Spring 2015
Being a part of the YouthBridge-NY Leaders to Leaders Youth Summit on March 13 was truly an experience like no other! Throughout the day we were able to assist and take part in a series of presentations by different leaders of representing our various communities. Each facilitator lead a presentation with about 8 or 9 teens and taught then about the particular program that they were there to represent. Each representative had their own stories to tell and through each story and presentation, the teens were able to further their knowledge of the world around them.
Fellows Tackle Conflict
by Sandra Etuk
For the February Skill Building Workshop, the fellows were given the opportunity to learn more about conflict mediation.
Caitlin Gibb and Kevin Hershey of YO SOS at the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center traveled to the YouthBridge-NY office to discuss the steps they are taking to reduce gun violence in New York City. They described their objective as looking to help people utilize tools of de-escalation, showing members of the community how to solve their disputes without guns. The speakers educated us on the reasons why people resort to gun violence, showing us how race, socioeconomic status, and environment all contribute to the decision to carry a weapon. The fellows learned the benefits of discussing their feelings and how an argument can be ended through effective communication.
In order to fully understand their goals, we had to talk about the reasons why interactions do not always end well. Kevin shared a personal experience he had where he felt he had been talked down to, explaining how that made him want to retaliate in anger. This anecdote allowed for us to relate to the speaker, as well as feel more comfortable sharing our own feelings. This was followed by a discussion on triggers, and how to avoid situations where you are likely to enter a conflict. We learned that often, there is not just one trigger. There can be many smaller conflicts that, if not quickly resolved, can turn into a more serious disagreement where one may see violence as a means of resolution. The speakers were very engaging, and the fellows were excited to understand the lesson within the context of their own lives.
The conflict resolution session was very important to the development of our leadership skills, strengthening our ability to effectively communicate with someone we may not agree with. Knowing how to mediate a situation, as well as understanding the steps one takes when they are angry is essential to navigating social situations we may find ourselves in the near and far future.
Cultural Eye Committee Puts it All Together
by Grace Gribbon
In the recent months, the Cultural Eye Committee has been hard at work putting together thematic photographs for the fundraiser in June. Between editing photos and creating personal statements, the committee members have created an open and optimistic environment to aid one another in piecing together their finished work.
It has been amazing knowing how far the group has gone, in terms of both creative processes and strengthened social ties. YouthBridge-NY has given the committee members many opportunities to develop useful leadership and communication skills as well as a better understanding of photography, and now they are excited to give back by presenting and auctioning off these photographs at the Night of Celebration Graduation and Fundraiser. All proceeds from the photos will be going towards YouthBridge-NY (the exceptional program that started it all!). It is fair to say everyone is looking forward to the ceremony!
These past few weeks have been hectic for Bridgers to say the least! Not only have we been burdened with the task of deciding at which institution we will spend our next four Undergraduate years, we have had the pleasure of attending meetings at Red Fuse Communications located in Columbus Circle. The meetings at Red Fuse taught us Bridgers how to advertise effectively by creating a brand, a brand world, and a useful invention that fills a need present in the real world. In the two meetings we had at Red Fuse, the lead coordinator, Lisa Reid, debriefed the Bridgers on the logistics of marketing and advertising through interactive presentations and group work. As groups we analyzed a need presented to us and created a “mock commercial” where we each pitched unique approaches to selling the same product.
At the last meeting us Bridgers were tasked with creating an advertisement on a unique social media platform in an “attempt to sell Colgate Optic White”. The variety of approaches to this project beautifully depicted the individuality that makes the YouthBridge-NY organization as wonderful as it is. Advertisement proposals ranged from Vine ads, commercials, YouTube ads, Snapchat ads and many more. This project was not only a fun activity that gave insight into the marketing world, but also a unique opportunity to share opinions and laughs as we each explored a new area of interest together.
Being a part of the YouthBridge-NY Leaders to Leaders Youth Summit on March 13 was truly an experience like no other! Throughout the day we were able to assist and take part in a series of presentations by different leaders of representing our various communities. Each facilitator lead a presentation with about 8 or 9 teens and taught then about the particular program that they were there to represent. Each representative had their own stories to tell and through each story and presentation, the teens were able to further their knowledge of the world around them. In addition, each of the workshops that the teens attended helped to advance their leadership and problem solving abilities.
The Summit began with two workshops: a case study and a skill building through which the teens were employed to different representatives to learn about the different organizations that each person represented. In the case study, the representative lead the teens through a workshop in which they worked in groups to not only identify a problem that they felt needed attentions but also propose a solution to this problem. After the case study cases, the teens moved to a skill building workshop. In this workshop, they worked together with their facilitator to work through a community organizing exercise and improve their marketing, time management, and organization skills. The teens would then draw from these skills at the end of the day when they were asked to rejoin their schools/ organizations to discuss a solution to a real problem that affected their schools and neighborhoods.
This year we were lucky enough to meet Misra Walker, a Brower Award winner and a founder of the House of Spoof, an art gallery in the South Bronx. As our guest speaker, she spoke to us about her journey to the House of Spoof and the events in her life that brought her to where she is now. She showed us all that age is but a number and that it is never too early to begin making a change in our communities.
The day was impactful for each of the teens that attended. I walked into the Summit thinking that I would just be assisting but left with much more. While sitting in on the different workshops I, like the teen members, was able to sharpen my skills and learn new skills that I never knew I would need. The Youth Summit was truly something special as we as a group and a community were able to come together and learn how to make a change.
A brisk April Thursday, the fellows of YouthBridge-NY found themselves on the paths of New York City. Climbing up to the Citizen's Committee for Children-NYC floor of 14 Wall Street to learn from Laura Jankstrom and CCC-NYC’s YouthAction leaders, we were met with the faces of the familiar friends and new teen leaders. Once again, if anyone looked around the room they would see a group of teens from all over New York City with different backgrounds and origins, but all having the same goal of unity and increasing diversity and awareness; peace and friendship instead of bullying and hate. There were many interesting conversations over the course of the night. The teen-run event had topics varying from thought on adolescent incarceration to cyberbullying. It was interesting to be able to see conflicting views on topics between friends and the creation of compromise and understanding.
There were several activities that caused the fellows to come together to make solutions to everyday social problems. An example of this was groups coming together to write ways to prevent or promote certain issues. This allowed greater team bonding and a range of solutions to be found from the minds of New York City’s youth. Another great activity that was conducted was groups of fellows were given the challenge of acting out, finding a solution, and bringing awareness to a specific problem. My group had the task of acting out a young teen being bullied for being gay. We set the scene in a school and our solution was to bring the situation to the attention of the principal. Our medium for bringing attention to this situation and many like it was to use social media to promote acceptance and anti-bullying. The point of this activity was to be placed in a realistic situation to learn that it is possible for all of us to make a difference. Age, race, religion, gender; none of these aspects can stop you from creating a different world. If everybody does one good thing, we as people as a whole can end the problems that seem impossible to terminate as an individual.
In conclusion, the trip down to 14 Wall Street was one well spent for the YouthBridge-NY fellows. We grew closer, learned new things, and saw the world from a different perspective than the one many of us walked through the door with. We can all make a difference on little step at a time.
Engaging Workplace Diversity: Company Diversity and Influences
by Hemali Dave
For the Engaging Workplace Diversity committee meeting of March, we had Christopher Worthley and his colleague Christin from Allianz as our guest speakers. We talked about diversity in the workplace as well as how people interact with each other in businesses/companies. We discussed about why it is important for companies to have diversity and inclusion in their workplaces.
After this, we had played a game in which three teams had to create a type of business/company. The three different companies were a magazine, an app, and a gym/fitness center. From this game, we learned how companies interact with each other and give suggestions to each other by simulating it ourselves. We also learned how companies could influence each other’s ideas and opinions as well as compete with each other by saving some of their ideas. From this meeting, we were able to learn more about what we can do at our internships this summer to encourage workplace diversity. We thank Christopher Worthley and Christin for their very enticing conversations and are looking forward to meeting them again soon.
On the meeting of April for the Engaging Workplace Diversity committee, we had Marcia Eisenberg and Hannah Weinerman of the JCRC talk to us about “The History of Diversity in the workplace.” Marcia spoke about how through the years she noticed changes in the way that people and society started to feel towards women and other races in the workforce. She shared her ideas on how she felt about the way women were perceived in the workforce when she was starting out as a lawyer. Hannah then spoke to us about the changes in income and how through time, we have had an increase in minimum wage. She brought up labor unions and how they are still used by workers to get what they want. We’d like to thank them for their enchanting stories and experiences.
For the meeting of May, we discussed our placements for the summer and started to discuss what we will be doing for our entrepreneurship projects as well as who we will be working with for the project. We look forward to working at our placements in the summer and are excited to learn much more about workplace diversity through our companies.
In March, our monthly skill building workshop was held at the Dosomething.org office, a non-profit dedicated to motivating modern teenagers to actively better the world around them. The program looks to spread awareness for social justice issues and encourage community service through campaigns shared via social media. Fellows were able to talk to Felicia Fitzpatrick, Digital Content Associate at the New York City office. Felicia was more than happy to explain how the organization picks topics they feel are important for youth to know about, such as bullying, environmental awareness, or violence, and incorporates these issues into campaigns teens would be interested in helping. The ultimate goal of the program is to create lasting cultural changes in the way young people see the world and the people around themselves.
Fellows learned how Dosomething.org is able to spread information about their campaigns through various social media platforms. Everyone was given the opportunity to share their favorite social media platform, listing the reasons why they use it. Felicia explained how we could use social media to leave a lasting impact on our friends and family, enlightening them about causes they may have never heard about. This session was helpful as it allowed us to realize that we each have our own spaces to share our own ideas and spread awareness about causes that are important to us. Visiting a workplace like that of the Dosomething.org office is an experience I, and the other fellows, greatly appreciated and hope to do again in the future.
Shared Resources for a Shared Future Makes the Tough Calls
by Adie Present
Throughout the past three months, the Shared Resources Committee has been taking the finals steps towards our goal of awarding a grant. We began sorting through all of our applications and decided to which organization we would donate our grant. We split this reviewing process into three stages. We analyzed the first few applications as a group in order to learn the most efficient and productive manner to properly look through the 60 plus applications we received. We then split up into smaller groups and began narrowing down the organizations that we deemed most worthy of the grant. Finally, the entire group came back together discuss the top 15 contenders.
At that point, we put to use the consensus building skills that we had learned about in the first few weeks of the program. We reviewed our criteria and discussed which organization best fit them.
We were then able to narrow down our choices to two organizations. In the end, we decided to split our money between the two. We awarded $1400 to the Brooklyn Perinatal Network's Preconception Peer Education Program and $600 to Life Light Street Production's Camp Me TV Documentary Film Workshops. We are now looking forward to handing over the checks to these organizations at the YouthBridge-NY Fundraiser and Graduation later this year.
Winter 2015
These past few months have been some of the most exciting for Bridgers as they gradually prepare themselves for the next phase in their lives – college. In order to aid in the process, Bridgers were given a chance to attend the Citizens Committee for Children to learn about advocacy and the Allianz center for roundtable meetings with the Pros, all of which were meant to give Bridgers confidence in pursuing their future careers.
Bridgers jumpstart their careers with the pros
by Raj Vaidya
These past few months have been some of the most exciting for Bridgers as they gradually prepare themselves for the next phase in their lives – college. In order to aid in the process Bridgers met at the Allianz offices for roundtable meetings with the Pros, all of which were meant to give Bridgers confidence in pursuing their future careers.
The roundtable meetings with professionals, hosted by Allianz, served a similar purpose – one that was aimed at jumpstarting Bridger’s future collegiate careers. YouthBridge-NY Board Members, Alumni, and other selected professionals and partners were invited to engage in a one-on-two discussion with Bridgers in which students described their experiences and interests in exchange for expert insight and tips as to how they should go about making a successful career.
Eight tables were set up, with one professional situated at each, and Bridgers rotated to the following tables after the set time interval was completed. Experts were tasked with training Bridgers on how to record their strengths and achievements through their resumes, how to set a lasting impression on their interviewers, and how lay the ground work for their success through social media and post-high school networks.
These opportunities presented themselves as not only engaging networking experiences but also a way for Bridgers to orient themselves for their upcoming college careers. Both the Bridgers and the facilitators alike thoroughly enjoyed these interactive sessions, and all of us learned quite a bit in the end.
Shared Resources for a Shared Future Committee Gets The Word Out
by Darren Lin
Throughout the past few months the Shared Resources Committee has been making progress. Our goal is to find an organization(s) that we will give a grant of up to $2000 to. This organization must meet all the criteria that we decide and we will interview them after they apply.
The causes that we want our grant to work towards are Women’s issues, Sexual Health, and After-school programs. We discussed and agreed on these through our meetings. The last two meetings in January and December we have been working on designing our Request for Proposal flyer, our outreach plan and our application.
Now we are sending out our RFP to different nonprofit organizations, hoping they will help distribute it and allow us to get more applications. We hope to receive many applications that we can choose from and donate to.
Fellows Build Their Networks
by Keyara Drew
For our January skill building session we were taught about networking. Luanna Azulay, Operations Assistant at GLG led the workshop. From what I learned, networking is basically the art of social skills. You are linking with another individual in hopes that you may benefit from each other. Being a benefactor entails helping out the person you networked with by promoting their business or product and vice versa.
During the session I found out that I have actually networked many times. For example, there was a time when I visited St.Johns University and one of the sorority members gave me her card, so that If I was ever interested in going to that college I can link up with her so she can show me around. Anyone and everyone can network. It just starts with a conversation.
Diversity and Interpretation: The Next Steps
by Alexus Knight
Things went back into swing at YouthBridge-NY after a long needed and deserved Christmas break. Members of the Cultural Eye committee went back to work deciding on what next steps should be taken for the upcoming fundraiser in June. In the latest Cultural Eye meetings, we narrowed our subject for our photos and also learned about photo editing and techniques that will enhance our photos.
The Cultural Eye committee has one of the biggest tasks this new year to complete - deciding on a theme for this year’s photo exhibit at the June fundraiser. With various opinions and possible subjects, it was difficult to decide on what to have the photo subjects be. Yet finally, the Cultural Eye committee were able to collectively agree to the theme of Diversity, Culture and Interpretation. This theme really gives an advantage to the Cultural Eye committee group because living in New York City provides the setting where there is diversity at every corner in various neighborhoods. It also provides the committee their own interpretation of what diversity could mean whether it is people, objects, hair color or more. After deciding on our theme, we began to focus more on photo taking and the technicalities behind it.
In the next meeting, we learned about photo programs that can help us in enhancing our photos. The two programs that we were introduced to during the meeting were Photoshop and GIMP, which are widely used by professional photographers. Most photographers use Photoshop because of many premium features that it has to enhance the user’s photos but the Cultural Eye committee members used GIMP instead because it is free to use but also has similar features to Photoshop. GIMP was not necessarily easy to learn at first because it requires numerous steps to edit one’s photos. Yet it helps us to understand the editing program better and helps us to enhance our photos better. Each member got a chance to understand the GIMP program yet it was easier for some than others. Despite some difficulties, the Cultural Eye committee has basic understanding of the program and certain techniques to create more heartfelt photographs. With the fundraiser only a few months away, the Cultural Eye meeting has a lot of busy work to do and pictures to take.
The Boat Exercise
by Kiara Lee
In the past couple of months the Bridgers experienced workshops that helped prepare them for their future endeavors, socially and collectively, and the workshop with Don Kao from Project Reach made the Bridgers realize just how easy it is for the world to stereotype someone without even meaning to and how we can stereotype sometimes as well.
Don Kao commenced the workshop with the boat exercise where the Bridgers were given small papers that had a person’s individual situation written on them. The Bridgers were told that there was a vast and menacing flood and that there was only one boat fit to carry ten people. The candidates varied from a black pregnant woman, a 15 year old convicted twice of robbery, a middle aged man with a decent amount of money in his account, a woman with a child, a man with HIV that is still having sexual encounters,a welfare recipient for 15 years, an illegal immigrant, and so many more. The task for the Bridgers was to choose who should be on the boat and taken to safety based on their circumstances. In the midst of making these decisions the Bridgers discussed discrimination, personal experiences, and stereotypes but most importantly how easy it is for us to stereotype when intending not to.
This workshop reminded the Bridgers of how essential it is to let go of labels and classifications, especially when all of our information for stereotypes comes from assumptions. We have no idea what drove a 15 year old to rob, we have no grounds to classify an illegal immigrant as ineligible, or to give a middle aged man with a decent amount of a money in his bank account a spot on the boat over a man with HIV. The Bridgers are now inclined to ask about one's circumstances before judging or stereotyping them.
Engaging Workplace Diversity Committee Makes its Resumes
by Tess Korn
The Engaging Workplace Diversity committee met for the first time in January. This committee is focused on preparing to be professionals in diverse work environments. During the first meeting we discussed how to put together a good resume. We're working on our resumes for our internships we will be placed in over the summer.
We looked at many different examples of resumes. Formatting and what to include was also discussed. By the next meeting we will have the first drafts of our resumes completed.
We also started to think about what we are interested in and what we are good at in order to be placed for our internship. Karen let us know what to expect with being part of Engaging Workplace Diversity.
YouthBridge-NY at Dave and Busters
On January 11, Fellows and Bridgers had a great time playing games, winning tickets, and spending time with each other at Dave and Busters!
Bridgers Learn to Take Action
by Raj Vaidya
Facilitated by YouthAction Program Coordinator Laura Jankstrom and their very own YouthAction leaders, the advocacy program at Citizens Committee for Children was aimed at educating Bridgers about the importance of advocacy and the best means to get their point across.
Some specifics that were taught include the idea that advocacy without merit (in other words, advocacy that is not fact-based) is not very effective, so one must always take the time to find research to support their assertions prior to advocating it. Bridgers also learned how to apply these skillsets towards practical applications such as approaching elected officials and attending public hearings.
In order to demonstrate their understanding of advocacy, Bridgers were also given a chance to engage in a role-playing activity in which some students played the role of an official while others became advocates for a set cause. This educational, yet amusingly comical task, allowed Bridgers to further test their newfound advocating abilities and made it a great day for them all.
Fall 2014
On a cold, cloudy November 16 morning, the 92nd Street Y had a line that wrapped around its building filled with youth from all around waiting to get inside. Why on a cold Sunday would teenagers be getting out of their warm beds to wait in the cold on line? And who were these teens?
YouthBridge-NY Takes on Teensgiving (by Alexus Knight)
On a cold, cloudy November 16 morning, the 92nd Street Y had a line that wrapped around its building filled with youth from all around waiting to get inside. Why on a cold Sunday would teenagers be getting out of their warm beds to wait in the cold on line? And who were these teens? These teenagers were high schoolers from all around the New York Metropolitan area. These teens were at the 92nd Street Y because of Teensgiving. Teensgiving is an annual event sponsored by the 92nd Street Y where teens from a variety of high schools come together to work on various community service activities throughout New York City. Despite the weather, these high schoolers and fortunately YouthBridge were able to take part in this annual tradition of giving back to the community. Hence where the word “Teensgiving” comes from; teens from New York City dedicate their own time to assist communities that need assistance on certain things such as special needs individuals, cleaning up New York City parks or in the 92nd Street Y building itself. In compensation for their hard work, teens receive 6 hours of community service credit and a sense of pride and happiness for what they have done. Regardless of what task was given, YouthBridge pledged to make sure that as a group our goal was to help those who really need it or for temporary instances.
On Teensgiving, YouthBridge was sent to Riverside Valley Community Garden located in West Harlem. At arrival, YouthBridge and other high schoolers were greeted by park operators Jenny and her husband. Our task assigned was to rake leaves in the park’s walking areas. Although it may seem to be very minimal work, it took a numerous amount of work to as there was many leaves. In the spirit of Teensgiving, not just as YouthBridge. but as a group in entirety help each other complete the task. During the day, we bonded over the simplest things despite coming from different schools. Fellows and Bridgers also had the time to bond with each other since the retreat in August. Three Bridgers that attended the event were Yona Benjamin, Henry Liu and Kiara Jordan. Some Fellows that participated were Eme Chan, Ariel Inker, Eva Rose Spier, Sarah Rebarber and Alexus Knight.
After 2 or 3 hours at the site, we finally completed our task and or role in Teensgiving. The group was greatly appreciated by Jenny and her husband who welcomed us back anytime. Even though Teensgiving is once a year, that should not be the only time as youth that we should volunteer. When you can, volunteer in your community or an area that desperate it needs help. Just because we are young, that doesn’t mean that we cannot make a difference in the city that we live in to make it better. Whether you did the event for the 6 hours of community service (which is a major plus!) or for your own passion of volunteering, it is still important that we made a difference no matter how big or small. This idea encapsulate the whole idea of YouthBridge NY which is to help inform or use hands-on skills to make a different New York City that is more diversified and that makes sure that no community gets left behind. I hope that if YouthBridge attends Teensgiving 2015 that more of us in this community attends to create stronger bonds with each other but to also keep the city a great place to be. Happy Teensgiving and Thanksgiving Everybody!
Bridgers' "Diversity on Campus" kickoff panel (by Banelle Mana)
Current Bridgers speak with a panel of YBNY alumni about their college experiences. From left: Seth Wittman (YBNY '05), Nancy Trujillo (YBNY '08), and Laura Halperin (YBNY '10).
It’s the first Bridger meeting of the year. We all come from our various corners of New York City, tired from school but eager for the valuable knowledge that awaits us. Excited to see each other, we chatter casually about our current projects, dilemmas, and deadlines. Keep in mind that the typical YouthBridge-NY member is involved in the community, be it community service, participating or leading in clubs, or even playing a role in a community action plan.
The topic of the evening is college diversity. The night consists of an informal Q&A with 3 college (and YouthBridge!) alumni. The conversation is interactive and relevant as we have our questions honestly answered. And of course, our eyes opened to the true reality of diversity on campus. It is a matter deeper than the representation of different ethnic backgrounds. There's diversity of thought, beliefs and even experiences. The meeting overall gives us a great step ahead in tackling the college application process.
Fellows: Skill-building Updates (by Chris Collado)
The past two skill building workshops were wonderful learning experiences. I have learned so much about the state I live in and how to give a flawless public presentation.
In the first skill building workshop I learned about New York's diversity and the interaction of cultures through power point presentations and fun activities. It was great to know that New York is accepting to all cultures and races.
The second skill building workshop primarily focused on public speaking. I learned about what and what not to say during public speaking, how my posture should be, how to control my nerves, and have a calm and confident tone in my speaking. During the whole workshop every Fellow gave a 60-90 second speech about themselves or their lives, and at the end of their speech the other Fellows and Marsha Haygood, the instructor for this skill building workshop, gave constructive criticism to whoever gave their speech. I would like to thank Ms. Haygood for taking the time to help all the Fellows with public speaking and how to be more professional. I now feel more prepared for whenever I have to do public speaking and also learned how to be more professional when speaking to others.
Cultural Eye Committee Update (by Grace Gribbon)
One of Grace Gibbon's first Cultural Eye photos. "I will always identify myself as a proud New Yorker, and the city will always hold a special place in my heart. I believe NYC has helped shape my personality and my experiences, and no matter where I may travel, New York will remain my true home," says Grace.
YouthBridge’s Cultural Eye group has had a great kickoff as we begin to work with each other and our cameras to express various themes through a lens. Cultural Eye is an expressive and creative group where we are working on taking elements from our environment and trying to express what we want others to see. The first meeting helped us begin to understand the mechanical aspect of our cameras with the help of professional photographer Brian Schildhorn, founder of 5 Pin Studios. We learned all about shutter, zoom, lighting, as well as how we can use different techniques to add variation to our photos. In addition, the group has been assigned personal tasks of photographing different themes. We have taken photos that we think help identify ourselves, and for the next meeting we must do the same for identifying our family. These assignments have not only helped develop our skills as expressive photographers, but have also helped members become more familiar and comfortable with each other. Towards the end of the year each group member will get to showcase three of their photos based upon a theme we have all decided upon and proceeds of sold photos go towards YouthBridge! It is going to be a very exciting and positive year for the Cultural Eye group, and I can’t wait for the coming meetings!
YouthBridge-NY Paints with CITYarts
On September 29, YouthBridge-NY partnered with CITYarts to help paint a mural at a community center in Manhattan, beautifying the area for local children and residents.
YouthBridge-NY volunteers at the CITYarts mural in Manhattan on September 29. From left: Alexus Knight, Lianna Brenner (staff), Camille Smalling, Banelle Mana, Anish Gosala, Karen Lander (staff). Not pictured: Darren Lin.
Spotlight on YouthBridge-NY Alumna: Nancy Trujillo (YB-NY '08)
YouthBridge-NY: What do you do at Futuro Media Group? How long have you been at Futuro, and how did you get there?
Nancy Trujillo: I am the Executive Office Coordinator at Futuro. This coming January it will be my 3rd year with the organization. I have always been fortunate to meet great people in my life that have connected me with different opportunities, a great skill I learned at YouthBridge-NY- NETWORKING! I met Maria Hinojosa at the end of my high school career and started working with her children. As the years went by she reached out to me and asked if I knew of anyone interested in an assistant position or if i was interested. I took the opportunity and the rest is history.
YBNY: What is the best part about working there?
NT: The best part about working at Futuro has to be the amazing people I have been honored and humbled to meet and interact with. I work directly with everyone and through that I have been able to genuinely get to know my co-workers. The organization is small so my voice is heard and taken into account. It is an amazing feeling to find a place where you are valued and listened to.
YBNY: Are there any specific projects you work on that you really love and can tell us more about?
NT: We produce radio and television, well the producers do. I really love when I get to be the producer of time. I love and appreciate it because it was one of the hardest things to learn to do well - to organize and manage someone else's calendar like I do for my boss, Maria. I've made the big mistakes I needed to never make them again. It truly has been a learning experience.
YBNY: How did your time as a YouthBridge fellow help prepare you for your work now?
NT: YouthBridge-NY prepared me for life. Thus far it has been all about building, maintaining, and understanding your connections. Throughout my years with YouthBridge-NY I gained a confidence of owning my voice, of voicing my opinions, of asking for what I want and need, to give back. I experienced my first real summer internship, I was made responsible and accountable, and best of all - I shared and lived those experiences with amazing human beings and now 6 years after becoming an alumni I see my fellow alumni and the new students passing through the program as part of of the same sister and brotherhood. I know and feel like we are all going to change the world, within our own capacities and skills. We have it very ingrained in who we are to make this world a better place.
YBNY: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
NT: 10 years from now I will be 34 years old... where do I see myself? I am curious to find out. I want to keep on giving back, to keep on learning, and most of all traveling.
Volunteering at the "America By the Numbers" launch with Futuro Media Group (by Marcella Morales-Lugo)
Marcella (YB-NY '16), Mahin (YB-NY '15), and Karen working the sign-in table at the launch of "America By the Numbers."
When I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at the Ford Foundation with Futuro Media Group I was immediately interested! The event looked really prevalent to what YouthBridge is about and this made it even more intriguing to help out. When I arrived at the Ford Foundation I was very intimidated because I know that the Ford Foundation is very well known and "works mainly by making grants or loans that build knowledge and strengthen organizations and networks." Fortunately I was welcomed by big smiles. Nancy Trujillo (YB-NY '08) was one of those big smiles. She made me feel very comfortable and I felt like I was having fun while doing business. The event was so awesome! There were so many different people and I got to meet every single one of them because I was working the front desk and greeted every person that walked in. I met CEO’s, celebrities and a lot of company representatives. This opportunity gave me a lot of exposure to the realm of communications and showed me that making connections with people can really benefit you in the long run. This experience was so great and I am glad that Nancy organized this event because she was a pleasure to work with! Also thank you to YouthBridge for giving me such a wonderful opportunity.
Shared Resources for a Shared Future: Meeting #2 (by Adie Present)
The focus of our second committee meeting was to learn communication skills and skills that will help us come to agree on organizations to give our 2,000 dollars. We began by learning about active listening. Active listening is a way of showing understanding of what you just heard through responses and body language. The goal of active listening is to avoid misunderstandings and to create an environment conducive to sharing. We learned that a common way to do this is for one to repeat or summarize the main points the speaker said and ask him or her if you understood correctly. We were then able to practice active listening with a partner to see how we would put this skill that we just learned to use in everyday conversations. It was interesting to note that as a group we almost unanimously agreed that this form of active listening seemed awkward and unconventional for a one on one conversation. But, we all agreed that active listening would be very helpful for larger conversations. We realized that it will help us as a group when it comes time for all of us to come to a consensus regarding which organizations we would like to give our 2,000 dollars to.
Our next goal was to learn about consensus, what they are, and how to reach one. This was done in order to prepare us for the group consensus we will eventually have to come to. One of the most interesting points we discussed was that coming to a real consensus does not just mean everyone says “yes,” it means that everyone must say “yes” and mean it. It is important to differentiate between people who just say “yes” to end the dispute versus people who were genuinely persuaded to change their mind. We learned that one of the key elements to building a consensus is making sure none of the options are associated with people. This is done in order to ensure that in the end no one feels like they lost or won. I personally found this to be one of the more interesting points we discussed because it’s implying that there is a psychological aspect to consensus building not just a logical aspect.
We also learned about the ideal conditions for a consensus to be made and what we could do if there is a situation where reaching a consensus seems impossible. We discussed that having a facilitator helps bring about a consensus faster and in a more organized manner.
Just a few of the social justice causes that our Shared Resources fellows are passionate about...
Lastly, we were able to test all the skills we had just picked up through a consensus reaching activity. We each had a list of fourteen big issues in our communities and had to personally rank our top five issues. We were then split into three groups of five and each group had to come to a consensus about what the group believed were the top five issues. The goal of this exercise was to prepare us for what coming to a consensus actually entails, and to give us the opportunity the practice using the skills we had just leaned. While taking turns trying to change each other’s minds, we practiced active listening to show our peers that we understood what they were trying to say, but we just disagreed. Also, each member of the group took a turn being the facilitator. Remarkably, many people found that their time as facilitator was the most challenging part of the activity, because, as facilitator, one had to sit quietly without sharing their opinion. My group in particular decided after about 15 minutes that we would not use a facilitator because we found that we were a small enough group and were able to manage without one. My group also discovered that many of us had similar top five choices, which made it much easier for us to come to calm, quick consensus. On the contrary, we heard some groups, all the way on the other side of the room, screaming in disagreement! Overall I think that the exercise was extremely helpful in preparing us for what is to come, and I believe that when it comes time for us to reach our actual consensus we will be able to do so in a calm, civilized manner thanks to all the preparation we were given and will continue to receive.
Spring 2014
These past couple months of the Bridgers’ lives have been extremely busy. With college applications, scholarship deadlines, and the consistent and progressive movement towards the culmination of our high school careers, we have all...
Bridger Updates (by Erin Krebs)
These past couple months of the Bridgers’ lives have been extremely busy. With college applications, scholarship deadlines, and the consistent and progressive movement towards the culmination of our high school careers, we have all been particularly connected as a group. We’ve lamented writing essays together and celebrated acceptances together; this time has only demonstrated how close-knit and supportive we have become as a team. YouthBridge-NY has tried to take the “scary” element out of this seemingly nebulous transition in our lives through informative and gripping sessions that have taught us exactly how we will employ our skills as leaders on a more adult-level. The specificity and relaxed environment have been great for our experience. With help from inspiring advocates at Citizen’s Committee for Children, we expanded our knowledge of advocacy and learned concrete tools about how to conduct research. We also explored how we can contact and collaborate with our state and national government to expand the impact of our actions. In December, we hung out with the enthused forces behind Do Something. Do Something is a non-profit that has been present in many of the Bridgers lives because it utilizes social media to encourage youth to respond to prevalent issues through nationwide campaigns/grants. Do Something reminded us of the tools we readily have access to and our session consisted of some brainstorming between Bridgers and Do Something employees, as well as a discussion about the multitude of paths we can take in life that can still incorporate service and community consciousness. Our last meeting at Allianz was very swanky and was titled the “Roundtable to Jumpstart Your Career.” Bridgers networked by continuing to establish themselves as vibrant, compassionate young people in New York City. This event brought together professionals, including YouthBridge-NY board members from all over NYC whose greatest interests were our futures, our questions, and our abilities. We participated in “speed-mentoring” and rotated from professional to professional to discuss different elements of professional life such as resume building and interview skills. We even discussed how best to adjust to college life through the establishing of mentors and support systems. Many Bridgers benefited from learning about the concept of creating one’s professional “brand.” We are so grateful to all of the NYC professionals who have supported and educated us in the past few months and for all the ways that YouthBridge-NY has enriched our high school lives.
Skill-Building Workshop Updates (by Kelvin Ma)
In the past few Skill-Building Workshops at YouthBridge-NY, a diverse amount of speakers have visited us. For example, in November, Luanna Azulay, program director at Hillel at Baruch College, came to talk to us about the power of networking. We participated in many activities among one another to explore the benefits and power of networking. She explained how in just 30 seconds, one can make a powerful impression that could get someone to be interested in what one is talking about. Networking is an extremely important tool in life because it is what allows one to spread him or herself out to the world.
Another speaker that came was Ivy Cohen, one of the board members of YouthBridge-NY, who came to teach us about marketing. In this lesson, we learned about how marketing affects everyone because how one advertises something affects how the consumer will respond to that product. Each advertisement, she explained, had a specific audience that it is targeting and it’s the creator of the advertisement’s job to make it as appealing as possible in order to lure people to its product. The “crash course” she taught was very interesting.
The most interesting experience so far, however, was the visit to the Museum of Tolerance in Manhattan. The museum is all about tolerance and its development throughout time. One may think they know tolerance, and that he or she is a tolerant person, but this visit would prove them wrong. Everyone, whether they want to or not, would judge someone when they first see them. For example, when a new student comes into a class, every student in the class would judge the new person and whether or not they want to be friends with them. The museum had videos and activities that showed how people right now are oblivious to the intolerant acts around the world. Nobody is aware of all the websites and groups that express their hatred among certain groups. The museum taught everyone a very valuable lesson that it's up to us to stop judging and start accepting one another.
Cultural Eye Committee Update (by Ayanna Joseph)
As the year progressed, the Fellows in the Cultural Eye Committee have started working on their personal projects, discovering more about their communities and themselves. The round-table styled monthly meetings, with the Cultural Eye family, are filled with constructive criticism and laughs. As we share our pictures we took in the past month at our meetings we discuss photography techniques such as the rule of thirds, perspective, contrast and exposure. These pictures range from Brooklyn record shops, snow covered backyards, architecture in Jerusalem, to streets of El Barrio and much more. Each photo is analyzed for composition and other photographic properties we learned from two professional photographers. In addition to the array of photos we look at during our meetings, we also look at how media is used both socially and professionally within the constructs of society. By examining excerpts of old photography collections and modern media pathways, for example sites like Humans of New York, our perceptions of New York and our perspective of diverse individuals have changed, and continue to change drastically. In the upcoming month, our skills will be put to the test as we all evaluate our best photos from our portfolios and display them at the YouthBridge-NY Night of Celebration in June. This exhibit will represent the accumulative skills we learned over the year. We, as a group, are excited to see the outcome.
Engaging Workplace Diversity Committee Update (by Mahin Rahaman)
During January, the YouthBridge-NY Fellows that got into the Engaging Workplace Diversity committee had their very anticipated first meeting! During this meeting we went through the basic overview of what this program was all about. Engaging Workplace Diversity is an internship program dedicated to helping us develop skills we need in order to excel in a professional workplace. I've done summer internships like this before, but the most interesting and unique aspect I find about this is that they introduce a diversity aspect to it. We'll not only learn the skills we need in order to become accustomed to a professional environment-- but also learn why diversity is an important asset to any workplace. I personally always believed that having diversity in the workplace is an extremely pivotal characteristic that every workplace should learn to incorporate and being involved in this committee is extremely exciting and meaningful to me. Some goals that we discussed together as a team during this meeting include to make outstanding resumes, learn to develop amazing communication skills, to figure out what area we're interested in. We want to be properly prepared and learn as many skills as we could before we're put into our professional settings so we have to make sure that we're punctual. In addition, we also learned that we'll be doing site visits in order to have an idea of the different types of professional environments. This is something new that I've actually never done before and I'm looking forward to seeing all the different types of workplaces there are, as well as meeting new people and asking them about their careers. Moreover, not only will this internship be a learning experience for us professionally, but it will also help us determine which career fields we might have a proclivity towards and which career fields are not suitable for us. We'll also be going over networking skills, communication skills, knowing what to wear depending on the business environment, and much more. Overall, I'm extremely enthusiastic about this whole experience and can't wait for our upcoming meetings with my astounding committee members!
Shared Resources Committee Update (by Yona Benjamin)
The Shared Resourced Committee has had a busy few months. After rounds of heated (but respectful) debates, we agreed upon working on grants that advocate youth health, substance abuse, and diversity. During the most recent meetings we read a series of applications that had been submitted for our consideration. We constructed a rubric and started to grade! Though the grading was often difficult we learned a lot about what types of non profits are out there. The world is full of amazing programs and we learned a lot about them. In the coming month we hope to reach a final consensus on who to give the grant to. Until then, so long from the Shared Resources Committee!
Global Nomads Group – Islamabad & New York (by Mahin Rahaman)
On October 9th, eleven YouthBridge- NY students participated in a special event hosted by Global Nomads Group (GNG), which connected YouthBridge- NY teens with peers in Islamabad, Pakistan specifically from Millennium Roots High School. GNG is an international NGO whose mission is to foster dialogue and understanding among the world's youth. When I first heard about this event, I was immediately thrilled. I've heard about Malala Yousefzai in the news and in school and I was absolutely intrigued with her story. When YouthBridge-NY presented this opportunity, I immediately said yes and had the privilege of attending a video conference hosted by GNG with students in Islamabad to talk about Malala and what she represents. While waiting for GNG to set up the conference equipment, my fellow YouthBridge-NY members and I discussed what we expected the conference to be like. I remember how much we prejudged these students-- wondering whether or not they'll be able to speak proper English, whether or not their schools looked like schools in the US, even whether or not they had a sense of humor. As you can clearly tell, we came in feeling as if we and the students from Islamabad lived in two completely different worlds. We came in thinking about all the things that could make us different and how the students in Islamabad couldn't possibly share many common characteristics with us.
We were wrong.
As soon as the conference started, everyone shared and indulged in an amazingly friendly atmosphere. Originally both sides had prepared questions to ask each other but instead, we found ourselves roaming from topic to topic on our own because we were all so genuinely interested about each other. What we ended up finding out was not all the things that made us different, but rather all the things that made us alike. The students from Millennium Roots High School shared their views on education and what a great impact Malala Yousefzai made in their country. Needless to say, their view on education was extremely similar to ours. We both believed that education is an extremely important aspect to every person and should be granted equally to all people regardless of their gender or status. Malala Yousefzai's brave actions made not only us, but the entire world realize the power of having a voice and the true value of education to those that can't access it as easily as most of us here in the US can. Contrary to the notions we originally came into the conference with, the YouthBridgers and the students from Millennium Roots High School laughed together, shared stories, discussed and agreed on important aspects regarding education, as well as explored all the things that made us alike. This experience was truly eye opening and made me realize how incredibly alike we were. We ultimately went from having this perception about two different worlds into one international community where we can all relate and help each other rise to their very best. After this experience, I tried bringing international video conferencing to my school Bronx Science because I realized the importance of conversing with students from other countries. It immediately deteriorates any false presumptions that the media or society might give us and brings us closer to coalescing into a tight-knit global community. I genuinely thank Global Nomads Group and YouthBridge-NY for giving me this amazing opportunity and making me realize the importance of reaching out to kids globally.
Volunteer Outings (by Jesse Aguilar)
Many of our members volunteer to help those less fortunate, believing that any amount of time we can give is enough to make a significant difference in someone else's life. In November, I participated in a volunteer service for the group "Habitat for Humanity". True to its name, Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit group that seeks to build and repair environments all over the city for those in need. On that day, the group planned to renovate and revitalize a community center for seniors. Besides me, several other members from YouthBridge-NY showed up to contribute, all wearing thick jackets and gloves to brave the unyielding cold. After briefly introducing ourselves to the other volunteers and Habitat for Humanity members, we set off to work in our designated areas, each person doing a small part of the big project. I, along with three other volunteers, was assigned to paint the walls for the goal of illuminating the atmosphere. We were to cover every inch of the hallway walls, which was approximately 400 square feet. It was long and hard work, not at all as easy as I had first suspected. Although I was weary and aching from using muscles I had never used before, I felt a sense of achievement whenever I looked over the work I had done. For once, I was doing something physical, and I was doing it for someone else. I could imagine the happy faces of the elderly who would return to that embellished hallway, which encouraged me to continue on. After several hours, the painstaking job was complete. My friends and I evaluated our hard work, our sweaty faces lit up with smiles.
Two weeks later, another opportunity to give my all for the community arrived. It was an opportunity known as 92Y Teensgiving, an annual event in which over 700 high school teenagers and 100 adult volunteers participate in community service projects all over NYC. Our team's assigned job was to completely renovate a park, and to replace the gravel and wood there. It was a lot harder than it sounded, as the raging winds and sub-zero temperature buffeted our shaking bodies while we struggled to move wood without sliding down the hill. But the hardship made me realize many things, how important our actions were for the good of the people who would soon use the park. There was no doubt that I would be sore later on and be forced to throw out my wood-covered t-shirt, but the satisfaction I felt was worth it. I was doing something good for others, and I wasn't alone. I had friends, comrades in arms, who had just as much conviction as I did. I left that park with sore arms and with wood chips in my shoes, but I also knew that I had friends by my side who were also volunteering their time for someone else's good. It was a moment I would never forget, that achievement and pride I felt.
Ice Skating and Movie Day (by Ellie Xu)
YouthBridge-NY hosted a mid-year winter retreat to further allow the Fellows and Bridgers to acquaint themselves with one another. Aside from all the skill-building and committee meetings, and with our minds off the seemingly interminable pile of schoolwork that comes with being a junior/senior in high school, we were able to spend the day relaxing and having a good time. First, we met at Wollman Rink to ice skate. For the past few months, I had been taking rollerblading as my physical education class in school, which led me to be under the false impression that ice-skating was similar to rollerblading. I was prepared to skate around without clinging onto the wall, but then I stepped onto the ice and I got frightened at the prospect of falling or even worse. Skating on ice did not feel nearly as stable as rollerblading on the ground. I had not ice skated for more than two years, but with the help of moral support from my peers, I gathered my courage to let go of the wall. Some of the other Fellows and Bridgers, like me, struggled at first to accustom ourselves with skating on the ice. Others, however, were relatively experienced at skating, and even knew how to do hockey stops. After skating and conversing for several hours, we went to the YouthBridge-NY office to watch a movie. Although some wanted to walk to the office, we agreed to take the train because not all of us were willing to walk a whole mile. We wanted to watch a movie, so we ended up narrowing down our selection to the following choices: The Truman Show, Coming to America, Trading Places, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. We took a vote, and Coming to America won. However, many of us had already watched it, so we ended up agreeing to watch The Truman Show instead. I had not watched this movie before, but I had enjoyed watching other movies in which Jim Carrey starred in. This movie made me ponder the issue of appearances vs. reality, while munching on pizza. The Truman Show was a very intriguing film with an original storyline. The retreat was an enjoyable experience consisting of good food and good company.