First few days of Workshops in South Africa (pics & recap)

I can still remember when I had the thought of going to South Africa I really did not know what to expect from the Youth. My number one concern was that I did not think I was good enough to execute my own vision. My vision was for the South African young adults to get that they matter and to give them the tools they need so that they can succeed. The first two days of training have been a humbling experience. I have not only learned from the youth here, but the DREAM TEAM who has come to live out their purpose.

The most surprising thing that I have endured is the fact that the teens were willing to be vulnerable and they really were hungry for support. As a youth developer in NYC, my experience has been chasing teens to come to program rather than them showing up to receive support. If you want it YOU must go after it.

I know my life will forever be different. One major way that I am living different is my relationship with my word and making sure that I take care of myself. More so, making sure my life is in order. You see sometimes we want to help so much that we are unwilling to upgrade ourselves and work on ourselves. Today I am declaring a continuous upgrade in my life. This will be an example for the young people in their lives to continue to strive for greatness. In order to coach greatness you must first EMBODY GREATNESS.

It Always Seems Impossible Until it is Done!

Last year around this time I was introduced to my dear friend Melonie. A friend reached out to me to support her. Melonie needed support on providing a place for her son to live as he was looking to partake in an exchange program in the United States. I agreed to let him stay with me and attend a teen program; however, the American embassy did not give him access into the United States. I told Melonie that I would come out there and visit her because she was so loving and kind. At first it was just a good idea, then I began to do research on South Africa and I realized that our youth faced similar issues. Similar pain…I wanted to help and learn from them, so the promise I gave Melonie began to crystalize. I felt like Melonie was an angel and she was sent from God to help me fully live out my purpose. She is sweet, God fearing, and a servant of leadership. When I told her I was really coming she never doubted me. She simply asked me what I needed.

 (Melonie in green)

I originally wanted 10 people to come to South Africa and put on interactive workshops to help alleviate poverty. There were a few mitigating circumstances that were hindering me from doing the workshops: school, finances, and a solid team oh and we had no organization and children! I also wanted to provide young professionals from the USA with the opportunity to go abroad and contribute. But it sounded easy right? Yea it wasn’t…….only 4 people answered my call….I like to call them MY DREAM teams……they put the work in and figure out their finances to get themselves to South Africa. At first I was discouraged at the low enrollment. But then I could hear my inner voice say “don’t have your vision be contingent upon other people” With that thought in mind I told the travel agent to book the trip to South Africa because it was crucial that we actually helped develop the skills of the South Africans. You see when you operate from vision and purpose God will provide a way and open doors. Ask for what you want and he shall provide only if you are clear, your purpose is there and your heart is in the right place.

When I arrived to South Africa the director of the program 4Change laid out the vision for youth and the community and told me his downfalls and what he needed support with. What he needed support with was what I was going to school for. At that very moment I felt like God said ….”I told you to trust me.” Most of all I trusted myself. Sometimes trusting ourselves is the hardest….I mean so many factors in the world are telling us that we cant……so we actually don’t do. However, when we declare and create our lives things start to fall into place!

Tomorrow will be the first day of the workshops and it is no coincidence that they will take place on Martin Luther King’s birthday! A man who had a vision for a better world, one in which we don’t have to be judged by the color of our skin but the content of our character. My wish is that the Youth in South Africa get that they matter and they begin to revolt in the form of self-empowerment and create their lives regardless of the oppressive systems put in place.

I am COLORED!

As I arrived to South Africa and began to chat with my friend Melonie she began to give me the history of South Africa and how people identified. She stated “I am colored” I gasped…..I looked at her like she was crazy. She said “I know you don’t call people ‘Colored’ in the states but here you can call people who look liked me colored. Now I will admit, I was confused about Melonie I won’t lie because I could not tell her race off the back. She obviously isn’t pure white nor is she pure black. In America we referred to her as “mixed”….She can even pass for Hispanic. She is beautiful indeed and extremely loving….But what I learned  from her was that even after the regime of apartheid the country in South Africa STILL was segregated and divided.

So currently South Africa has three groups of people: black, colored, and white.  The town is divided into these three different groups and their locations reflect their racial status in South Africa. Apartheid ended about 20years ago. During apartheid the policies put in place required that black, colored, and white people live separately and functioned separately. Similar to segregation in America, the epidemic of apartheid has tarnished the country of South Africa and has given permission for people of color to live below poverty.

Our world is so caught up in labels and making sure that one group of people do not succeed. In the end we are all PEOPLE …HUMANITY! I remember the first time I experienced racism….I was taken back because where I grew up in the South Bronx we were all the same….as I entered the campus of Yale University as a junior in high school attending a summer program I noticed I was different….and some of my peers and teachers did not allow me to forget it. One thing that kept me going was that “I deserved to be here if not more than the average student” I worked just as hard…matter fact twice as hard…I was reminded over and over that I had 3 strikes against me….my race, my gender, and my class…..but guess what?! I used that as my platform.

Let me tell you….the way to dismantle racism is by understanding it completely…and than doing everything in your power to change it.

The power of your vision...In Honor of Robin Lynn

I remember the first time I understood what having a vision meant. I sat in a transformational class that had my vision crystalized. That was all possible because of another women’s vision. Her vision for people to get that they matter and when they got that they mattered they would contribute. You see what I had to learn was mattering was a choice and some where along my 23 years (at that time I was 23) on earth I choose not to matter. Matter fact there was a point in my life where I choose death could you believe that?! At 23? How bad could it have been? Robin Lynn knew and understood the power of mattering and how the world would shift if people knew that they mattered. Me mattering lead me to South Africa with just a vision, no agency, no funds, but a vision to support and be what ever is wanted and needed for the villages and communities of this country.

You see as agents of change we are sometimes overwhelmed with our visions. Sometimes they are so big that they scare us into withdrawal, depression, scarcity. It is not vision alone, but what we do with our vision. My vision was so big that it forced me into anger, depression, sadness. Almost to a point where I contemplated ending my life. However, one woman’s vision changed my perspective had me figure out who I needed to be to reclaim life, to welcome love, to BE love. Because what I was missing was love. God was clear that I could not fulfill his mission, his vision without love so he introduced me to Robin Lyn’s vision.  You see service takes work…when I am on the ground miracles do not happen overnight, mentorship takes time. My Momma was introduced to me at age 16 and now 10 years later she is still working with me and my craziness (really I was a lot); nevertheless, I am CLEAR she had a vision, and her unconditional love saved me. And three years later I am here living my vision for the world through Robin’s vision for the world and Sheena Wright’s love for me. Powerful right? Ripple affect.

My vision consists of a global agenda of economic development, social justice, and empowerment for ALL. That vision is still a HUGE vision; however, my strategy to achieve it is completely different. At first I thought I needed to take the load on by myself; however, what I learned is that if I teach others to be change agents within their communities some sort of ripple affect would take place. Even through this blog the vision is that you are inspired to serve in your community or any community….some form of contribution. These worldly issues of poverty and mass destruction are MY issues. However, I do not have to do it alone. Jesus only needed 12 disciples and look what was created?! I follow an each one teach one mentality and guess what….most of the time I am a student. Where in your life can you step into your vision regardless of your circumstances?

Thank you Robin Lynn for your vision.

My Arrival to South Africa

 As we pulled into the village I observed the two young boys about three and four walk down the road holding jugs in their hands…many thoughts ran through my head one prominent one: “I have seen this before some where on tv” Only this time it was real life. This was no TV ad requesting for help…the two young boys had to fetch their water from a location outside of their house. I thought about those two little boys being my little brother Daniel (he is 7), my momma wouldn’t even allow him out of the same room as her let alone out the house to fetch some water lol. But I observed them and one thing I noticed is that they had JOY! They did not look sad such as the pictures on the TV in America, these two young men were even skipping at one point. It made me reflect back to my life and how I have been showing as ungrateful in a lot of areas…no matter the struggle what is missing is pure JOY…. because see happiness is just a feeling…. it comes and goes…But JOY…. No one can take Joy away.

Even though I have grown up in poverty I have NEVER went without. My grandmother always made sure we had what we needed even while raising us merely on $300 a month (social security for dead parents). We always had whatever food, money, and clothes we needed. I never had to fetch water…. and the little things she did ask as I remember I would give major attitude. (Who the HELL was I?!) I’ll tell you…. I felt ENTITLED! Showing up as if someone owed me something…when in reality God gave me the most precious gift…LIFE and PURPOSE and I was being a brat. These two young boys will forever be in my heart. As I prepare to return to the classrooms at Penn and complete my degree this fall…. the thought in my mind keeps popping up…”How do I maintain the joy? How do I pay homage to the two young boys fetching some water? What can I Do?”  Most of the time we think that sending money is the option, as a student of social policy and a former nonprofit Manager/ director I can tell you most of the time the children NEVER see the money. What is needed is INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. How do we  prepare our people to support themselves no matter their circumstances? You see “Thoughts of a Brown Ivy” serves a call to action! Most of us will leave our intuitions and go make six figures straight of out our programs…. in a few years some of us will even become multimillionaires…. But whom much is given much is required! How do we show up in the world as “Powerful leaders”? Because powerful people empower! How do we create innovation around the world?! How do we use out networks, resources, education to serve nations including our very own nation where children in the South Bronx are hungry currently? How do we help institute programs or systems so that toddlers in South Africa are not walking in the middle of the road almost a mile away to fetch water for their families (I can think about all of the laws put in place in America to protect our children from this very act).

One thing is for sure….After graduation (May 18, 2015) I will return to this very place in South Africa and simply say “thank you this degree is for you.”