Tell me something about Y.U.N.G Harlem that the average “Joe” or person wouldn’t know. Tiffany Bender: First thing is we aren’t going anywhere. We’re going to be 45 and 55 worrying about having the youth under new guidance, which is what Y.U.N.G Harlem stands for. Alize Beal: Also what people don’t know is our goal, ideally, is to train young professionals coming right out of college to take accountability and responsibility for their peers underneath them. That’s the goal of Y.U.N.G Harlem. There’s a circular revolution of reaching back and making sure that people between the ages of 18 and 21 are looking out for their peers between 14 and 17. I feel like any time, we, within this age group, become so focused on our own career paths that we forget about those that are younger. Those that are younger are forced to look up to people that are 30 plus and it shouldn’t be like that. People that are young professionals can reach back and speak to high school students and elementary students and relate to them because they are so close in age. Our goal is to make sure we are training and building youth to always have this idea of I have to look back and make sure the people behind me have someone‘s hand that they can reach out to. Have you ever wanted to give up, just ran into a road block and felt like maybe this is not where it’s at or what I’m supposed to be doing? Tiffany Bender: I don’t think it was the matter of giving up; it’s just every day you realize that nobody owes you anything. No matter how much you’re giving, that’s a very hard lesson to learn every day. You’re giving and giving and giving of yourself and you still learn that no one owes you anything. So I don’t think I ever wanted to give up but there were days I emailed Ali like, I need a week from not emailing the team and not emailing sponsors and not getting no’s and I’ll come back. Alize Beal: The good thing is that Tiffany and I can look at each other and we have the same passion, that’s why we are able to move in sync with each everythinggirlslove.com
other. It is difficult when you’re trying to get your passion across to people and they’re not passionate about your cause and you have to fight to get them excited and then you have to fight to keep them excited. We just have to be blessed for a good team. I thank god every day to have someone like Tiffany working alongside me because it would be impossible to do this sometimes but we love it. What keeps you going? Tiffany Bender: I’m going to give him a shout out; Eric Thomas the hip hop preacher. I put my iPhone on the charger to charge on the iHome deck and he has a mixtape. And like a traditional rapper has a mixtape out, but it’s all his best lectures mixed with music that he talks about and literally I jump out of bed and he says; ‘Sleep! Sleep are for those that are weak!’ [chuckles]. I literally jump out of bed and it’s an array of songs for any mood you are in. You know when you’re tired, discouraged and when you’re feeling too cocky he has something for that too. I would definitely have to shout him out. Alize Beal: I would say just the pressure. I don’t like to fail and before I give up, I’m going to try a little bit harder. I don’t ever want anyone to look at us as a failure because we stopped, because we gave into our weakness. It’s said you’re destined to do things and [have] a purpose and I feel like this is our purpose and it’s like how can ‘I give up on my purpose?’ Where do you see Y.U.N.G. Harlem in the next few years whether that’s next year, the next 5 years, the next 10 years but what’s your long term vision for the brand? Alize Beal: We need to be nationwide. Our goal is to take it to young Philly, young D.C, young Chicago, young LA; putting on events in the summer, hitting different programs, different states, different cities.”
“You get one shot at this thing called life and because of that you must push through fear and discouragement to get to your goals.” Alize
RISING STAR