Rites of Passage B-Fly News Fall 2015

RITES OF PASSAGE Youth are the Drivers for Change LEARNING SISTERHOOD

Do we have a cultural responsibility?

WATCH Media Project’s video Photo courtesy by Cheryl Mizell

TEAMWORK URGENT, Inc.

Photo courtesy by Cheryl Mizell INNOVATION GROWTH TRANSFORMATION

Our mission is to empower young minds to transform their communities.

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Unhealthy Relationships

The Game of Life Participants explored how life is layered with milestones, and challenges and explored how to navigate through relationships and experiences that can enrich their life to make them stronger.

One of the participants mentioned, “sometimes we don’t know how great we can be until we are pushed and coached.”

The participants to work as a team to reach a common goal of learning how to support each other with differing perspectives and leadership.

WATCH URGENT, Inc.’s promo trailer: www.vimeo.com/urgentinc/ promo

Participants discussed their friendship expectations and how they want to be treated within the girl code. In addition, they discussed how to differentiate between a healthy and unhealthy relationship from a youth and gender lens.

WATCH teamwork in action: www.vimeo.com/urgentinc/ teamwork

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Knowing Your Worth

Self

Dear Blue Rain, I’m thinking about having sex. Is protection really necessary? Should we wear a condom? What are my options?

Sincerely, Confuzzled Dear Confuzzled,

Participants engaged in discussion about understanding and exploring what they love about themselves. They identified strengths, assets and

"If your partner is not willing to do what he takes to keep you both healthy, safe, and baby free then you need a reevaluate your relationship.”

By Quinecia Hall

Are you willing to bet your life on it? Here are 3 questions to ask yourself: 1) Am I ready to have sex?

There’s no shame in not being ready. It doesn’t mean you’re afraid, it just means you’re smart enough to know you’re limits. If you believe you are indeed ready go to: 2) Is my potential partner worth my precious gift?

We have to be mindful who we share this gift with. We have to know our self-worth because we can’t give our gift to just anybody. If your answer to that question was “yes, he’s worthy,” see question 3.

3) . For this question you ask your partner “When was the last time you got tested?”

Why is the question important? You can’t tell by looking at someone if they have contracted a disease. Don’t risk contracting a permanent STD or STI for a temporary moment of pleasure. It’s never worth it. It’s important that you both know your status.

You could go get tested together. This experience will bring you two closer together and build trust.

4) What if I get pregnant?

Are you ready to be a mom? Is he ready to be a dad? It’s a huge responsibility. If not, there are ways to protect yourself. Condoms for women and men and many types of birth control. If your partner is not willing to do what he takes to keep you both healthy, safe, and baby free then you need a reevaluate.

No one can love you the way you love you.

Remember your self-worth!

Sincerely, Blue Rain

Samantha Berry encourages young people to “be different. Be URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Women's Fund Grantee Breakfast

@WomensFundMiami Ciara Burgos is a second year participant in Rites of Passage who represented URGENT, Inc. at the Women’s Fund grantee breakfast. Her speech is below: My name is Ciara Burgos and I have been involved with Rites of Passage of Urgent Inc for a year. Within that year, I learned so much. I learned how to maintain a healthy relationship and what are the warning signs of when it is unhealthy. One warning sign is when the person becomes hostile towards you or is always attacking you. I actually had an opportunity to produce a video presenting an example of what a unhealthy relationship would look like. Another way that Urgent Inc influenced me was it helped me find my voice.

Before, I would never want to speak in front of my peers.

But now, I feel so confident and feel like people actually want to hear what I have to say. There is an extraordinary woman, who is an author of "20 Beautiful Women," and who I personally got to meet, Jennifer Wilkes. She said to look at yourself in the mirror everyday and say "I love myself." Because if you don't love yourself, no one else can. I wish Rites of Passage was a mandatory program to attend for girls all around the world because if it was, girls would most likely not be as insecure and unsure about themselves as so many of us are today. Click to WATCH Ciara’s speech URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Meet the Team!

(Left) Henry Crespo, President Saliha Nelson, Vice President

Shedia Nelson, Programs Manager & Artistic Director Newsletter developer & senior editor

Welcome Cheryl Mizell

The dynamic leadership of both Henry Crespo and Saliha Nelson has propelled URGENT, Inc. to elevate URGENT, Inc’s mission to empower young minds to transform communities.

Henry Crespo, Sr. is the founder and president of URGENT, Inc. Crespo serves on the Greater Miami Convention & Tourism Bureau, Affirmative Action Committee for the Florida Democratic Party, and columnist The Miami Times and elected Vice Chair of Outreach for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party.

Crespo has demonstrated leadership serving as the President of the Miami-Dade Young Democrats, President of the MiamiDade Democratic Black Caucus, Chairman of the Miami Beach Black Host Committee, and served on the Transition Team for District 17 Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson.

Saliha Nelson is the vice president of URGENT, Inc. and a graduate of North-western University with a Bachelor of Science in Education and Social Policy. Nelson is an experienced non-profit executive for more than 10 years focused on providing high quality, empowering and caring services to youth and families. Specializing in youth development, Rites of Passage, intergenerational and prevention services. She is interested in consulting start-ups in program development, grant writing, and evaluation.

Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in education through University of Miami’s Community and Social Change Program.

Shedia Nelson is the programs manager and artistic director who utilizes her creativity and passion for challenging youth to move beyond their comfort zone to transcend their thoughts, behavior, leadership and hidden talents to guide them through their passage to adulthood as her motivation to provide a comprehensive learning development for youth. As the artistic director, her most notable youth led production series of "She Kept Her Bra On" promotes teen dating violence awareness. In the summer of 2013, her short film adaptation of "Keeping it On" based on "She Kept Her Bra On: Chronicles of a Teenage Love Affair" debuted under the direction of Jalen James Acosta.

Her role as an actress and screenwriter with the supporting dynamic original cast from the play was well received.

Cheryl Mizell joins URGENT, Inc. as the youth development specialist. In addition, she is the host of Community Voices, a weekly public affairs talk show which airs on WEDR - 99 JAMZ, South Florida’s heritage radio station. As the station’s public affairs director, Cheryl presents Community Voices as a platform to address the issues and concerns of South Floridians; a key to WEDR’s long held success in the Miami-Ft Lauderdale market. For nearly 25 years, Cheryl has not only been a familiar on-air radio personality who hosts in-studio music shows and insightful talk shows -- going into the community regularly to emcee or speak at local and national events -- but also a creative voiceover artist, recording radio and TV commercials, documentaries, corporate presentations and other productions for clients around the world. Her most treasured work has been the narration of the biographical documentary for the late Judge Wilkie Ferguson, Jr.

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Welcome to the Team

Quinecia Hall

Claudia Villalta

Program Assistant

Professional Art Instructor

Quinecia Hall has expanded her role with URGENT, Inc. as the program assistant. Her involvement with URGENT, Inc. began as a camper attending Y.E.S. Camp for a few years that lead to an opportunity to come back to camp as a volunteer. Her volunteer performance lead to her becoming a junior camp counselor with a promotion to a counselor for YES Camp and a facilitator with URGENT’s Youth Empowerment After School program. Her experience with the agency has expanded in different areas of her support that includes Intergenerational Project and FACE Camp. She has a passion for helping youth reach their full potential and loves being an inspiration to young people. She is a testament of URGENT, Inc’s core value of reciprocity.

Claudia Villalta is a multi-disciplinary, creative individual who has worked with Urgent, Inc.'s Rites of Passage program in the past. This summer at FACE Camp, she introduced the participants to new methods of collage making, including image transfer and exploring the triptych model in visual art creation.

Currently, she provides visual art instruction to help participants express visual narratives of their personal growth.

Claudia grew up attending Miami Dade County Public Schools' magnet art programs. Growing up in Miami made her aware of her urban environments, so she pursued her education in Urban and Regional Studies with a concentration in Visual Studies at Cornell University to study the subject in depth. Upon graduating she immersed herself for a year of service in Ameri-Corps where she worked in the Brownsville neighborhood of Miami-Dade County. Learning about Miami’s unique communities is one of Claudia’s passions. Another is Claudia’s passion for art and the possibilities that technology offers in the creation and dissemination processes.

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

What is Art? I see…

Passion Power a Queen

How I see Myself

Finding my beauty within

I see…

I love my…

Inspiration

Authenticity

Love

Boldness

Honesty

Sweetness

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

Varying Perspectives on the art of self-reflection

Self Exploration

Tapping into Mindfullness Explore what defines us How to nurture self

#Grateful

Claudia Villalta Professional Art Instructor

#Mindfullness #Serenity

I AM GRATEFUL

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

upcoming events JOIN IN ON THE FUN!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Miami International Book Fair

One Billion Rising Panel Discussion & Youth Photovoice Exhibition

When: November 21 Where: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus

Event: International Human Rights Day Special guest: Eve Ensler

Time: 9am-4pm

When: December 10th

First 10 participants with completed field trip form gets a free book!

Where: Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus Time: 9am-12pm

ART PROJECT based FIELDTRIP When: December 10th Where: Institute of Contemporary Art Time: 1-3pm

Fun Art project Museum Tour Food provided

Youth Art Exhibition Curated by Institute of Contemporary Art Art Reception When: December 11th Where: Institute of Contemporary Art Time: 3-5pm E Youth art exhibition will run from December 11-13th

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC

URGENT, Inc. Rites of Passage Media Project Follow us on: What is Rites of Passage?

Urgent, Inc.'s Rites of Passage Program (ROP) Youth Media Project is a transmedia edutainment (education + entertainment) arts enrichment program that teaches and inspires youth to critically examine, research, and reflect on issues that affect their lives and communities using video, photography, poetry and performance. This exploration helps youth gain access to the power of their voice as well as a sense of personal investment in their community.

www.urgentinc.org I Twitter: @urgentinc #ritesofpassage #hidden facebook.com/urgentinc I youtube.com/urgentinc An original youth led film teaser “Hidden” watch now vimeo.com/ondemand/keepingiton Rites of Passage is generously funded by:

Rites of Passage Meeting @ChildrensTrust

Tuesday Time: 5:00pm- 6:30pm Thursdays Time: 4:30-5:30pm Location: Girl Power 1600 NW 3rd Ave. Miami, FL 33136 Monday, Thursday & Friday Time: 2:30pm5:00pm Location: Edison high school 6161 NW 5th Ct. Miami, Fl 33127

@MiamiDadeCounty

@WomensFundMiami

Rites of Passage Media Project is generously funded by The Children’s Trust. The Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County. @SierraClub #IcoMiami

@GirlPowerMiami

I C A | \ / | M I A

@amplifyme_media

@icamiami

@Dade_County_Bar

@univmiami #Promote2Protect @KatRosenblatt

@IgnitionFund

@MDCPS

URGENT, INC. CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION 1000 NW 1ST AVE., STE 100, MIAMI, FL 33136 I (786) 439-1544 WWW.URGENTINC.ORG I TWITTER: @URGENTINC I FACEBOOK.COM/URGENTINC I YOUTTUBE.COM/URGENTINC