Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:10 Welcome back to eliminate the gap. Um, as you can see, we've got the full house here, um, for a very special episode. This is our year in review. Believe it or not. Uh, we have been doing this for a year, um, and it's been a lot of fun. Um, we've learned a lot. Um, some of us have changed our hairstyles over time and our backgrounds. Um, it's been quite a journey, uh, for sure. And we're excited at the end of this episode to kind of give you a sense of what's coming in year two. Um, but today's going to really feature and kind of help us reflect on what kind of made 20, 21 pretty good and interesting for us in this podcast. So, uh, we've each had the chance to choose a couple of clips. Um, hopefully you'll find them to be, uh, either some of your favorites or, uh, once maybe you haven't seen quite yet. So, uh, we will, uh, have some fun kind of doing that, but, uh, before we get into the clips, um, Dell, Kevin, what are you thinking about as we've been active for a year now?
Speaker 2 00:01:19 Well, you know, thinking, thinking back, you know, we had 2020, right? And then 2021 had to be better. And so 20, 22, we get, we get ready to take this thing up yet another level. So I'm really excited about that. I'm really, uh, just reflecting back on all the episodes and all of our guests. We have some phenomenal guests and, uh, we hope that this is for you viewers out there. We hope this is providing some college tips that will help you to reflect, to help you, your organization, to grow, to help the movement grow really at the end of the day. That's why we're doing this. So we really are pleased with you guys. Thanks for watching it. We just, again, look for more bigger and better things in 2022.
Speaker 1 00:02:14 Absolutely. Absolutely. And you know, one of the changes, so that changes evolution we'll call it, um, that we've done is, is we've continued to expand the folks that are, you know, asking the questions and finding the interesting people, uh, to talk to. And then Raul certainly, uh, joined in and took on an even bigger role as things went on. So by popular demand, Raul, what are you thinking about, uh, 2021 passes and we moved forward?
Speaker 3 00:02:45 Well, I think for eliminating gap, uh, the issues of the words, uh, the experiences of the folks that we'd been interviewing, um, I think has hit home for a lot of the audience, um, is what we've been hearing. A lot of things that are practical. A lot of things, they can use, a lot of things. They can also get in touch with the folks that we're talking to, um, about. Um, and it doesn't always have to be the same experience. Everything is different. I think tonight is going to be an example of that. Um, you know, we chose the clips. Uh, there are some things that are going to be said about, um, investments that we will see in our lifetime. There are things about flipping the script about the way that we think about young people, uh, that are going to be like key themes, I think, moving forward. So we're excited. Um, certainly about 20, 22, uh, looking forward to it, having some other folks, you know, uh, join us a little bit and help us reach some more people. Uh, but you know, 20, 22 looks good. So I agree with Dell.
Speaker 1 00:03:52 I what's not to like, um, uh, so I appreciate you all. Um, you know, it's been a lot of fun just to have us kind of do this. Um, started out as if something informally we were doing like many people were on any given evening during, when we were all locked down and we were just spending time chatting about the things that matter to us, whether it be education, um, after school, but, but really how is it the young people are going to continue to grow up and develop well, and, and that's really kind of been the commitment, uh, of this podcast from the beginning. Um, and we've had a lot of subject matters that we've covered, you know, very heavy early on in how are we handling and coming out of the pandemic, which we never fully have come out of. Um, um, you know, and how different folks are handling that.
Speaker 1 00:04:44 We've, we've dealt with some very difficult issues like youth isolation and trauma and, and just the reality of, uh, of, of mental health and, and the toll it's taking on a lot of folks, but especially young people and in a whole other host of issues. And we've, we did a live global, uh, podcast, which was pretty cool. We had folks from around the world, literally joining us and contributing. So we've done and learned a lot and experimented, um, in, in with PLF 20, 20 twos shaping up to take those lessons that we've learned and apply them in a way that, uh, continues to keep the content rich. So, uh, again, we're very excited, um, to kind of have this moment to look back and then we're going to end it with us, definitely looking forward. Um, so in, in the spirit of that, um, you know, when we kind of talked about this, we wanted this to be kind of a youth development and community development focus, and we've had, uh, a variety of experts in the field that the folks that have been in the field for a long time, that really kind of set the foundation from a research as well as a implementation and adaptation and in what it really looks like in the, uh, in communities.
Speaker 1 00:06:00 Um, and one of those folks. So one of my clips that I chose, um, is from Karen Pittman. And many of you listening are probably familiar with her work or writing the work at the forum for youth investment, um, all those kinds of things. And in fact, um, after shortly after Karen came on our podcast, uh, she created a podcast herself, um, with some other folks and you know, what we love that cause the more folks that are out there talking about ways to affect young people's lives, the better. So, um, I wanted to, I chose a, kind of a, a fairly basic clip, uh, to Karen in her own words, kind of talking about what the shift was for her. Um, and then as a result, the field in youth development and, and how, uh, things really kind of took off from there. So in her words, uh, from Karen Pittman
Speaker 4 00:06:54 It's benefit analysis and put it out there and take it out into communities and people would tell us, I don't care what it costs. I want that kid locked up. So if you've got the mindset that there are kids, there are kids who are making your neighborhood and your kids on save costs, arguing that it's cheaper, doesn't work in the midnight basketball when people were saying, oh, look, if we really put these programs in place, you know, they cost so much less and it'll solve a problem. And people did not fundamentally trust that they didn't really trust the idea that the kids, they were most afraid of where the kids who were going to show up in the programs. Um, so that did what frankly worked, was really training the young people to be advocates for themselves. Um, and not in your face advocates, but really savvy advocates.
Speaker 2 00:07:50 So there we have this bit, thank you so much for your time here or the ETG podcast. Uh, this next clip actually is from Jada, who actually comes from Playworks. And, uh, I was not familiar with Playworks, uh, prior to this. So it was really nice to kind of hear some of her perspective, but one of the reasons I chose the clip from Sean is because at the end of the day, sometimes I know this from when we went to localities and from actually doing it right now, being in the midst of doing it, sometimes we get so bogged down and having to do, having to do, having to do what's next. The next thing you sometimes get the big picture gets lost sometimes. So this is what I just like. It's a great refresher to just come back and sometimes step back and just do things that we know we should be doing, but sometimes it just gets lost cause we forget, or there's other things that take priorities of this clip from Shauna. We'll take a look
Speaker 5 00:09:01 To that brain development. So when you guys talk about eliminating the gap, play plays a central role in ensuring that kids have the brain development and the tools they need in order for us to build on, in order for us to build both the academic and also social emotional, or 21st century skills, whatever we want to call them that are critical to their life long success.
Speaker 2 00:09:32 And there we go. Thank you Shauna, also for coming on this show and be a part of this, uh, and that, that leads us into our next guest there. Uh, Dennis then is actually had a couple of things. It was hard to pick there. He had some great quotes there actually one quote that we're not going to use. I actually still have in my room. And I talked to my kids about this on a regular basis, which was a step in Kalama and step out then it's so there you go, man. Thanks for that one. Uh, but, but this, this actual clip that we're going to use here, uh, was really reflecting from last summer, us coming about a year removed from a lot of just unrest, especially for young people, but young people, I believe had a voice that they had had in the past here with, uh, all the things that were going on in our country, especially in relations to young black youth and, uh, young people actually got out and they had a voice, not only a voice that that was reckoned with that people heard, but they did it in a way that wasn't, uh, I guess, disruptive or, or out of line or any of those things.
Speaker 2 00:10:58 They did it in a way that brought bill to the national limelight, really young people actually getting out and, uh, being advocates for themselves for something that they really felt strongly about. That's what we really push in youth development. So that's why this one here, uh, I chose from Dennis. So here it is,
Speaker 6 00:11:20 As I say it during that whole period, that, that it's it's caused me to as Dr. Martin Luther king say, and in the Birmingham jail has caused me to think long thoughts, dream long dreams and pray long prayers. So it's been a reflective moment for me at the end. The final analysis though, what are the, say? It to me is that it's incumbent upon organizations like the center for relationship development, to be about his business of being excellent and the preparation and cultivation of African-American youth. If there is this concern about justice, if there's this concern about empowerment, then there has to be this concomitant willingness to invest in sacrifice to make sure young people are prepared. I mean, excellently prepare to take advantage of opportunities as they come through the forum. And Martin Luther king said gently, no one is like, obviously that doors are opening, like never before. Now, all this is relevant, but we're talking, but just being able to the opportunity to go into it at an integrated school, he said, doors are opening like never before and yet his warning was, then we must be prepared to take advantage of those opportunities as the door opens. And so the situation of the past year and beyond, as reminded me of center for leadership, development's responsibility to make sure that we are excellent and getting young people ready in advance, or ahead of time,
Speaker 1 00:12:59 You know, Don glad you chose that a clip from Dennis. And I agree there were a box of options as there are with many of our guests, but, uh, Dennis bland from the center for leadership development, um, just really had, um, a way of kind of communicating his message there. That's my cat. Um, so, so delighted to be able to focus on him this evening as well. Um, so our next clip is, uh, Fiona Macaulay. Fiona is, uh, had started making sense international with some of you may be familiar with and has now gone on to, uh, uh, found an organization called women innovators and leadership development. And they have a big conference actually coming up here in the next couple of months in may. Um, and we'll continue to share information about that. Um, I chose this clip from Fiona because it, to me, it was resonant of the times, again, coming out of, uh, not only the pandemic, but, but what we've learned, um, not only in the nonprofit community, but really in society. And, and I feel like she tells a very interesting reflection, um, of the way things have moved over the last couple of years. So I wanted to make sure we kind of shared that voice again. So here's Fiona.
Speaker 7 00:14:20 One of the things that I'm kind of thinking about and writing about at the moment is on who's getting promoted, who's being given the leadership opportunities. And what we see the research showing is that it's not necessarily truly performance-based. Sometimes those who are particularly men are given opportunities who are demonstrating some of those, what I would say, like increasingly kind of becoming out of date. I have leadership skills, meaning people, um, men are showing up as being more charismatic and more confident are kind of seen as leaders and given those promotions are greater leadership opportunities. Um, whereas if we kind of remove the, if we've moved both the bias towards men as leaders and that those traits being more important than other leadership traits, such as taking care of the team, problem solving, you know, doing some of the more, um, the behind the scenes leadership work, then we can see.
Speaker 7 00:15:27 So if we sort of strip away some of that and we can see that it is not always the loudest person in the room, who is the person who deserves the promotion or new leadership opportunity, it's actually may often be the quieter woman who is the high, higher performer. So I mentioned that because I think many of us women and men share those biases that will mean that sometimes the wrong pick or often the wrong person is getting kind of picked for the, for the greater opportunities. And so women, I believe are often, um, like caught and they are, I mean, and the research shows us as well that women can often be caught in the spine where if we think about leaders being judged on two axes, like axes around that kind of traditional strong sets, uh, leaders of like strength, so determination, boldness charisma, but then there's another access around, uh, that's really kind of caring for the team, ensuring the wellbeing of the people, the project that the company, women who are too high on those kinds of strengths, leadership strengths, axes like too bold, too outspoken, um, too opinionated, uh, women are given less leeway on those characteristics than men are.
Speaker 7 00:16:49 And then at the same time, women are expected to demonstrate a higher amount of caring, uh, than, than their male counterparts are. So my view is that it's good to understand the playing field because if we are the kind of people and those of us engaging in this conversation in the audience are the kind of people who want to change the playing fields. And let's understand where the playing field is now. And let's use the power and influence that we have to understand our own biases around the kind of leadership behaviors that were applauding and rewarding and how we can also coach and influence and manage others to be building the leadership skills and rewarding the leadership skills that truly lead to positive outcomes, whether that's within a social enterprise, whether that's within a global development, NGO or company. Um, you know, I think we all have a part to play in our own leadership behaviors, but then in the kind of leadership behaviors, we are encouraging rewarding, um, in others around us,
Speaker 3 00:17:56 Continuing the conversation about leadership, uh, Ruston Bernard has demonstrated over many, many years as the lead, um, building bridges across the river. Uh, some of the things that he's had to do, some of the, um, stereotypes, perceptions, uh, thoughts, uh, that people have had, and he just talks about the leadership. This is one of the biggest youth programs in the country, uh, that provides comprehensive youth and family services, um, in education, um, everything from financial services, uh, to moving on to leadership development of our young people to job training. Um, so all the things that you would want, uh, to help build, build a community, build stronger. I think Mustang tells us something a little bit about investment. I think that we were very interested in or stop.
Speaker 8 00:18:47 So, um, I think I've mentioned to you the audience here, um, these are global, uh, youth development professionals, funders, other folks that are interested in and the best lessons learned in different places. Certainly you guys are a shining example of that. If you had a message, uh, to leave people with about the work and in general, um, going forward the vision, um, that needs to be there, what would you tell?
Speaker 9 00:19:15 You know, I would say that this, that, that I think, you know, I said it earlier that life in essence is a series of investments. Um, and the, the younger generation, um, needs a level of effort investment in order to get the yield that we want our world to become. And I think that today we, we have sold that, but I, I believe if we, if we want to change the world, um, it really, it really lies in the hands of our young people, um, and our youth developers, our, um, mentors guy, his teachers, um, uh, uh, uh, uh, servants in order to do that. And so I would say, um, uh, for whatever you can and can do to invest in our young people, that's, that's what we're doing here every single day. Um, that's what I would encourage you. And anyone else listening again to do is continue that investment. Um, and, uh, the last thing I'll say about that investment is the return on that investment may not be in your lifetime. And so my, my, my suggestion is our recommendation is invest without re invest without thinking about the possibility of that return in your lifetime. And that's, that's the, that's the key that I, that I think needs to be told and shared for reverberating.
Speaker 3 00:20:40 So let us off with investments in young people. Um, Greg Taylor, who works leading the work of the MBA foundation, um, really gets into, uh, what's going on in the MBA cities, um, how we're flipping the script as well. Um, and making sure that our communities, um, our corporate entities are folks that are welcoming young people into the world of work, um, understand where to meet our young people. Um, so the system up until now has been, uh, designed to get young people ready for the system and for the world of work. Um, the MBA foundation is finding a lot of success in flipping that and getting employers ready to meet young people where they are. Right?
Speaker 10 00:21:38 Yeah. That's a great question. There's a couple of things I would say in response, I mean, you spent so much time pouring our energy into the youth development space, into young people directly. We want to make sure that they have mentors. We want to make sure they're in safe spaces. We want to make sure they're in spaces that they can define to reflect their culture and their voice as you will. Um, but I also think we don't spend enough time in getting in my case, uh, eventual employers ready for young, right? So it's like young people ready for the world of work. And we also have to get the world of work ready for young people. And I think we don't spend enough time on that side. And so I think in many ways, why I keep talking about like the influence to work in our markets is we can have that employer ready for youth conversation at the 2.0 level, because we're all kind of familiar with each other move forward.
Speaker 10 00:22:30 So I think that's one. So I think you have to spend some time there. It's not just prepare the young person and then set them go forth in the wild and hope they land. We have to really be thoughtful on how you get organizations ready to receive them. So one of the things we're doing is convening the HR hiring partner, uh, at, uh, companies to think about how is it that we need to think about young people differently. We have a tremendous partnership with a group called one 10, and they're looking to do a million jobs in 10 years for non-degree black youth, because I think the proxy of the undergrad graduate, whatever. Again, I don't want to poo that I've gone to school. I recognize it as a, as a real avenue, but it can't be a knockout rule for the talent. Many of our young people have.
Speaker 10 00:23:18 So we've got to think about competency based, learning other ways and kind of unique and innovative ways in which young people acquire skills. And then we've got to change the mindset of hiring folk who simply hire in their own image or who look at it as a proxy. You went to this school or that school as competence and stealing, and we know that's not true. And so to your point around when we're trying to organize an ecosystem of leaders and young people who are putting their arms around each other, cause I would argue young people have something to say as well as adults in this space. And you know, that's why I keep saying, you know, one of our proxies is working with like-minded.
Speaker 3 00:23:56 So we've talked about a lot of things, uh, here, just recapping, uh, our year 2021, uh, pretty amazing year. Uh, we've had a lot of folks with a lot of content, a lot of things to say everything from gender equity, uh, running into, you know, leadership development skills, uh, the level and the practicality of services. Um, and let's not forget our approaches that we using. Uh, Greg Taylor was very clear with us about flipping the script and getting the corporate sector ready, uh, for a lot of our young people meeting them where they're at. Uh, that's uh, we look forward to 2022. I know Del Mar and, and Eric, um, have some words, uh, to help us move, but we're excited to expand our team. Uh, we'll have some other faces, uh, that will be on reaching out to some very interesting folks. Um, and we always welcome feedback obviously from the larger audience. So the,
Speaker 1 00:24:53 You know, rival that. I mean, that's the, one of the parts that I'm most excited about is the fact that, you know, for 2022, we're going to have at least two additional, uh, folks helping, you know, do interviews and it's going to be two women. Um, , uh, you saw in one of the clips this evening, um, and then another, uh, woman in Corey Hamilton, um, who, uh, we've known for awhile, um, who will again give us, uh, additional perspective, um, on the field. Um, and so we're looking forward, I'm excited about having some additional voices, uh, to do these interviews and to bring content to you all. So that's one of the things that's got me kind of stoked.
Speaker 2 00:25:37 Yeah. Firstly, myself, I, you know, just kinda building off actually just that last clip there that Greg and I, I've been doing a lot of thought here recently around just cause that's, that's a big, that's a huge concept in regards to getting the workforce prepared for young people, that that's, that's going to be a big bite and just kind of thinking about how we do that and how we, as the ETG podcast can help bring that philosophy and come side by side by the Greg Taylors of the world to, to kinda build that for young people. Because I think, you know, as we head into 2022, uh, I have these conversations every day with young people in the classroom and there there's there, we're still missing out on the connection of what's going on in the classroom, even at a high school level where I met two, Hey, able to take these practical skillsets and apply what they're doing in the classroom to actual light workforce related tasks. So that's, that's something that I've really been thinking a lot about, uh, I'm looking at and hoping that we can build on that in 2022 as a podcast.
Speaker 1 00:27:05 Yeah. You know, so, you know, one of the things in, and again, who knows how it will unfold, but there's some great content that I know we're hoping to explore. Um, you know, just digging deeper in formal education. I mean, that continues to be, I mean, you can watch any local newscasts and see the conversations happening at the school board level on what education should be maybe in each community. And, and so we want to be able to have that kind of discussion here and bring on the right folks to have that conversation. So it all moves forward. Um, and so, you know, but there's some really rich areas. I know we plan on doing more and more, uh, uh, live or remote, uh, podcasts, you know, at, uh, at, uh, conferences and events that, and they might be short, but sweet little interviews, just so we get additional voices, uh, out there. Um, so you know, the content area, um, we're certainly looking at, uh, just challenging ourselves in that way as well. Um, what other thoughts are coming up as we kind of bring this year formerly to a close and we look forward to 20, 22?
Speaker 2 00:28:15 Well, I'll share, uh, just we're coming off of about a week ago was, was we'll release this about a week away from, uh, Martin Luther king holiday, celebrating that and thinking back to, uh, Dennis's clip there that, you know, we've come a long ways as a society since back then, but we still got a long ways to go on a variety of different fronts there. And we, as, as a group here are, are trying to help push the needle there for us to just rethink about the way we think about all things related to you. So, uh, I think it was, it was a great opportunity. I had opportunity, I reflected back on actually the, uh, letter from Birmingham actually that Dr. King wrote there. And, uh, just to kinda revisit some of those things, we still have a ways to go just in regards to the letter that he wrote, the way we treat one another as human beings. So just a little thought there as, as we close out today there, uh, with reflections is hopefully we, as human beings can treat each other better. It's such a time where we've had a lot of turbo oil, uh, just a nation that's divided a lot of different things, but despite those divisions, we have to hear each other out.
Speaker 2 00:29:51 That's exactly right. That's exactly.
Speaker 1 00:29:55 Yeah. You bet. Um, so we've had a lot of fun doing this. I know I have. And, and, and just even looking back at some of these clips, I think about, um, to our very first episode, um, which was a member of my family, uh, told me, um, uh, that was boring. And I tried to say, well, you know, it really wasn't maybe for you. Um, but in all seriousness, we, we have, uh, uh, improved, uh, you could see just even looking at the clips, we've, we've gotten a little snazzier with, uh, the look and, and, and some of those kinds of superficial thing. Um, and honestly, a lot of it is reflected on, on the listeners in, in, in the viewers. Um, we've had a tremendous amount of growth, um, in, in this podcast in terms of, uh, people that have continued to show up with us, uh, and we're forever grateful on that.
Speaker 1 00:30:57 Um, and it just makes us want to work that much harder, um, at what we're doing, um, because we know that this information, uh, is important, uh, to you all. Um, and so we will continue to, to hold that, uh, in esteem, uh, as we, uh, put together 20, 22, excellent, uh, well said, and, um, you know, there's a lot of serious topics they can hear. And, um, um, so we thought we would end on a more, uh, lighter note, um, to maybe be kind of a theme for all of us in 2022 that, uh, can be, uh, one of, of happiness and joy, um, and of smiles
Speaker 11 00:31:46 With people at this particular moment in time was, um, the importance of, of kindness and of compassion and of, um, mutual respect, the importance of, of home. And, um, Norbert's message has been consistent over time. And people appreciate that. Um, he tries to make people smile. And one of the questions that we would always have for children would be when we would go into schools and do presentations is, um, what can you do to make people smile? We can all make somebody smile. What can you do to make people smile? And the answers that we would get would be, um, just so creative and so wonderful, even from children as young as kindergarten, um, they would all know how to make someone smile. So I think in this particular time, um, when people were just dealing with so much and going through so much, it was just always nice to know that there's a way we can all think of making someone else.
