I felt like i should be branded since were talking about Brand Awareness. Which leads into a great first question. Tell me about the new branding initiative thats going on with ywca. Its actually a Brand Awareness campaign because, as you said, we havent changed our mission to eliminate racism and empower women has been the same for over 150 years, but we feel its important to let the world know that were committed to that. Whats been the response . The response has been amazing. You know, so many people arent aware of the depth and breadth of the services we provide from early childcare all the way to senior care, from Domestic Violence services to job training. We provide so Many Services for women, but a lot of people are not aware of it despite the fact that we have been doing this for over 150 years. Now, when we talk about the timing, what do you say to people who say, well, dara, why now . What brought it about now . Well, when you think about the fact that we have been doing this work for 150 years and we still dont live in a postracial society, women and dont have access to the services and supports they need to achieve the American Dream we all hold to dear. We thought this was an unprecedented time for us to be out there to remind the world how important it is for them to join us in our efforts to eliminate racism and empower women. For people who may not know what the letters stand for, its Young Womens Christian association . Well, you know, its interesting you bring that up. Okay. Just this year, part of our Brand Awareness campaign, we changed our name to ywca usa inc. Because we think its important to be inclusive of all races and religions. Thats what were all about and have been for more than 150 years. Our 225 ywcas have been serving people of all races, all nationalities for many years. Did the men change theirs . Are they still [laughter] theyre still the same. To your knowledge . Okay, just checking. Exactly, yes. What are some of the issues that young women, thats still that, but what are some of the issues that they, these women are facing . Well, you know, when you think about the women that we serve, 76 of the women and families that we serve are at or below the poverty level. So theyre facing unequal access to education, unequal access to health, unequal access to our political and our justice system. So we at the ywca, you know, we pride ourselves on being a social Justice Organization because we are not only treating the symptoms, if you will, but were trying to come up with solutions around advocacy to change the very problems that these women, many of them, are facing. The biggest challenge for your organization is you try to affect this change well, that is a big challenge, but we dont see it as impossible. Okay. Certainly, we approach these issues in three ways, through direct services which is very important, but we also provide advocacy. We want to change the systemic nature of many of these problems that the women and families were serving are facing. So we have a threepronged approach; direct service, advocacy and issue education. And with those three things we want to try to change and create sustainable impact. Also were talking about just having an employable future, you know . Job, life saving skills, all of these things also part of the mission as well, right . Absolutely. And, certainly, we provide them from the early stages. It could be our tech Girls Program where we provide young women and girls of color with access to s. T. E. M. Education through our job training and Computer Literacy and education that we provide for older women. We pretty much run the gamut for women and families. 150 years 150 years. You know, and certainly you werent there for that, you know, we want to point that out. Absolutely not. Lets be clear about that. [laughter] but you, theres so much respect associated with the ywca, you know . Its just one of those, you know, acronyms when you hear about it, you immediately know, oh, they are doing a good work, you know . How does that make you feel when that impression of the ywca . I have to tell you, you know, i see this role at the helm of the ywca usa as both an honor and a responsibility, a responsibility to continue the incredible work thats been happening at the ywca and our local associations across the nation for years. It makes me feel extremely proud to know the impact we are having in the lives of millions of women and girls and their families every year x. Thats why this Brand Awareness campaign is so important. Weve got to let the world know and, hopefully, you know, engage the world in our efforts. I know that on your resume youre also a doctor. I am. Want to point that out. Now, i want to ask you a question x i want you to answer honestly. Ive done stories where men, organizations to help young men and to change societal perceptions, you know, about whether its the way they dress, whether its the way they speak. We recently did a story here about young women who are acting out in different manners, you know . And organizations trying to say, television, those images there, thats not how you need to define yourself. Do you run into that in the capacity of the ywca, and how do you address that if you run into it . Well, i think if i understand your question correctly, do i see image and how you present yourself as important . Absolutely. I think its very important for young men and women to present themselves in a professional, respectful manner because people often, unfortunately, dont take you seriously if you dont present yourself well. More than that, i think you need to make sure you have the education. Youre getting access to education. Make sure that youre being a respectable citizen, and youre not breaking laws, and youre doing what you need to do to make yourself a better person. I think all of those things are key and important to a successful life. If someone wants to get involved or contribute in some capacity, what information should we make sure that they have . Well, first of all, go to our web site. We refreshed our home page as a result of this new Brand Awareness campaign i bet you did. [laughter] its ywca. Org. Certainly, reach out to the we have ywcas all across the United States that are doing tremendous work. We have five right here in new york city and 225 across the nation. Certainly, were looking for organizations, corporations and foundations to join us in our efforts, because we realize our mission is big and bold, and its going to take all of us working together to achieve it. It takes a nation, a community, a village and in this case, it does take a nation. Yep, and a nation. So nice to meet you, dara. My pleasure, indeed, and thank you for the work that you do. I dont do much. I just try to be a voice to let you get out your message. Come back and see us. I definitely will. These are the colors of the organization. Thats right. This is persimmon in its glory, and we love our color. We think it represents the bold awareness of our mission. You are representing well. Thank you. [laughter] ill pay you later. Coming up next, we hear how one nonprofit is setting atrisk educational path so theyre excelling on the playing field, but among the issues facing high school athletes, primarily atrisk students u is to have the tools to excel off the field as well especially when it comes to education. One nonprofit has made it their goal to guide be these students onto the right path. Joining me now is michael eck, executive director of steer for student athletes. Good morning to you, sir. Good morning. Howd you come about . This was, we started this about three years ago. Having been a former College Athlete and having participated in a number of programs like steer for student athletes, had in the back of my head that there was a good way to develop a model to use sports as a vehicle for education. So now was it something that you saw, you know, was there one particular case that said, that sparked the need to create this . Did you just take a big look around collectively and say there are a number of my former day job allowed me to travel all over the world. And i saw programs that were using sports to really change outcomes. And the spark was how could we do that here in a developed world that has still many atrisk kids that need direction . So it was to take part of the models that i saw in other places and attract some experts here to develop a model that would work here. So you named it steer for student athletes. Just break that down for us, the mission, if you will. Well, you just hinted at it, but howd you come up with steer for student athletes . Yeah, its really, i describe it theres a number of wonderful programs, and i had a particular an opportunity to participate in, and i describe this as Big Brothers Big Sisters on steroids to. [laughter] so what we effectively do is we assign a steer adviser that is within their community, a teacher, a coach, a guidance role model for these student athletes, and we wrap around tailored service to their needs. T not one size fits all. Every student athlete is different, every family is different, every community that theyre in is different, so we tailor the services and, hopefully, use our role models really to give them an example of what were trying to accomplish. Michael, what are some of the obstacles just in the three years its been that youve seen facing, you know, the students . There is a program that has been developed, ill toot his horn a little bit, joe derney, whos has spent his whole life evaluating successful atrisk programs, developed a very mathematical, sign telephoning to some point scientific to some point 21point program to identify characteristics that can be changed on a sustainable basis. So these range from home is circumstances home circumstances, oneparent home, sometimes noparent home, poverty level, income. First language. English as a second language learners language barriers. Language barriers, the type of education that theyre getting in the School Systems that theyre in. Some better than others. So a whole host of factors that we evaluate to judge whether we can effectively change those outcomes. Are you based here in the city, or where so we are based in rye, new york. Okay. We operate in fort chester, fort chester, new york, and we just entered new york city, and the first school in the south bronx, urban assembly of Sports Management careers. So we are i say three districts and we just, hopefully, bit off a lot more in our ambition with new york city. Youre looking to expand, i imagine. We Just Launched a program to have, basically, five times as many kids in the program as we have today. We have 21 kids in the program, and we launched an effort, a campaign, basically, to have 100 kids in the program in the next few years. Some of the results, whats our the way we judge ourselves is, you know, the final mission is successful graduation from high school. And on to additional education or a career. But were measuring success throughout the program all the time, academic success, social success, and lastly, and, you know, people say its athletics. We measure success on the field as the least component. The most important component is really social, academic and then athletics. And, ultimately, graduating from high school and on to successful career after. Now, are the students in the program, are they receiving the message, you know, are they understanding like, no, no, no, sports will come later, right now we need you to concentrate on this so it will help impact that . Are they receiving . They receive it in a number of different ways, but the most effective way is dealing with their steer adviser, and their steer adviser drills that home constantly. And its social, its academic, and then its sports, and they and that steer adviser is really our delivery mechanism for role modeling, and that, again, that has apparently been the most successful, sustainable change in outcomes. Whats your web site so if someone wants to help how can someone become a steer adviser, you know . Do you prescreen, do you select . Great question. How does someone become our web site is steerforstudentathletes. Org, just like it sounds so i can understand it [laughter] and on that web site there is a way to if you have an interest in becoming a steer adviser, you can let us know. And that is, again, thats our most important tool, its oust r our most important vehicle. We train them, and i say in the steer image to be effective in dealing with their student athletes. And we have great, very, very high ambition growth plans. Is it tough not to get connected, or is it just part of adviser . Because in a lot of ways, you know, that relationship, knowing role model and is trying to emulate, you know, and remember certain things, i imagine its there can be a bond thats there, you know . Is that it absolutely. And, again, were using sports as a vehicle, so all of us have some background in sports. And as i tell the kids, weve made all the mistakes that you are going to make or were trying to prevent you from making. So it absolutely in the biggest reward is to see them in the classroom, in their family situations. And, yeah, on the field having the character and the sportsmanship that reflects our values. Now, which sport were you, basketball . I was a football player. College football player. Okay. All right. I saw the height [laughter] so nice to meet you. Well put the information up own web site. Thank you. How hiphop is helping kids in the bronx get through difficult times. When we run. Students in the bronx are using hiphop to help them face dan bowans shows us the powerful messages behind their music. Hiphop was born in the bronx. These streets coming alive with music from artists like grandmaster flash. Rap music, of course, has evolved over the years and is more of a bedrock of pop culture these days. Its also showing up in the classroom more and more. And here at this Charter School in the bronx, its being used for therapy. I dont know about you [inaudible] always have something to say, and youre never going to for mariah, it is a flow that comes straight from the soul. Did it make it easier . Did it sort of feel like a weight was lifted when you got that off your chest . It did make it easier. Im not really good at talking about my feelings, but i just when i write about it, it just kind of comes from me. Her motivation, a secret she usually keeps buried, the deportation of her father. When you write, its intimate. It feels better knowing that i can release my feelings or anger or any kind of stuff like that without feeling pressure. I do this for my mama so she dont gotta pay fees. Some of frankies rhymes are about the one thing he rarely ever speaks about, his fathers passing. Me kind of letting it out kind of makes me feel better, you know . Getting it off my chest and stuff, because i had to live with that for 11 years. Yeah. Tapping into an emotional core, its at the heart of any great lyric, and the basis of this hiphop class as new visions charter high school. What this creates is a culturallyrelevant place. Now theyre like, okay, i can write rhymes about this, i can record a song. Ian levy is both counselor and executive producer. Hiphop was a place for young people and adults to come together and talk about the things that were going on. It was a communitybased movement, and it was a work through issues that they were facing. So this is sort of just the same as what hiphop has always been. Martin luther king was the man who had a dream these words, so potent, so powerful are no cure, but they can be a start. Always express your feelings because this is where you can be free. Its like a place to be free. So let us find a way im going to give back, im going to give back from the home of hiphop, the bronx, new york. Dan bowans, fox 5 news. All right, danny, thanks so much. Coming up, recruiting veterans for a different kind of service and why Big Brothers Big Sisters of new york city says it could they have bravely served our nation, and now veterans are being called to serve in a different kind of way, talking about mentoring todays youth. Its a program being launched by Big Brothers Big Sisters of new york city, and here to tell us all about it is marine veteran diego romero, good morning. So how did this come about . Januarys National Mentoring month, and its really when we like to kick off our volunteer recruitment initiatives for the year. So we were brainstorming how we could get more volunteers to specifically address the need for more male mentors in our program. For every four referrals we get into our program, three of them are for boys. On the volunteer side, the opposite is true. So for every four applicants we get for somebody signing up to become a big brother, big sister, only one is from a man. So we have this wait list of anywhere between 100150 youth in our program, about 80 are boys. So were always trying to find different ways to pipeline more men into the program. As a veteran myself, i thought, you know, who better to help address this than those who have served really as ideal candidates for being role models in the community, and so we decided to see if we can connect with a few organizations to bring more veterans into our program. The veterans that youve been in touch with . So theyre really excited about it, right . Veterans have a unique opportunity to really go through the full cycle relationship as, first, a mentee and a mentor in their experience in the service. So they come into their unit, theyre fresh, but somebody has to take them under or their wing, sort of show them the ropes, teach them the lay of the land, and by the time they leave, theyre the ones doing that for the next generation of marine, soldiers, sailors. So they understand this idea of helping somebody in a new position who might not know what theyre doing or where theyre going but can help them, ultimately, really fulfill their greatest potential. So now it differs slightly from a traditional Mentor Mentee Program in some capacity, right . So the volunteers that are coming in from active duty reserve service come in, again, with a little bit of a stronger understanding of whats exacted of them, right . And so where the Actual Program may not change, what is really assess the needs of a child and, ultimately, help guide them, you know, through the leadership skills that theyve gained through their service and being able to interact with all facets of the childs life. So now what specifically when youre looking for a veteran to join, what specific qualities may i ask, is that fair . Yeah. That youre looking for in the people that youre asking to become mentors . Absolutely. Were really just looking and, really, this is across the board people who understand that there are children who need just a little bit of support out there, right . Maybe somebody who weve all had mentors in our life whether or not we realize it, we probably just didnt call them a mentor. It could have been a coach, a neighbor, a teacher, somebody who helped you through a difficult time. More often than not, veterans understand that. So being able to bring them into the program and really support the child with whatever it is theyre going through is a great asset to the organization. So you said it outweighs about 80 of those that are boys is there a specific age range that you service . Sure. So we serve between 717. A majority of the children that are coming into our program that are getting referred to us are around middle school age. And as far as the veteran goes that youre looking for, is there a cutoff or an age there duty . So the minimum age for a volunteer is 2 21, our while host is that 25 wheelhouse is that 2533yearold demographic. Tell us about your web site for veterans who are watching now who may have time and a heart, you know, to share. If they want to get involved, what should they do . Check out www. Bigsnyc. Org. Bigs . Yeah, Big Brothers Big Sisters. [laughter] okay, say it again, because i was laughing. Bigsnyc. Org. Who came up with that . Bigs . Ive joined the agency, so i think okay. Its a good way to, you know, people not have to remember a whole bunch of letters but just one word. Hopefully its been working. Weve actually had, we just revamped our web site and have a great uptick in traffic, and were excited about everything that weve had on the web. Lets, first of all, talk about you for a little bit. Thank you for your service, you know . How long did you serve . It was my pleasure. I enlisted in 2004, and i got off active duty in 2010. How do you feel your experience, you know, translate into the mentor role with all that you saw and did . Even before my service, you know, i had always wanted a mentor, right . It was something that i felt like i would benefit from. But from the time i got to my first duty station, i really did have that mentor relationship. I had my seniors who really took me under their wing, helped guide me and really helped, you know, instill in me a lot of the core values that the marine corps has to offer. That for the guys who came in after me. So this idea of mentorship was definitely not lost in my experience, and it really helped drive me to find an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters to work for once my time of service ended. Diego romero, thank you so much. We will get that web site up there i hope so. I appreciate it. Dont you worry. [laughter] all right. To learn more about todays topics, go to fox5ny. Com, also like us on facebook as well as follow us on twitter. And for all of us here on fox 5, im antwan lewis. Well see you next time for more street talk, and as always,