in
our
world
in
our
society.
So
I
would
like
to
welcome
up
the
panel.
We
have
Cynthia
fraction,
who
is
executive
director
of
cookie
card
if
you
wanna
I,
think
come
up
here
right,
yep,
okay,
thank
you.
D
Thank
you,
so
all
of
our
panelists
work
with
very
various
capacities
of
young
people
and
have
huge
roles
in
the
lives
of
our
young
people,
and
so
before.
I
ask
the
first
question:
I'm
going
to
go
down
the
panel
I'll
start
with
you
Jamil,
and
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
yourself
and
who
you
are
and
then
we'll
get
into
the
questions.
E
E
I've
realized
the
importance
of
mental
health
and
and
just
really
seeing
working
in
school
settings
and
seeing
all
the
black
kids
being
pushed
in
special
education
and
being
there
as
a
student,
but
then
also
as
a
professional
realizing
like
what's
happening
because
80
of
our
black
males
and
special
lead
that
just
doesn't
make
any
sense.
The
population
is
only
10
percent,
so
I'm
like
okay,
I,
see
it
it's
mental
health,
they're,
The
Gatekeepers,
they
say
yes,
they
go
here
or
they
don't
and
so.
E
I'm
like
I'm
gonna,
go
that
direction
and
put
a
stop
to
this
right,
but
realizing
one
person
is
not
enough
right,
that's
a!
It
was
a
big
deal,
so
I
found
myself
fried
and
burnt
out
and
I
needed
to
do
something
different,
and
so
what
my
wife
and
I
did.
We
decided
we're
going
to
start
create
of
caponia
creative
healing
to
find
a
way
to
provide
some
alternative
methods
of
healing,
because
what
we
had
in
place
and
what
we
have
in
place
is
not
working.
E
So
we
want
to
make
sure,
there's
representation,
so
there's
not
a
barrier.
Financial
components
will
reduce
or
eliminate
the
costs
to
get
you
there.
We
also
don't
take
insurance
right.
A
lot
of
people
are
kind
of
struck
by
that
in
some
cases,
because
that
means,
in
some
cases
folks
don't
get
paid,
but
we
believe
it's
unethical
to
diagnose
you
right
just
so
that
we
can
get
paid
right
that,
doesn't
you
don't
really
have
something,
but
we're
just
going
to
give
you
I,
don't
know
we're
going
to
give
you
this.
E
D
F
I
am
executive
director
of
an
organization
called
CEO
which
stands
for
change,
equals
opportunity.
Our
focus
is
on
the
mentorship
of
males
of
color
12
to
27
and
the
areas
of
educational,
employment
and
life
skills,
and
so
through
multiple
ways
of
Engagement
basketball,
leagues,
Corporation
tours
college
tours,
School
visits
weekly,
facilitated
group
sessions
at
our
spaces
we
engage
Youth
and
try
to
expose
them
to
college
career
and
cultural
experiences
and
opportunities
just
like
Jamel
here.
F
We
have
a
quest
program
where
we
take
individuals
and
we
partner
with
local
businesses,
and
we
offer
paid
internships
for
Youth
and
that's
part
of
our
College
exposure
program.
So
we
can
get
them
to
understand
what
it
is
that
they
say
they
want
to
be
before
they
go
off
and
start
spending
loan
money
on
on
becoming
something
they
don't.
They
don't
absolutely
know
what
is
yet.
D
G
Name
is
Jamil,
sorry
Jamil,
that's
another
consistent
about
it.
Actually,
I
am
Cynthia
fraction
I'm.
The
new
executive
director
of
cookie
cart
and
I
started
in
September
1st
of
last
year
and
following
Matt
Haley,
who
have
been
here
for
18
years,
and
we
have
been
here
a
very
long
time
in
the
Twin
Cities
area,
working
with
youth
of
color,
in
particular,
helping
them
to
gain
valuable
skills
to
prepare
them
for
work
and
very
simple
to
put,
and
we
look
at
leadership
skills.
G
G
The
one
who
started
cookie
cookie
cart,
that
a
Catholic
nun
who
actually
lived
in
North
Minneapolis
and
brought
children
into
her
home
and
really
kind
of
created,
just
something
very
special,
like
a
lemonade
stand
and
they
bake
cookies,
and
but
she
wanted
to
do
it
in
the
means
of
teaching
kids,
how
to
speak
to
people
and
to
be
confident
and
to
employ
customer
service
skills,
while
also
learning
how
to
sell
cookies
and
be
you
know,
financially
smart.
So
that's
what
we
do
at
cookie
cart,
I'm
excited
because
we're
taking
it
to
a
new
level.
G
G
We
call
diversity,
Equity
inclusion,
because
these
are
things
that
they're
going
to
engage
in
when
they
go
into
the
workforce,
even
if
it's
just
in
McDonald's,
so
we're
teaching
those
components
in
addition
to
what
we've
always
taught
them
or
more
technologically
inclined
in
what
we're
doing.
And
it's
very
it's
exciting
the
work
that
we
are
engaging
in
going
forward.
So
look
forward
to
some
exciting
things.
D
D
It
is
so
important
for
young
people
to
have
a
place
to
kind
of
to
have
fun
to
be
part
of
something
greater
than
themselves,
and
so
I
think
that
is
just
so
important,
which
really
leads
me
into
our
first
question.
That
I'd,
like
each
of
you
to
answer
our
history,
black
history
and
all
of
our
histories
right,
isn't
fully
taught
in
the
schools
whether
it's
public,
private
Charter.
G
E
Well,
it's
not
fully
taught,
and
it's
also
under
attack.
As
many
of
us
know,
I
mean
on
a
political
level,
it's
being
used,
it's
under
disguise
under
different
language,
CRT
and
so
on
and
so
forth,
where
you
can't
even
have
African-American
studies
and
people
are
looking
at
losing
funding
or
losing
their
jobs.
So
it's
very
much
so
under
attack,
and
so
what
I
do
my
role?
E
Jamil
has
three
businesses
right
and
working
with
you,
that's
very
difficult
and
oftentimes
as
a
friend
of
mine
used
to
say
I
hate
when,
when
black
folks,
like
always
look
at
you
like
they
keep
staring
at
you
really
hard,
I,
just
I'm
bothered
about
that,
and
what
I
picked
up
from
that
is
oftentimes.
We
think
we
know
all
the
black
folks
and
then
we
see
others
and
I'm
like
I
didn't
realize
you
know,
I
should
know
who
you
are,
and
so
we
often
don't
even
know
it's
right
here.
E
The
resources
that
we
have
right
here
in
our
community,
which
is
really
powerful,
and
when
we
get
that
exposure,
it
shows
opportunities.
As
my
partner
Jamil
was
saying
now,
I
can
see
other
things.
I
can
do
it's
not
limited
to
just
with
my
upbringing.
It
was
just
the
hoopings
folks
only
thought
they
could
do
nails
and
hair,
and
then
you
know
my
exposure
was
going
to
DC
and
seeing
Oh
it's
a
black
male
postal.
It's
a
black
postal
mailman!
It's
my
my
restaurant
server
is
a
black
woman.
E
F
So
I
have
the
luxury
of
being
a
teacher
and
I
teach
a
course
called
Black,
Culture
and
I
get
to
create
my
curriculum,
so
our
curriculum
starts
with
pre-1619,
which
Speaking
of
who
we
are
as
a
people
before
slavery,
because
we
didn't
come
here
as
slaves
and
so
I
get
to
reference
that
to
my
Kings
in
my
class.
That's
how
we
reference
each
other
as
kings
and
get
them
to
understand
the
power
of
who
they
were
and
why?
Right?
F
F
What
is
it
called
I'm
not
going
to
remember
it,
but
it's
basically
a
lynching
book
and
it
shows
all
of
the
lynchings
and
all
of
the
barbecues
and
all
of
the
things
that
our
people
had
to
endure
in
order
to
for
us
even
to
be
here
right
and
so
where
we
are
now,
as
we
just
crossed
over
the
Atlantic
and
we're
talking
about
slaver
bolts.
And
so
as
we
get
into
our
second
semester.
F
F
I
hustled,
I
sold
drugs,
I,
never
went
to
college
I
didn't
graduate
high
school,
but
I
made
a
decision
that
I
wanted
something
better
for
myself
and
my
children,
and
so
I
took
every
opportunity
possible
to
make
that
happen,
and
so
changeable's
opportunity
doesn't
exist,
means
CEO.
I'm,
sorry
doesn't
just
mean
change.
It
was
opportunity,
it
means
being
the
CEO
of
you
right
so
defining
yourself
and
showing
up
as
who
you
want
to
be
and
then
running
with
that.
G
C
G
So,
for
me
to
be
in
this
role
is
historic
in
itself.
Cookie
Carter
is
finally
realizing
that
life
is
changing
and
we
need
to
address
how
it's
changing
for
the
Youth
that
we
are
working
with
when
I
well,
let
me
just
say
who
I
am
native
of
the
Twin
Cities
and
have
been
in
higher
education
for
pretty
much.
G
So
most
all
of
my
life,
working
with
youth
of
color
and
my
last
position
before
I
came
here,
was
at
the
University
of
Saint
Thomas,
where
I
ran
a
McNair,
Scholars
Program
and
started
the
Excel
research
college
program
that
worked
with
Children
of
color
to
help
get
them
into
graduate
schools
and
become
doctors
and
lawyers
and
all
those
wonderful
things,
and
so
I
was
there
for
14
years
and
loved.
It
had
tremendous
success.
G
In
2012
we
actually
began
taking
trips
down
south
to
study
the
Civil
Rights
Movement
a
because
young
people
aren't
getting
that
that
that
that
history,
that
background
and
information.
Yet
we
talk
a
lot
about
leadership,
but
do
we
really
know
what
it
means
to
be?
Leaders
and
I
wanted
them
to
get
down
there
and
meet
people
when
I?
G
First
started
working
in
higher
education
I
had
the
pleasure
of
hearing
sister
Jean
speak
at
St,
Paul
Central,
and
she
was
talking
to
us
during
Black
History
Month,
talking
about
what
we
need
to
do
in
in
helping
to
create
vibrant
communities
for
children
of
color.
They
need
to
be
able
to
have
the
same
opportunities
that
everybody
else
has,
and
this
is
why
I
do
what
I
do
she
said,
but
she
also
went
on
to
say:
I
was
inspired
by
another
black
woman.
G
G
It
is
time
for
us
to
not
just
only
talk
about
work,
but
what
it
means
for
young
people
to
be
leaders
in
the
workforce
and
that
we're
not
just
working
but
we're
working
for
Change
and
looking
at
some
of
the
people
who
have
been
leaders
for
us
in
the
past,
as
well
as
those
who
actually
helped
to
start
this
business
and
Inspire
it
so
yeah.
We
have
some
work
to
do
in
history.
I'm
excited
that
we're
going
to
be
a
part
of
it
now.
D
Thank
you,
I
we're
going
to
start
with
questions
now,
I
think
that
you
know
all
the
things.
The
reasons
why
you
know
you
all
do
what
you
do
and
why
you
are,
is
just
it's
so
important
when
I
think
about
our
youth
and
we're
going
to
get
into
some
really
kind
of
more
specific
questions,
but
you're
right
Jamil,
you
had
said
you
know
there
is
an
attack
on
our
education
system
now
to
to
tell
our
history
to
everyone,
and
it's
not
just
specific.
D
If
it's
a
you
know
a
class,
but
it
is,
you
know
making
that
and
I
think
in
St
Paul.
Even
they
have
a
new
kind
of
approved
class
that
that
young
people
required
course
can
take.
So
my
question
is
for
Cynthia
you're
gonna
be
the
first
one.
Can
you
share
a
suggestion
on
how
we
can
better
prepare
youth
for
employment.
G
There's
a
couple
of
things.
You
know
one
of
the
first
things
that
I
always
encourage
people
to
do.
Is
you
know
we
talk
a
lot
with
young
people
about
you
know
what
do
you
want
to
be
when
you
grow
up
and
it's
a
good
question
to
ask
we've
been
at.
We
were
asking
when
we
were
young
and
we're
asking
of
young
people
today,
I'm
starting
to
shift
that
question
a
little
bit
and
having
kids
to
answer
this
question.
G
What
change
do
you
want
to
see
in
America
today
and
what
do
you
want
to
do
because
that
then
helps
spark
and
motivate?
Not
you
know,
I
want
to
go
and
be
in
business.
I
would
always
say
when
I
worked
in
higher
education,
you
know,
what
do
you
want
to
be
when
you
grow
up
and
they
say
I
want
to
get
in
business
and
I
say
what
kind
of
business
Monkey
Business?
What
kind
of
business
are
you
talking
about?
G
You
don't
want
to
do
this
instead,
what
is
it
that
you
really
want
to
do,
because
in
every
work
that
that's
out
there,
there's
honorable
things
that
you
can
do
and
we
have
to
teach
kids
the
honorableness
of
what
we
of
what
they
can
do
in
the
workforce
and
help
them
to
understand
what
it
really
means
to
be
a
leader
and
sometimes
they're
not
going
to
always
feel
good
about
what
they've
done
or
you're
not
going
to
always
get
that
praise.
But
you
have
laid
the
foundation
as
a
young
person.
G
Young
people
are
really
really
really
laying
the
foundation
for
America
right
now,
whether
we
like
it
or
not,
and
so
we
need
to
encouraging
them
in
the
workforce
in
careers
and
such
we
need
to
listen
to
them,
support
them
and
encourage
them,
but
help
them
to
see.
You
know
what
what
is
it
that
you
really
want
to
do,
but
to
change,
or
what
do
you
see
needs
to
be
changed
and
then
help
them
get
on
that
track
and
encourage
them?
G
It
might
be
that
you
know
I
want
to
be
an
entrepreneur
I'm
we're
really
encouraging
that
there's
a
a
new
component,
we're
adding
to
cookie
cart
now
in
our
training
once
they
have
graduated
from
high
school.
If
you
want
to
come
back
and
get
entrepreneurship
training,
we
are
going
to
provide
that
now
going
forward.
G
If
that's
what
they
want
to
do,
they
may
not
know
what
they
want
to
do
in
terms
of
their
own
business
start
a
lawn
service
just
just
to
get
started
and
see
what
it's
what
it's
about,
but
just
help
them
to
find
out
what
change
they
want
to
make
in
the
world.
What
do
you
want
to
see
different
and
how
do
you
make
that
change?
D
I
love
that
question
of
you
know
what
change
you
want
to
see
in
America
today
and
I
think
that's
even
more
important.
Why
that
we,
our
young
people,
need
to
know
their
history
that
they're
not
that
they're
standing
on
on
shoulder
all
of
our
shoulders
too,
and
that
we're
here
to
support
them
and
really
lift
them
up
to
really
expand
their
dreams
and
I.
D
It
was
and
I
do,
think
the
more
we
can
expose
our
our
young
people
and
I
even
think
about
not
to
bring
it
back
to
my
daughter
again.
But
I
really
am
encouraging
her
to
go
like
to
an
HBCU
just
because
to
have
that
experience
that
you're
just
not
going
to
quite
get
to
Minnesota.
You
know,
especially
so
so
thank
you
for
that
I've
been
going
to
coach
DeMille.
What
do
you
think
are
the
most
important
life
skills
for
youth
to
learn
or
develop.
F
D
And
I
think
that
that
is
coaching
like
another
one,
where
you
know
it's
that
social
Fabric
and
connectedness
and
capital
that
I,
you
know
that
I
see
is
missing
a
lot.
There's
a
gap
with
our
young
people
to
be
able
to
you
know,
say:
oh
I
know
you
know
coach
Jamil
over
here
he
works
over
here.
You
know,
let's
you
know,
maybe
you
can
men
get
mentored.
F
When
you
come
into
my
space
on
my
basketball,
gym
you'll,
see
about
150
200
young
black
men
coming
to
play
basketball
you'll
hear
a
lot
of
yelling
a
lot
of
screaming
some
cussing
you'll
have
some
tense
moments
right
and
what
I
explained
to
them
is
that
I
don't
hear
F
you
punk
right
or
I'm?
A
dog
walk.
You
sucker,
I,
hear
I,
haven't
seen
my
kids
in
a
week
and
I,
don't
know
how
to
handle
that
I
hear
I
haven't
graduated
and
I
feel
embarrassed
right.
F
I
hear
I
want
to
work,
but
won't
nobody
hire
me
and
so
again
creating
spaces
that
allow
for
conversations
for
them
to
see
us
as
adult
males
still
try
to
figure
out.
These
answers
for
ourselves
gives
them
permission
right
to
fail
and
try
and
do
some
of
these
things
that
we're
talking
about
critical
thinking
and
self-assessment.
But
if
there
are
no
spaces
that
we
share.
Where
we're
the
example
of
that,
then
this
is
what
we
get.
D
Hundred
percent-
yes,
thank
you,
okay,
Jamil
I
know
it
sounds
like
it
looks
like
you
want
to
like.
Also
respond,
but
I
have
another
question,
so
you
can
think
of
think
about.
What
do
you
think
are
some
of
the
biggest
challenges
facing
black
youth
today
and
then
we
have
about
five-ish,
more
minutes
and
so
I
have
one
more
question
for
everyone
to
wrap
up
so
I.
C
E
So
what
Jamil's
doing
in
class?
Sometimes
sometimes
we
clench-
and
we
Flinch
when
we're
talking
about
looking
at
slavery-
or
you
know
execution
of
black
bodies
and
the
reality
is
that's
a
racial
socialization.
That's
a
protective
Factor
right!
It
protects
your
body,
so
it's
not
when
you
finally
make
it
to
DC
and
you
go
to
Hampton
University
or
go
to
college
you're,
not
you're,
not
when
a
racial
moment
on
St
Thomas
campus
happens,
which,
oh,
my
goodness,
how
many
racial
issues.
D
E
Not
I'm
not
like
Chris
Rock,
said
I
wouldn't
be
surprised.
If
you
just
attack
me
right
now,
because
I
know
it's
I
know
it's
there,
but
when
you
don't
have
that
racial
socialization
you're
dissented
and
you
might
drop
out
of
school
right,
you
may
never
buy
I
can't
do
it's
not
for
me
right
and
so
there's
many
challenges
facing
us
right
now
and
I
say
us,
because
we're
sort
of
sophisticated
children
right
and
in
some
ways
we
really
have
just
honed
in
on
some
of
our
defensive
mechanisms.
Right
really
well,
I
deny
everything.
E
No,
that's
not
me
and
I
put
it
on
other
people.
Why
don't
you
do
this?
Why
don't
you
work
out?
Why
don't
you
and
it's
like
I'm,
really
talking
about
myself
right
and
so
a
few
things
that
we
all
are
aware
of
is
what
we
got.
The
infection
right
covet
insurrection,
impeachment
right:
inflation
I'm,
like
man,
X
ten
dollars
for
some
eggs,
some
of
that
dollar
for
every
maybe
walk.
E
E
Black
people
are,
but
this
leads
to
a
lot
of
things
so,
like
I
said,
if
we
are
not
really
sophisticated
like
children,
and
we
don't
have
language
The,
Narrative
or
the
tools
to
address
the
harm
that
we're
experiencing
when
our
nervous
systems
are
overwhelmed
by
all
of
this
right
Insurrection.
We
have
never
seen
this
in
our
history,
I
and
so
like
what
do
we
do
as
adults
right
and
then
what
are
our
kids
doing?
Who
don't
have
the
language
or
the
words
or
the
systems?
E
E
And
believe
you
honor
your
reality
right
and
so
suicide
rates
really
high
social
exposure,
social
media
right
and
so
exposure
to
that
Rutgers,
University,
Penn,
State
University
has
shown
for
the
young
folks
who
are
scrolling
and
constantly
getting
flash
with
the.
We
don't
see,
Asian
folks
getting
beat
down
like
that.
In
on
TV,
we
don't
see
like
his
latinx
folks
getting
beat.
We
don't
see
white,
it's
only
it's
so
many
black
male
bodies
that
are
just
mutilated
and
disrespected
what
does
that
do
to
your
soul
and
Spirit
Well?
E
The
research
shows
that
Rutgers
in
Penn
State
that
they're
showing
symptoms
of
PTSD
just
from
viewing
it
right
and
so,
and
that
doesn't
even
mention
a
digital
divide.
So
when
we're
sent
home,
we
don't
know
the
uncertainty
of
what's
happening,
I
don't
have
school,
I,
don't
have
resources
and
everybody
can't
connect
to
a
high
connection,
speed
to
like
participate
in
class.
E
E
Schools,
like
friendship
academy,
where
I
sent
my
daughter,
so
my
daughter
was
at
the
age
of
two
struggling
with
I.
Don't
like
my
curly
hair
I
want
to
be
frozen
right,
like
crying
like
having
breakdowns
at
two,
so
I'm
like
no
very
intentional.
Oh
95
African-American
afro-century
school,
so
she
goes
from
kids
asking
her.
Why
does
your
hair
look
like
that?
So
now,
babies
are
like
oh
I
love
your
hair,
they're
hugging,
her
and
her
spirits
are
higher
than
ever
before
right.
E
So
when
we
have
our
Affinity
groups
in
our
workspaces,
there's
power
in
that
right,
culturally,
specific
funding,
so
I'm
starting
to
see
that
in
mental
health
right
now,
culturally
specific,
we
want
folks
working
with
professionals
working
with
folks
of
color,
because
we
know
what
history
has
done
and
we
need
to
make
up
for
that
and
they
need
to
answer.
And
so
we
need
to
Resource
this
because
a
lot
of
times
we're
dealing
with
in
our
families
in
our
communities
under
resource
stress
right.
E
So
we
he
so
I
grew
up
getting
whoopings
right,
but
I
realized
when
I
had
a
sibling
who
was
in
abusive
relationship
and
she's,
like
I'm
gonna
go
back
and
I
felt
like
I
wanted
to
like
backhand.
Her
I'm
like
that,
doesn't
make
sense.
I'm
like
okay.
If
I
have
a
baby,
I
will
not
put
my
hands
on
her
right
because
we're
conditioned
to
wanting
to
be
beat,
and
so
my
daughter
doesn't
get
whoopings,
and
that
is
really
hard,
because
sometimes
she
it
seemed
like
she
needed.
E
E
D
Okay,
we
are.
This
has
been
such
an
engaging
panel.
I
know
we're
at
time.
I
I'm
gonna
give
one
minute,
okay
to
question
well
and
Cynthia.
If
you
wanna,
if
you
have
any
last
words
around,
you
know
your
role
and
how
it
impacts
your
young
people
or
anything
you
you
kind
of
kind
of
wrap
up
like
Jamel
did.
If
you
want
to
say
anything
else,.
F
Yeah
sure
this
doesn't
work
to
me.
You
know
I
love
what
I
do
I'm
honored
to
do
it.
The
use
that
I
serve
actually
motivate
motivate
me
every
day.
My
everyday
walk
is
different.
Right
I
get
to
experience
an
aha
moment
every
single
day
like
so
my
spirits
are
lifted,
regardless
of
how
I
wake
up
some.
Somehow,
throughout
my
day,
I'm
gonna
get
a
text
message
or
a
phone
call
or
something
from
a
youth.
That's
going
to
tell
me
something
exciting
right.
G
I
think
you
know
what
I
want
to
say
to
everybody
is
that
you
know
I
listen
to
Jamil
number
one.
Let
me
talk
a
little
bit
about
The
Narrative
and
that's
it
that's
an
important
thing,
and,
and
one
of
the
things
that
I'm
looking
to
do
is
Cookie
cart
is
situated
one
of
two
of
our
bakeries
on
West
Broadway
and
the
things
that
we
see
every
day
you
get
to
a
point
where
the
sirens,
you
don't
hear
them
anymore,
it's
just
so
sad,
but
we're
what
we
are
dealing
with
every
day.
G
G
G
Is
that
I'm
doing
something
with
my
life
and
I'm,
making
a
difference
in
the
life
of
other
people
and
putting
out
there
all
of
the
successful
people
that
are
doing
great
things,
creating
that
new
black
history
that
these
young
people,
our
history,
that
everybody
in
this
room
is
history?
What
are
the
things
that
we're
doing
that
have
been
great?
G
You
gotta
remember
where
we
came
from,
but
we
got
to
balance
that
narrative
about
what
we've
done
and
what
we're
still
doing
and
the
power
that
we
have
collectively
as
well
as
individually,
to
continue
to
do
great
things,
help
these
young
people
to
see.
You
know
what
you
you
I'm,
not
just
telling
you
that
you
can
do
it.
This
is
how
you
do
it.
We
have
to
tell
them
how
we've
got
to
give
them
instruction
and
they'll
get
there.
They
will
get
there
all
right.
D
D
H
So
I
think
that
the
panel
was
a
brilliant
segue
into
the
poem
that
I
wrote
for
this
specific
event,
because
she
forgets
is
the
name
of
the
poem
is
written
specifically
for
women,
young
women,
men
and
young
men.
It's
inflection
about
the
relationship
that
we
have
some
of
the
mistakes
and
also
some
ways
to
improve
so.
H
She
forgets
that
the
longing
for
family
is
everyone's
heart
condition,
because
people
who
say
that
they
care
for
her
don't
take
the
time
to
invest
and
learn
her
language
or
listen.
She
forgets
that
to
grow.
There
will
always
be
a
certain
amount
of
pain,
because
she's
lost
trust
in
who
she
is
and
how
her
tears
wash
away
life's
strain.
H
H
She
forgets
the
once
in
a
lifetime
event
that
she
truly
is
the
living
poetry
of
femininity,
because
we
have
to
step
up
our
respect,
provide
and
protect,
but,
most
importantly,
listen
to
these
powerful
beings.
She
forgets
how
powerful
our
women
have
been
and
continue
to
be.
Historically,
because
her
coal
gets
overlooked
under
the
pressures
of
today's
society,
she
is
underappreciated
while
working
to
become
the
gem
of
our
community.
H
We,
as
men,
must
step
up
to
support
our
women
as
they
struggle
to
become
the
queens
that
they
are
meant
to
be.
We
must
open
our
hearts
to
the
women
in
our
lives,
lead
by
example,
and
sacrifice
to
repair
our
scars.
It's
not
what
a
woman
can
do
for
us.
It's.
How
can
we
remind
them
when
they
forget
who
and
what
they
really
are?
H
She
forgets
That
Woman
by
The,
Very
definition
of
the
word
equals
Life,
Light,
inspiration,
passion
and
dreams.
She
forgets
because
she
should
read
this
over
and
over
again,
so
that
together
we
can
pursue
Dr.
King's
dream
read
this
until
she
remembers,
she
is
the
only
one
who
can
be
heard
recognize
the
once
in
a
lifetime
event
that
she
is
and
continues
to
be.
Remember
what
our
women
have
contributed
to
the
stability
of
Huey,
P,
Newton,
Frederick,
Hampton,
Malcolm,
X
and
Dr
King.
H
I
I
We
do
have
some
additional
events
coming
up
throughout
the
month
that
I
want
to
share
with
you
really
quickly.
Next
week
on
Thursday
February
16th
we'll
be
doing
a
history
makers
at
home
award
ceremony
that
event
will
be
held
at
the
Capri
theater.
We
have
another
event:
the
following
Thursday
February
23rd,
which
will
be
rock
your
crown
past
present
and
creative
right
here
in
the
same
room
in
the
public
service
building.
There
is
an
event
on
Saturday
February
25th
that
is
being
hosted
by
our
race,
Equity
inclusion
and
belonging
Department
called
I.
I
I
We
need
to
be
doing
a
good
job
of
taking
care
of
ourselves
and
those
events
will
be
on
Tuesdays
throughout
the
rest
of
the
month
and
you
can
find
more
information
on
the
city's
website.
For
that.
Thank
you
all
so
much.
We
appreciate
you
all
very,
very
much
and
continue
up
with
this
year's
theme
of
resistance.
Thank
you.