[ad_1]
As a freshman at Crawford High School, Aleighna Stempien-Smith was drawn to a presentation the founder of a nonprofit gave at her school. He spoke about young people asserting their true identity and making wise and healthy choices that will help them achieve their destiny and fulfill their purpose in life. She began attending their social events and completing the writing activities on their website, and found that they kept encouraging her to become the best version of herself.
“My passion is to accompany young people with whom I have a personal connection and to understand what they go through every day. The opportunity to work with this organization at such a young age is a wonderful opportunity that I am grateful for, “she says of Movement BE, a non-profit that uses poetry, creative writing, social and emotional learning workshops, and storytelling to help to serve the local youth.
The organization recently opened its Movement BE Center on El Cajon Boulevard, with afternoon programs for children and weekend programs for children and families, in addition to its work with the San Diego Unified School District and with youth organizations.
Stempien-Smith, 18, works as an office manager at Movement BE, lives in the college area and has three sisters and one twin brother. She took some time to talk about the organization’s work in the community, her new physical space in the community, and her desire to connect with other young people and help them find their voice.
Q: Tell us about Movement BE (Brave Entrepreneur).
A: In 2013, our founder and CEO, Nate Howard, founded Movement BE in response to being on the receiving end of racial profiling after one of his social events was shut down by more than 60 police officers. The media and others acted on stereotypes in telling his story, which led him to found this organization to help young people discover their own stories and the truth of their identities. Our vision is to help all young people gain confidence, tell their stories and determine their fate. Our goal is to change the narrative in underserved communities by inspiring young people to tell their stories before others do, giving them the courage to reject a life according to social stereotypes and fulfill their own purpose in life.
Nate founded the name on the idea that everyone is and can become a courageous entrepreneur, whatever their heart desires. Everyone is creative, everyone can build their own empire, and everyone can become their own boss by starting their own brands and companies. To be a brave entrepreneur means chasing after your dreams and aspirations while fulfilling your real purpose and hiding society’s stereotypes and expectations.
Q: Why is it important for the organization to focus on storytelling to help young people?
A: We focus on storytelling to guide teens towards their goal. When people tell their stories for them, those stories can be filled with stereotypes and projections based on how society sees them and their future. The children are shy at first as they express their emotions and life events. However, over time, they will listen to their peers share them, and that trust helps them gain the courage to tell their own stories without apology. They use poetry, music, art, freestyle writing, and digital methods to tell their stories. The way we guide their storytelling through our programming becomes a form of narrative therapy as we focus on social and emotional learning.
Q: Tell us about the Movement BE Center on El Cajon Boulevard.
A: Our 2,500 square foot center is located on 6787 El Cajon Boulevard and is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Operating a physical space has been a big goal of ours because it gives us a safe space for people in the community to be themselves.
During the week we are currently open outside of school, where the children get mentors, play games, eat healthy snacks and just be. The teens will stop by during the week to speak to their mentors as they build confidence, find and tell their own stories, and work on achieving their goals on their personal path of growth and development.
Every Saturday we have our Movement BE Family Day where we have live music, games, arts and crafts, writing activities, open mic time for people to share their stories, and free food to help tackle food insecurity in our community.
We also recently teamed up with We All We Got SD to give them a space every Saturday to act as a hub and continue their work in distributing food to those in need. They have great staff and volunteers, and they donate groceries, pack grocery bags, and distribute them to individuals and families in San Diego County.
What I love about College Area …
I love that there are so many different things to do nearby. The community is interactive and amazing (and being minutes from the Movement BE Center is a plus). I’m a local, born and raised in San Diego, and I really admire the city and the sunshine it brings.
Q: How does the center help the organization continue to fulfill its mission?
A: The center really helps us accomplish our mission by providing a safe space for the community (especially the youth) to be themselves, meet new people and build lasting bonds while giving them guidance and support at the same time. which you may not find anywhere else. It serves as a home away from home and home for those who have no family or home. We are proud of our center and of the people who become part of the Movement BE family.
Q: Who has access to this center? And how can people take part in what the center has to offer?
A: The center is a hub for the community because we want everyone to have a safe place to receive guidance, find and tell their stories, and be free. During the post-school years, however, the center is intended exclusively for young people. People can sign up for mentoring, growth groups, or as volunteers.
Q: How many young people are currently in the Movement BE program?
A: We have cared for thousands of teenagers between the ages of 5 and 24 over the years. Our hip hop and pizza summer camps have looked after more than 35 young people, and our family days currently serve about 25 individuals and families. We care for more than 80 teens at the district juvenile detention center, and our workshops in schools in the San Diego Unified School District serve well over 1,000 students.
Q: What specifically is covered in the social and emotional workshops that you offer school districts and youth organizations?
A: Our social-emotional learning workshops use creative writing as a form of narrative therapy. We cover topics like confidence, determination, fear, goal setting, anger management, healthy choices, love, and more. Each lesson contains an inspirational quote that focuses on the topic being discussed, along with an inspirational message from one of our teachers. This is followed by a guided letter that allows participants to express themselves.
Q: What did this work teach you about yourself?
A: This work demonstrated my ability to reach people and affect lives in ways that I couldn’t even imagine. People come to me when they are looking for a guide light. In my work at Movement BE, I discovered patience and maturity. People find solace in sharing their stories and needs openly with me, and I love that. Not everyone has a person to confide in. So when I have the strength and knowledge to become a light or mentor to someone, I will happily fulfill that role in my community.
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
A: To help myself before helping others. As I got older, people began to point out that I had to help myself too before I let myself into giving back to others and healing them. Everything starts inside.
Q: What would be one thing people would learn about you?
A: They are usually surprised at how young I am when they hear about my role and my accomplishments. I have many talents and strengths that have helped me in community service that most people my age don’t have.
Q: Please describe your ideal weekend in San Diego.
A: Relaxing by the pool and soaking up the sun, reading a book to relax, hit the gym, stroll through the busy parts of town and discover the positive energy, nice weather, hiking and trying new foods (Pho is my favorite) !).
[ad_2]
Source link