Hope Activated

Busy morning, but very productive. School check-ins for some of our mentees. We don’t want to wait until we are deep into the school to year to find out about problems that could have been caught and fixed early. Their success is our goal!!! There is work to be done. Thank you Douglass High School / Ms. Pamela Lee (Family Engagement Liaison) and Kingsbury High School for welcoming us.

“Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” - Ann Landers

Home-visits and follow-ups are hard work, but it is necessary. We refuse to miss any opportunity to make a difference and check on the wellbeing of our youth. It was worth every minute!

“It Is Easier To Build Strong Children Than To Repair Broken Men / (Women)“ - Frederick Douglass

Yesterday, this room was filled with amazing young people with so much potential. They just don’t know how amazing they are and they don’t know the power they possess. The sky is not their limit; their thinking is their limit!

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world”
Harriet Tubman

This is what we believe for our mentees/youth. All some of them need is an opportunity!

Special Thank You! Patrice Bates Thompson (Owner of The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant) for providing a delicious hot meal for our mentees and to Bishop Althea Greene (Shelby County School Board Commissioner Chair District 2) for placing us on her very busy schedule. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to pour into our young people!

“The man (woman) who will get up will be helped up, and the man (woman) who will not get up will be allowed to stay down." (Frederick Douglass)

That’s exactly what this young lady did. She got up and she kept showing up! Please help us celebrate this young lady on her success! She has earned her Learners Permit and is on her way to many more accomplishments in her life!

We didn’t want Monday evening to end. There is no fulfillment that matches the fulfillment received from giving back, taking the time and pouring into our youth. These young people were engaged and active. We had our literacy club, typing/skills, drivers license and empowerment session and a 1 man fashion show!

“In Youth We Learn; In Age We Understand”

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” ‭‭Prov. ‭22‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬
We have a responsibility to this younger generation. We have to teach them, pour into them and most importantly, we have to love them. It is our responsibility to add value to them, but first we have to value them.

“Only A Life Lived For Others Is A Life Worth Worthwhile.” Albert Einstein

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When you have reached a level of success, and you know that it was God who made it possible, you should always reach back and empower, motivate, educate and inspire the generation that is coming behind you. For they are the future! That is exactly what Dr. Lisa Mac did for this amazing group of young people. Her profession is Neuropsychology and she is very sensitive to the mental health of our young people in this city. These children have experienced a lot of trauma in their young lives. They were very receptive.

Mrs. Chaquita Gooden shared her amazing journey during our “Career Selection Program.” These young people were impressed to learn that she had served in the United States Army and is now a Law School Student working towards her Juris Doctor Degree. They walked away with HOPE! We also had one of ours mentees to complete the “Drivers License Program.” She was celebrated and rewarded for staying the course and receiving her Learners Permit!

Celebrating the birthday of this visionary leader. Your guidance and positivity has impacted so many. Thank you for the unwavering leadership; it is truly valued and appreciated.

”Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.“
‭‭3 John‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Happy Birthday Mr. Randy Taylor!

Yesterday was powerful, inspiring, uplifting and life-giving! It was not our regular night. We celebrated one of our female mentees with a baby shower. She is graduating in a few days and her baby is due soon. We wanted to assist her, as a young mother, in getting started in parenthood.

We had young men present and we wanted to focus on our young daughters so we really appreciate “Cop2Doc” Lisa McClinton, who focused her session around mental health, Dr. Sharli Adair, who focused her session around creating a positive self image and becoming! We also had JoElle Thompson (Business Owner, BS in Biology and Masters Degree in Public Health). These ladies poured into these young people with knowledge, love and a deep concern about their growth and development.

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future.” FDR

We took a deep dive into our Career Selection Program today.

“When you have once seen the glow of happiness on the face of a beloved person, you know that a man can have no vocation but to awaken that light on the faces surrounding him.” (Albert Camus)

And that is exactly what Major Kevin Leake and Business Owner (The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant) Patrice Thompson did today. They awakened and aroused the conscious of our mentees as they, transparently, discussed their journeys and careers. They talked about their humble beginnings, the lows and highs, the pitfalls and the mountain peaks that their choices created. It wasn’t a TikTok or IG session of everything being perfect and wonderful. It was real life. It was empowering. It was touching. It was life changing and it made a difference in these young people’s lives.

Thank you Kevin Leake and Patrice Thompson for making the time to stop by and pour into these young people. Thank you for giving back!

We really appreciate ABC 24 News for covering our “Dress For Success Day” and taking out the time, on a Saturday morning and adding us to their busy schedule. Thank you ABC 24 News.

www.localmemphis.com

Our “Dress For Success Day” was a SUCCESS!

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) “….People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” And since we know that man looks at the outward appearance, we are intentional about teaching our mentees about the importance of being intentional about their appearance and how they dress. People will place a judgment on you by looking at how you are dressed, before you even open your mouth to speak.

These Seniors were from different schools in the city and we were able to outfit them with new suits. Thanks and much appreciation to Jason West-General Manager Republic Services and Gabe Franceschi- Director of Government and Community Relations TVA. This will benefit these young men in their preparation for interviews, college and other settings that require a “well-dressed” young man. We are spring-boarding them to succeed. This was a life-changing day for a lot of these young men. They have never owned a suit. They didn’t know the importance of wearing a suit. This was an opportunity for us mentors to educate and pour into them. They were very appreciative and excited. Some of them shared with us about how they were trying to figure out a way to purchase a suit for their prom. I could go on and on about this day. It was powerful, impactful and life-changing. We are making a difference.

A very special THANK YOU to Juvenile Court Judge - Tarik B.Sugarmon for accepting our invitation as our main speaker. Judge Sugarmon brought a powerful message that inspired and uplifted these young men. He shared stories about his life and these young men were attentive and respectful.

Thank you to the TVA and Republic Services staff who not only came out, but hung out with us all day, as we shopped. They were so kind and willing to help and assist in every way. This was AMAZING!

Anthony Woods-Republic Services
Jason Young-Republic Services
Tom Dillon-Republic Services

Angela Austin-TVA
Latrivia Welch-TVA
Astria Colbert-TVA
Rayven Covington-TVA

Thank you to our speakers who gave remarks and expressions: Tiffany Turnage, Jerry Thompson.

Thank you to our mentees who gave expressions: Ashley Taylor, Zuntari Mosley, Eric McNeil Jr., Stephen Martinez and Joshua Richardson.

Photographers:
Erie Paige III
Marcey D. Wright

THANK YOU!!!!

We really appreciate Crump Station Command Staff for recognizing the work that Hope Activated is doing in the community and recommending us for this award. Thank you MPD for the Community Service Award! This is an honor.

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future” F.D.R

It is an amazing moment when you see the bright light in their eyes, during an empowerment session. This light is an indicator that they have been enlightened, a fire is starting to burn and HOPE has been ACTIVATED! They realize that they have the power the create a better life for themselves.

We really enjoyed this morning with the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.Thank you Ms. Carroll Bledsoe for sharing your platform with us. This youth symposium was powerful and impactful. Thank you Sigma Gamma Rho for your love and concern for our youth!

A vision board serves as a visual reminder of your goals and aspirations. Vision boards can help you imagine what a positive future would look and feel like, thus increasing positive emotions and optimism. The topic this evening was VISION and Vision Boards. These young people have so much inside of them. It was amazing to hear some of their answers to the questions. It was so impressive to see and hear what they feel they are called to do and what they want to do. Don’t judge them too quickly and don’t count them out. We had a Cheff from Klondike, an NBA player from Westwood. We even had a Pastor from East Memphis, Orthodontist and Ranking Military Officer. Our youth need guidance, love and attention and they will become who God created them to be!

We are on the move with literacy! A special thanks to the person who believed in our vision of building a library. You know who you are. Thank you my friend for your generous donation!

TikTok · HA2021 Check out HA2021's video.

Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of mental growth and development. Reading is essential in order to rise above the ordinary. Our young people are not ordinary, they are extra-ordinary. Literacy is a bridge from misery to HOPE! We are working to expand the minds of our mentees. Yesterday was powerful and motivating. These young men are exited about the new path they are on. They are hungry for something better. We stayed late discussing this powerful, life-changing book that our “Literary Club” is reading “Think And Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill.” They had questions and wanted to jump ahead to find out what the outcome was going to be.

The Shelby County YJEC is working to improve and enhance the lives of all of the young people housed in the facility. They are intentionally working to ensure that upon these young people’s release , they will be successful and contributing citizens. We celebrated 14 young men today in their Honors Program. Thank you Chief Tuggle for your outstanding leadership and for opening your doors and welcoming us into your facility and trusting us to pour into these young people. A very productive day

The holiday break is over the snow and ice are gone. Now it’s time to get back to work. These young people are hungry for something better. They are attentive and are working hard to reach their goal!

We would like to appreciate Cheif T. Tuggle and her very professional staff. Cheif Tuggle’s leadership and professionalism goes unmatched and we are excited about the relationship and the access she has give Hope Activated. We are able to mentor and empower the young people who have made a some unfavorable choices in their young lives. Our shared goal is to bring these young people to a higher level of thinking so that they will make better choices upon their release. We will greatly reduce the recidivism rate and they will become productive, successful and contributing citizens in our great city.