Rites of Passage Newsletter

Meet the Staff

Urgent, Inc. 1000 NW 1st Ave. Miami, FL 33136 (O) 786.439.1544 (F) 866-811-7778

Vice President Saliha Nelson Northwestern

Shedia Nelson (C) 305.586.6694 www.urgentinc.org Email: Shedia@urgentinc.org

University Graduate, BS Programs Manager

JANUARY 2012

Shedia Nelson Hawai`i Pacific University Graduate, BA Mentor Carla Stitt Tennessee State University Graduate, BS

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Inside this Upcoming Events News stories

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Snaps

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Advice Column Calendar

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UPCOMING EVENTS

What: Museum of Contemporary Art Women on the Rise When: Saturday, January 7, 2012

Photo Courtesy: Alx

FIELDTRIP Where: Vizcaya Museum

Naomi Fisher Featured Artist exhibiting art When: Wednesday, January 19, 2012

Time: 3-5pm Where: Miami Edison Eduplex Senior high school Activity: Celebration of contemporary women artist with historical reference and visual art project incorporating conventional and unconventional media like photography and experimental multi-media collages. ART PROJECTS

Miami Dade County Bar Association: Horizons Committee Provides Fieldtrip Earn community service hours Martin Luther King Day of Service When: Monday, January 16, 2012 Where: Miami Northwestern high school Time: See fieldtrip form for details

Weekend Camping Trip in the Keys When: Friday, Jan 27— Sunday, Jan 29th Meet at: 6:30pm at Edison SHS Must attend pre-trip meeting When: Wednesday, January 25th at Edison SHS TOP 12 Eligible to attend: Naomie Delva, Wendy Laurent, Nanotte St. Jean, D’nea Franklin, Andrea Jean-Jacques, Magdala Charles, Shaquitta Andrew, Leivis Dinzey, Kimberly Larosiliere, Fabiana Adames, Aaliyah Rankin and Marguerite St. Julien

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A Reproductive Justice Initiative:

SHE KEPT HER BRA ON! - THE CAMPAIGN FOR GIRLS WELL-BEING A Youth-Led Project for Social Change to prevent Teen Dating Violence Currently, the young ladies are developing a letter to Miami Dade School Board to address the adoption of the policy on dating violence and abuse.

This initiative is a youth-led project for social change that is geared to build awareness, educate their peers and advocate for policy changes that will help prevent Teen Dating Violence.

Rites of Passage young ladies’ conceptual photography exhibition “See it Our Way” was Thursday, December 8th with youth led discussions on teen dating vio-

FEBRUARY When: Friday, Feb, 3rd MDC Bar Association Horizons Committee provide Federal Courthouse Tour When: Wednesday, Feb 8th IT Women discussion on Internet Safety Where: Edison SHS

has helped me as a young woman. I feel like this program is making me a better woman in the long run. ” According to Miami-Dade County statistics, teen dating violence has increased Bra On! by 40 percent since 2001.

The Florida Legislature adopted legislation in 2010 to help prevent teen dating Youth Led Campaign violence in schools. “In this Girls Well-being program I think that we learn a lot about women empowerment and we get to see different things in our lence from their perspective on their pho- communities that we would tos and research findings at O Cinema. never notice,” said Brianna “This program has had a very positive Saffold, 16, who has been impact on me,” said Naomie Delva, 16, involved with the group who has been involved with the program since the 6th grade. “This since the 7th grade. “This program has program has afforded me changed me and helped to open my eyes the opportunity to see things to a lot of different things and it from a different view.”

She Kept Her

BRA FITTING at Macy’s TBA

MAY

Museum of Contemporary Art Women on the Rise

When: Saturday, May 12th “She Kept Her Bra On, Too!: Girls Stories of Empowerment, Self Discovery and Acceptance” NEW Play Sequel production

Art Project

When: Tuesday, Feb 14th

Time: 3-5pm Where: Edison Eduplex SHS MARCH Etiquette Lunch—Must Attend 5 sessions APRIL Career Tour

When: Saturday, May 26th GRADUATION CEREMONY BANQUET

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

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Real Care Baby Simulation Experiential Learning during Winter Break

Five young ladies from Rites of Passage had an opportunity to learn how to provide care for a simulated baby during Winter break. These young ladies chose long sleepless nights tending to their simulated baby’s needs for 4 days, kept a record of all feedings, diaper changes and soothe baby at all times without any assistance from anyone else. The baby could not be turned off. Bianca Novembre thought “ it was nothing [like] I had expected. It was hard because I wasn’t expecting to wake up like 3 or 4 times at night.” At this point in my life “I’m only 15 and can barely take care of myself.” Nanotte Saint Jean noticed that “everyone stopped for me when I was crossing the street. A guy offered his seat on the bus. The cashier gave me a discount ‘cause my baby kept crying.”

Left to Right: Bianca Novembre, Ronata Dieujuste, Naomie Delva, Aniyah Simpson, Tatyana Wimberly, Ms. Carla Stitt, Ms. Shedia Nelson

This experience has opened my eyes that it is the “opposite from what I seen on t.v. I learned not to have something I’m not ready for emotionally, physically and mentally.” Naomie Delva said a man told her “That’s why you have a baby now.” Naomie was wearing a shirt that revealed her belly and she replied to the man, “Bless

you.” Tatyana Wimberly chose to adopt a baby with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome without the full simulation so she could turn baby off. She chose to keep the baby on for ten minutes and called the baby It. “I don’t want a baby right now.” Aniyah Simpson emphatically said “I’m not ready for taking care of a baby. My mom and dad kicked me out of all the rooms and did not help me at all with the baby. I had no help. I felt alone.”

Ronata Dieujuste thought “it was a good experience. It helped me understand what my parents went through.

I want my future partner to be helpful and supportive especially during the night.”

Real Care Baby Simulation Experiential Learning during weekend of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday

Four young ladies of Rites of Passage provided care for their simulated babies. Each girl had to pledge to provide unconditional care and attention to their babies over an extended weekend. Aaliyah Rankin scored the highest of 89% in providing care. She mentioned that the “hard part was staying up with her all night. I now know what if feels like to be a single parent.”

Shakia Rankin was one of the few who chose to simulate breastfeeding but later switched to a bottle on the third day “because my arm was hurting and it was stressful.

I’m going to miss her but at night time I wanted to cry for her because when I couldn’t find her stuff in time I felt bad for her.

I’ll wait to have a kid until I’m 26 years

two hour training session on early parenting before adopting a simulated baby.

The young ladies also had to tend to their babies on a fieldtrip for a Day of Service in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. They had to paint, construct frame boxes and tend to their babies while the other Left to Right: Marguerite St. Julien, Aaliyah Rankin and Brielle Gibson young ladies helped babysit in rotation. old.” Brielle Gibson’s aunt bought her Magalie Gabriel, peer simulated baby a baby outfit. She realized educator, thought “it that “having kids is no joke and I couldn’t was exciting to see the hang out with my friends.” Shaquitta outlines previously Andrews said that “baby cried too much. drawn on the walls [of I don’t want any kids. It’s too much Miami Northwestern high school] come work.” Everyone who has participated in to life through different colors. There the real care baby simulation experiential was a lot of teamwork and a lot of learning are for abstinence and choose to groups that got a lot done!” And lots of delay having a baby for a very long time. simulated babies crying. From being All the girls have to experience wearing a treated and looked at differently from simulated pregnancy vest in third tristrangers, friends and family without any mester for at least an hour walking support, they realized that Reality Works around and doing daily tasks and attend a with parenting simulation!

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NEWSLETTER TITLE

Utilizing Senses in Art with Featured Artist Ali Prosch with MOCA: Women on the Rise Program Ms. Carla Stit, Mentor

Tanisha Fleming

Andrea Jean‐ Jacques

Jean

Game of Life Activity

Each mis-step resulted in a detraction from their life plan like teen pregnancy and early parenthood where they had to figure out how to achieve their goals with an extension of time in completion. The team leaders mentioned that they had not listened to all the directions for full The Game of Life Left to Right: Rataneisha Jones, Ashley Hill, Alecia Denny, Tapera comprehension activity is from the Parrish, Chelsea Bentick, Evonne Mitchell, Chantel Darrisaw, Elouise which caused a disRites of Passage traction with early Dawkins and Katura Leach Youth Empowerparenting and chalment curriculum engages youth to planning and communication skills. lenges of teen pregnancy. “I would realize healthy decision making, peer The object of the game was to create a like to play this game again,” said Alinfluence could mislead them on their list of step by step instructions for ecia Denny. They learned that it intended path and the importance of each team leader to follow the written would be hard to be a teen mom and following through on all details of instructions to pick up two items and come up with a plan for the baby, their life plan. The activity involved exit the mat. money, finishing school, how to plan cooperative team building, listening, for a career and college.

A proactive discussion on life challenges and goal setting with nine young ladies.

The discussion focused on goal setting, teen pregnancy responsibilities, early parenthood, academic achievement, higher education and career goals.

Crystal Pear, Photographer

Ali Prosch, Featured Artist

. tte St Nano

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Snaps! Poetic Expressions My Black is Beautiful I adore seeing my beautiful face My pretty lips, my pretty toes My pretty skin tone, my pretty eyes, my soft pretty hands, my cute feet, my cute nose, my beautiful teeth, my pretty legs, my bushy eyebrows, my long lashes, my beautiful smile, my puffy brown hair This is how I represent myself as being beautiful.

My Black is Beautiful B eautiful E ager A dorable U nique T alented Y oung

The Way I love Myself

I love the way God create me

Dear Blue Rain,

If people don’t like me

I’m not sure if I should use tampons or pads when I’m on my period. Which is better?

I love the way I know how to talk to people nicely I know I’m beautiful if people don’t think so I know God is with me everywhere I go I love the way now I got conversation with people nice I love myself a lot I thank God for everything he has done for me My personality is what I love to give people ideas I respect people

By Franceline Pierre-Louis

By Shaquitta Andrews

I love the way and how I smile and laugh

Things I love about Me

By Franceline Pierre-Louis

My name is Marguerite Maybe someone out in the world have it out there but don’t represent it like I do. I love my eyes and eyebrows and I don’t care what anyone got to say about it. I don’t say something unless I mean it ‘cause I speak it how it is. I love my toe nails and my knowledge that comes with this big package I have to offer. My family is very important to me. And even though I don't have big lips, I love exactly how it is. And I really don’t care for fakeness.

So if you have some, get out!

By Marguerite St. Julien The Way I love Myself I love the way I act I love the way I talk I love the way I am but who know me, nobody I’m a lovely girl that loves her smile, smart, funny, lovely, joyful So this is me

By Anonymous

DEAR BLUE RAIN….

Sincerely, Menstrual Confusion Dear Menstrual Confusion, I know it can be a little confusing or even frustrating when choosing which type of pad or tampon and how to choose which type of absorbency. There are 175 different styles and brands of tampons and pads on the market. Pads are worn inside your panties and a tampon is inserted in the vagina.

Each product type is divided into absorbency and special features. If you are just starting to menstruate, I would suggest starting with the pads with wings. The wings add protection to panties in case some blood leaks onto the panty.

The blood will come out by dabbing some peroxide on it.

We generally bleed about 2 tablespoons of blood a day with a total of a half cup of blood for the entire period. Some females start with spotting to a heavier flow, however it depends on the person.

I would also suggest getting a combo pack that includes different absorbency levels.

ME! I love myself. I love myself.

Let me tell just a small amount of what I love. I my smile. I keeps it real, I never steal. I that I am so lovable. I am me. I am friendly. Look at my lips.

They’re so beautifully big. My smile is wonderful. When you listen to my laugh you will laugh too. My personality is beautiful.

I the adventurous/outgoing crazy side of me. My voice oh so wonderful. My nose, too. I am so funny and caring. It’s great to be me.

By Kimberly Larosiliere

Pad tips: Change pad every 2 hrs Wash body thoroughly and daily Tampon tips: (requires being responsible) Clean hands before tampon insertion Change tampon every 4-6 hrs, no longer than 8 hrs Use medium absorbency tampons to reduce risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome If it is uncomfortable then it was not inserted properly *Wrap pad or tampon in packaging or tissue paper and throw it in the trash, not the toilet.

Sincerely, Blue Rain

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Rites of Passage Academy Girls Club Meetings Rites of Passage Girls Clubs!

Where: B. T. Washington, Sr. (BTW)

For Who: Girls ages10-18

When: Mondays Time: 6:30-8pm

1200 NW 6th Ave. Miami, FL 33136

Closed: Holiday and Spring Break, Teacher Planning, Early Release Days and inclement weather

When: Monday—Thursday Time: 2:30-5:00pm

*For more information:

6161 NW 5th Ct. Miami, Fl 33127

Room: 308

Work America, Inc.

Call (305) 576-3084 or

Where: Edison Eduplex SHS When: Wednesdays and Thursdays Time: 3–5pm Rm: A-121

430 NW 9th St. Miami, FL 33136

(305) 586-6694

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THANK YOU COMMUNITY PARTNERS Hands 2 Help, Inc.: Passage to Womanhood 2nd year partnership Sierra Club Miami Inner City Outings 7 year partnership Dade County Bar Association Horizons Committee, 6 year partnership

Mi-Lola—Miami International Latinas Organizing Leadership and Advocacy, 3rd year partnership IT Women— Information Technology, 3rd year partnership

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA): Women On The Rise Booker T. Washington SHS, 7 year partnership

9 year partnership

Thank you for re-funding

Rites of Passage for 2011-2012 The Rites of Passage Program is generously funded by The Children’s Trust. The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of funding created by voter referendum in 2002 to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County by making strategic investments in their future – because all children are our children.