[0:00] Welcome to the ONS podcast with your [0:03] host Lana Jacobson. [0:05] >> Good morning or afternoon. It's the ONS [0:07] podcast brought to you by our partners [0:09] at Face toface Academy. For those who [0:11] are tuning in for the first time, ONS [0:13] stands for Office of Neighborhood [0:14] Safety. I'm your host, Lana Jacobson, [0:17] and I'm part of the ONS team. This [0:19] podcast was created for departments like [0:21] ours and community organizations to [0:23] connect you to alternative public safety [0:24] measures, programs, and your local [0:26] growth and healing opportunities. [0:29] ONS audience. Today we have Sisters [0:32] Helping in Neighborhoods Everywhere, [0:34] better known as Shine. Shine is an [0:37] organization created to help uplift [0:39] young women, nurturing them to grow into [0:41] healthy and successful individuals. They [0:44] are on a mission to empower and uplift [0:47] young girls to their highest potential. [0:50] Welcome. Today we have founder and [0:53] executive director Tiara House. Hi [0:55] Tiara. [0:55] >> Hi. Tiara, can you take 30 seconds and [0:58] tell us about yourself? [1:00] >> All right, I'm gonna be 30 seconds [1:01] quick. Okay. Um, my name is Tiara House. [1:04] Um, I was originally born in Chicago. [1:07] Um, I have been in Minnesota St. Paul [1:10] area since 1997. I graduated from [1:13] Arlington High School, which is now [1:14] known as Washington Tech. Woohoo. Class [1:17] of 2008. I come from a family of five um [1:21] with my mom and my dad growing up. I am [1:23] the middle child which I am also the [1:25] manager of the family. Um I am [1:29] graduating this May with my master's in [1:31] educational leadership. I have [1:35] >> Thank you. I have been in education for [1:37] the last 10 years. My hopes is to go [1:41] back and finish off for my principal [1:43] license. I have one son um who is very [1:46] busy. Um he's four years old and [1:49] something really inspiring to me is that [1:52] um I named him after Tupac and Nipy. [1:55] >> Okay. What is his name? [1:56] >> Air Shakira. [1:57] >> Oh, okay. [1:58] >> Yeah. [1:58] >> Okay. [1:59] >> Yes. And I love to travel so I do travel [2:02] agent on the side. And of course I am [2:05] the founder and executive director of [2:07] Shine Girls Group. [2:08] >> Congratulations and welcome tiara. [2:10] >> Thank you. [2:11] >> So I got some iceberg questions for you. [2:14] >> Okay. [2:14] >> You have to pick one or the other. You [2:15] have to answer. I got to answer. Okay. [2:17] >> Okay. College sports or professional [2:20] league? Which do you prefer? [2:22] >> Professional league to watch. [2:24] >> Okay. Yeah. Baked mac and cheese or real [2:28] creamy, please? [2:29] >> Oh, baked mac and cheese. [2:31] >> Okay. Do you like the little crispy how [2:32] it gets a little on the top? [2:33] >> It It got to have that little [2:35] >> That's our favorite part, too. We be [2:36] fighting over that in the house. Okay. [2:38] So, you're on Price is Right. You win a [2:41] chance to choose between a new car or a [2:43] vacation. Which one are you choosing? [2:46] >> Depending on where I'm going for the [2:48] vacation. [2:49] >> Where do you want to go? [2:50] >> I want to go back to Africa. [2:51] >> Okay. [2:52] >> So, I'll probably choose [2:53] >> Choose vacation to Africa. [2:54] >> Yeah. If I could do like a six-mon [2:56] vacation. [2:57] >> Do you do the safari stuff? [2:59] >> Yes, I did. [3:00] >> You did? [3:01] >> Uh-huh. And it was not as scary as I [3:03] thought it would be. [3:03] >> I was Yeah, cuz my husband was talking [3:05] about going and I'm like, "No, we're not [3:07] going to have the animals coming up to [3:08] the van." No, they were actually like in [3:12] their natural state doing what they [3:13] needed to do. [3:14] >> Yeah. [3:14] >> Like they were eating each other. [3:17] >> They were making babies though. They [3:19] were really doing what they need to do. [3:20] So, [3:20] >> well, and I suppose people are always [3:22] coming through so they're not they're [3:24] just they're accustomed to it. [3:26] >> To have a a lion that close. Now that I [3:29] think about it, I'm like, "Girl, you is [3:31] crazy." Like, you were just sitting [3:33] right there taking pictures. [3:35] >> Mm- And the smells. I don't know about [3:37] the smells. No, it wasn't bad. [3:39] >> It wasn't. [3:39] >> It's not like a zoo. [3:41] >> Okay. Okay. [3:42] >> Try it. It wasn't bad. It wasn't bad. [3:44] >> I'm a little scared, but we'll see. [3:46] Okay. So, let's jump into these [3:48] questions. Tiara, what is Shine? [3:50] >> Um, Shine stands for, as you said, [3:52] sisters helping in neighborhoods [3:54] everywhere. We are a girls group. I like [3:57] to say we are like a black girl scouts. [3:59] Um, cuz our primarily target is black [4:02] and brown girls. We all about building [4:04] that sisterhood, that unity, uplifting [4:06] our girls and really having them being [4:08] able to unite with each other because as [4:10] we know we are more powerful together [4:13] than we are apart. [4:14] >> Amen. Iron sharp sharpens iron. Where [4:17] are you centrally located? [4:19] >> We do group um every other Tuesdays in [4:22] St. Paul. [4:23] >> Um we rent out a space um where we [4:25] facilitate group at. I work at American [4:28] Indian Magnet School in St. Paul. So by [4:31] default I am doing shine there. [4:33] >> Okay. [4:34] >> On top of my um job as a intervention [4:37] specialist which we all also do it on [4:39] Tuesdays. [4:40] >> That's beautiful. So it's like after [4:41] school. [4:42] >> No, it's during school. [4:43] >> Oh, it's during school. [4:44] >> So we use um SEAL um learning. So we do [4:47] social emotional learning. That's kind [4:48] of like our curriculum with Shine. Okay. [4:50] So we tie that into our students are [4:52] their foundations [4:55] um for our middle school and then we do [4:56] a fourth and fifth grade um during the [4:59] morning time but then we do things to [5:01] tie them in together to create different [5:04] performances. These girls love to [5:05] perform. [5:06] >> I love it. [5:07] >> They I bet they do. How did you get [5:10] started? [5:11] >> Um how did I get started? So, um, in [5:14] 2015, [5:17] 16 me, one of my very good friends, my [5:20] best friends, we were talking about just [5:22] kind of having like a women's group [5:23] where we kind of get up, do a little [5:24] happy hour, um, rent out library spaces [5:28] and just talk about the things that we [5:30] are going through, whether it's mothers, [5:31] motherhood, whether it's job related, [5:34] friendships, just to kind of build like [5:37] a small circle of us. Once we started [5:39] doing that, we would meet monthly. those [5:42] was going really well. Um, of course, [5:44] like I said, I've been working in [5:45] education for the last 10 years. Fast [5:47] forward, I ended up going to Tartan High [5:50] School in [5:50] >> Oakdale, [5:52] >> and the principal came up to me, this [5:54] was 2019, and was like, all of the girls [5:56] are like clinging to you and we have [5:58] about eight students that we meet with [6:00] with the counselors and the social [6:02] workers like, would you mind doing a [6:03] group with them? And I'm like, I do I [6:06] got shine like we can implement this in. [6:08] So that's kind of that was our first [6:10] group with the youth at Tartan High [6:12] School after school. We started with [6:14] about eight girls [6:16] >> and by the end of the school year we had [6:19] about 50 something girls participating. [6:20] >> Oh my gosh, I love it. [6:21] >> And then we end up doing it every year [6:23] after that when I was there. [6:24] >> I love it. So that leads me to my next [6:27] my next question. What problematic need [6:30] are you fixing here? really as I know [6:34] from being a black girl [6:36] >> and a person of color as a woman of [6:38] color now the biggest thing that we are [6:41] trying to fix within the girls is really [6:43] building their self-esteem helping them [6:46] figuring out how to communicate how to [6:48] maneuver through life how to maneuver [6:51] through those obstacles and then at the [6:52] same time building that community around [6:54] you cuz we know and what I have learned [6:56] as well is that we cannot do it alone [7:00] >> like there's no way that you can be [7:02] successful without getting to know [7:04] people, without building relationships, [7:06] healthy relationships with people. So, [7:08] especially with your other sisters, with [7:10] people that look like you and [7:12] >> other women. Um so those are the the [7:14] really core concept of the things that [7:18] we are trying to teach the girls [7:19] starting within fixing you trying to get [7:23] the skills that you need to build your [7:24] self-esteem and make you self-aware and [7:26] then making sure that you building a [7:28] community around yourself taking care of [7:30] your community and then that last leg is [7:32] that higher education when I say higher [7:35] education what is the next step after [7:38] you're done with school maybe it's [7:40] college maybe it's not but what is that [7:42] next those next goals for your life. [7:45] >> I like that because I feel like the [7:48] generation that you're working with now, [7:51] you're setting the tone for how they [7:53] should be as an adult, right? And I feel [7:55] like as women amongst us, there's so [7:58] much drama and petty stuff. And you're [8:00] raising these girls, well, you're [8:02] helping raise these girls to be in unit [8:05] in in unison with each other, right? to [8:08] like uplift each other and to cheer each [8:10] other on and to push each other forward. [8:12] And that's what we should have as women [8:14] because it's stressful enough out here. [8:16] So, I commend you on that because you're [8:19] you're you're changing [8:21] >> you're changing what we are. [8:23] >> Yeah. [8:23] >> Does that make sense? [8:24] >> Or what people think we are cuz we [8:25] really are. We really [8:27] >> once we come together we are so powerful [8:31] than being apart. [8:34] And once we figure out that it's so much [8:37] that we have in common, that's a lot of [8:40] what the girls are learning. Like, you [8:42] know what? And I wanted to I want Shine [8:44] to be something so big that you can go [8:46] to any city [8:47] >> once you get older. You move and you go [8:49] to any city and you can see your other [8:50] sister. Like, okay, that's my sister. [8:52] That's my Shine sister. I can lean on [8:54] her. I can call, you know, I can create [8:56] a network of people to be able to call [8:58] if I have questions or if I need things. [9:00] And then creating that safe space for [9:02] them. So when we are in group we are [9:04] able to really be vulnerable with each [9:07] other [9:08] >> and as facilitators that's what we try [9:10] to start with we try to be vulnerable so [9:13] that they can open up and they can be [9:15] vulnerable as well because that's the [9:16] biggest thing you know we got social [9:17] media like [9:19] >> you know once we get in you know once [9:21] they get into it we have an argument [9:22] then now the whole social media knows [9:24] you know [9:25] >> and how do you remain with integrity how [9:29] do you do the right thing when no one's [9:30] looking. Yeah, I love it. Tell us what [9:34] makes our young women in St. Paul so [9:36] special. [9:37] >> Cuz I'm from here, St. Paul. [9:40] >> Besides that, [9:41] >> Yeah. [9:43] >> I say what makes um St. Paul so special [9:45] to me because I have, like I said, I'm [9:47] originally from Chicago. We came up here [9:49] when I was about 7 years old. So, I know [9:52] more about Minnesota, more about St. [9:54] Paul. And we always only lived in St. [9:56] Paul. I'm not going to lie, being [9:58] younger, I had uh some rough patches. [10:01] >> Yeah. [10:01] >> Um some bumps in the road. And I think [10:04] now as being an educator and being the [10:07] executive director of Shine, I'm able to [10:09] give back to the community that I [10:11] >> kind of disrupted a little, you know, [10:13] okay, [10:13] >> kind of caused some disruption. So [10:15] that's why St. Paul is so special to me [10:18] because I have went to school here. I [10:20] have worked here. I have built [10:21] relationships within this city. And I [10:24] also have did some things to harm this [10:26] city. Mh. [10:26] >> So this is kind of like my [10:29] >> um [10:29] >> your giving back. [10:30] >> My giving back. My giving back. Like [10:32] this is this is me saying, "Yep, you [10:34] know what? We did I did this. I did [10:36] that. But now we can repair that harm [10:39] and we can be restorative with it." [10:40] >> I love that. I got goosebumps. [10:43] I love that. Where did your passion for [10:46] this work come from? And when did you [10:47] realize there was a need for this? And I [10:49] kind of feel like you already answered [10:51] this, but I want you to go more in [10:52] depth. [10:52] >> Yeah. um my passion because I I grew up [10:55] with just my you know my sister. It was [10:57] me and my sister. I had a lot of female [11:00] friends. I had a lot of you know [11:02] girlfriends going in once I was in [11:04] school and high school and middle [11:05] school. I ran with a crowd of girls [11:09] >> and it was always drama. [11:11] >> Mhm. [11:12] >> And I had to learn for myself that I had [11:15] that drama enticed me and it was [11:18] exciting to me because I didn't know who [11:20] I was. [11:20] >> I was struggling with my own identity. [11:22] Yeah. [11:23] >> So what you got within comes out. And I [11:26] know that I have possibly caused harm to [11:29] a lot of different girls being so young, [11:32] you know, not really understanding what [11:35] I have inflicted in a negative way. So [11:38] my passion has came from how do I [11:40] reverse that in a positive way? How do I [11:43] help girls? Like my mom always told me [11:45] like you don't need to be doing this, [11:46] you don't need to be doing that. But it [11:48] sounds different from when your mom [11:49] telling you than when your peers is [11:51] telling you like, "No, we should be [11:53] doing this. We," you know. [11:54] >> So my thing is I want the girls to [11:57] really understand how healthy and [12:00] positive relationships with your peers [12:03] >> because I really didn't have like I had [12:04] a lot of friends. Everybody wanted to be [12:06] my friends, but they weren't healthy [12:07] friendships. [12:08] >> Mhm. [12:08] >> We were doing negative things, you know. [12:10] >> They were probably scared of you, too. [12:12] >> Yeah, they was. Yeah, they probably was. [12:13] They probably was. And I was doing too [12:16] much. But I was always smart. I was [12:18] always smart though. So when I [12:21] graduated, they like they see me like [12:22] you graduated. So I see teachers now [12:24] like [12:25] >> Yeah. [12:26] >> Okay. Like [12:27] >> do you ever see any of like people that [12:30] you used to run with? Well, I mean cuz [12:31] you know St. Paul's so small [12:33] >> or the people that you used to pick on [12:35] or like do you had some people that you [12:38] know have forgave me and I have some [12:39] people that probably still don't like me [12:41] like no you made my childhood horrible. [12:43] But then I also have some really good [12:45] friends that's been with me since day [12:47] one [12:48] >> and always have encouraged me to do the [12:50] right thing, you know. And I see [12:53] teachers now. Shout out to Dr. Jones. [12:56] She's from St. Paul um public school. [12:58] She was my only black teacher. She was [12:59] my second grade teacher and I just seen [13:01] her again last week. [13:03] >> A [13:03] >> um at the school. So now [13:05] >> she's still there. [13:06] >> Yesord. She well she's a principal on [13:09] assignment she said. So she um with the [13:11] district. [13:12] >> Okay. So, it's just amazing to see my [13:15] old um teachers and the adults that see [13:18] me and not not see me necessar I want to [13:21] say in a bad light but just kind of see [13:22] me grow up to be the person that I am [13:24] today. [13:25] >> And then a lot of my old principles like [13:27] could you come work at my school? [13:29] >> So, it just make you feel good like [13:30] Yeah. Cuz I know you know. Yeah. [13:31] >> Yeah. Well, and I think too people can [13:35] relate, you know what I mean? Mhm. [13:37] >> Going back to like the girls following [13:39] you around and wanting wanting to be in [13:41] your group and different things like [13:42] that, [13:43] >> you can relate to some of them and the [13:46] direction you want to push them because [13:48] you know what their potential is. [13:50] >> And I think that's what makes you so [13:52] special for what you're doing. [13:53] >> Yes. [13:54] >> That's the biggest part I always tell [13:56] the girls like [13:58] >> when I say things to you and I'm saying [14:00] it, it's not from like cuz I got these [14:02] degrees or I got it out the book. Like, [14:04] no, I have went through real life [14:06] experience. [14:07] >> Mhm. [14:07] >> I've been there, done that. [14:09] >> Yeah. [14:09] >> Everything that you guys are doing and [14:11] going through, the only thing is that we [14:12] didn't have social media like that, [14:13] >> right? [14:14] >> You know, [14:15] >> so and it's hard for our kids nowadays [14:18] with social media cuz you go on there [14:20] and you see even as adults, you go on [14:22] there, you see like, oh, this person [14:23] doing this, this person doing that, and [14:25] you know, you you want to see yourself [14:27] in the best light, right? Mhm. [14:29] >> And um you don't want to have any of [14:32] your flaws out, but those flaws are can [14:34] be strength and that can be strength for [14:37] people cuz now people write me all the [14:38] time cuz I tell my story all the time [14:40] and a lot of people write me and say, [14:42] >> you know, I just feel so comfortable to [14:44] talk to you about cuz I think the [14:46] biggest part is like I have to be [14:47] vulnerable. I have to be a open book so [14:49] people can be comfortable [14:52] >> enough to know that you can share that [14:55] side of you cuz that in our community [14:57] >> that's it's trust. [14:59] >> Mhm. [14:59] >> We don't trust each other, you know. [15:01] >> That's right. [15:02] >> We don't trust each other. We like no I [15:03] can't I don't know what this person may [15:06] you know may be on. I don't know if this [15:07] person have the best interest for me. [15:10] Mhm. [15:11] >> So really um building those trustworthy [15:13] relationships um with each other, [15:16] >> creating that safe space for those girls [15:18] to develop trust, [15:19] >> that part. [15:20] >> I was reading on your website that you [15:23] guys have like a six-month curriculum or [15:25] something like that that the girls can [15:26] still participate in. And then you guys [15:29] have other programmings like developing [15:31] leadership and uniting sisterhoods, [15:34] increasing self-esteem, developing goal [15:36] setting and community involvement and [15:38] stuff. Can you tell us more about how [15:41] many girls you serve and a little bit [15:44] more about these programs? [15:45] >> Yep. So, the curriculum now it goes like [15:48] a nine it goes like a nine-month [15:49] curriculum. Okay. [15:50] >> So, we start every fall. Um so, a lot of [15:53] our students of course they start in [15:55] September. So, we try to um start [15:58] grouping about October, you know, get [15:59] them kind of time to get back into the [16:02] mood of school. [16:03] >> And it goes from October to June. So [16:06] kind of like a [16:08] >> like a school year. [16:08] >> Yeah, like a school year almost. Yep. [16:10] And within that curriculum, um, as I [16:12] stated before, we start with the inside [16:16] of the girls. So we start with that [16:17] self-esteem, that self-awareness, and [16:19] then we move on to like that community [16:21] involvement piece. How do you build [16:22] those healthy relationship? How do you [16:23] build those connections in your [16:25] community? And then that last leg is [16:27] that future aspirations where we do that [16:30] goal setting, where we do those [16:31] leadership things, and where we take [16:33] those H.B.CU's BCU's tour, [16:35] >> which is for people that don't know the [16:36] historically black colleges and [16:38] universities. [16:39] >> We meet an hour and a half. So, all of [16:42] our agendas um look similar. It's [16:44] different topics, but we start off with [16:46] grounding. So, we make sure that we [16:48] ground. We make sure we get on the same [16:50] accord vibration cuz we're all coming [16:52] from work. Well, we're Yeah, we're [16:54] coming from work. All the facilitators, [16:55] the kids are coming from school. So, we [16:57] try to ground first. We do what we call [16:59] a queen checkin, [17:01] >> a crown check. So we check in, see how [17:03] everybody feeling. Of course, we always [17:05] got food cuz food is, you know, is [17:07] important and then we would introduce [17:10] that topic or whatever we going to [17:11] discuss. While introducing that topic, [17:13] we always have an engaging activity that [17:16] we do with the girls. And then that next [17:17] piece is that reflection piece. [17:20] >> What have you learned today? You know, [17:21] and then just kind of have the girls [17:23] being able to reflect on whatever the [17:25] topic was that we may have covered that [17:27] day. Last but not least, every time we [17:30] we end any group, we do our queen's [17:32] chant, which is affirmations. Their I am [17:35] affirmations. [17:36] >> And I actually should say it at the end [17:38] today. Yeah, you guys. So, it's a call [17:40] and respond. [17:41] >> Okay. [17:41] >> Um that we do at the end. [17:43] >> I like the um what you call it? A crown [17:45] check. [17:45] >> Crown check. Yeah, you got to check your [17:46] crown. [17:46] >> Girl, I'm going to be doing that. [17:48] >> Yeah, you got Yeah, you got a crown [17:49] check. Yes. [17:51] >> Okay. What kind of life skills do you [17:53] provide that keep our girls safe and [17:55] equipped for today's stressors? [17:57] >> The self-awareness piece. I always, you [17:59] know, in order to know where you're [18:00] going, you got to know where you come [18:02] from. You got to know who you are. And [18:04] my my thing is too when we take in girls [18:06] in the community, you know, to be aware, [18:09] >> to be aware is to be alive. Like making [18:11] sure that you on your P's and your Q's, [18:13] you know, like you're not on your phone [18:15] all the time. like you making sure that [18:16] you are being aware of your environment [18:18] and the things that's going on and that [18:20] you're being intentional because you [18:22] never know who you may meet. I'm really [18:24] big on it's not what you know, it's who [18:26] you know. How do you build relationship [18:28] with people cuz that's going to get you [18:30] in those spaces that you need to be in. [18:34] >> So that's a huge part of what we are [18:37] trying to get them to learn. And what we [18:40] have implemented this year, we have a [18:42] grant through the U of M. We have [18:43] implemented financial literacy. [18:45] >> Okay. [18:46] >> Um which [18:47] >> yes, [18:47] >> most black families we have not [18:50] >> I didn't learn anything about credit or [18:52] anything until I was older. [18:54] >> So we have Tanya um from SLAP um who has [18:59] implemented some of her financial [19:01] literacy basic budgeting. And now what [19:04] we have coming up actually coming up in [19:05] May in group we're going to do like some [19:08] mock some mock dayto-day living so that [19:11] they can see you know what about food [19:13] what about rent you know how do you [19:15] budget how do you pay your bills how do [19:16] once you start working how do you start [19:18] saving your money because I was working [19:19] at 14 [19:21] >> and every paycheck I got because it's [19:23] five of us my mom wasn't buying me the [19:25] Jordans so I was buying Jordans get my [19:27] hair done get my nails done don't have [19:29] nothing to show for then save a penny [19:32] >> Mhm. Mhm. [19:32] >> You know, um, so that's kind of like the [19:35] new thing that we that we is going to [19:36] add in there to teach them about, you [19:38] know, that basic financial literacy. [19:40] What is credit? [19:41] >> You know, I was scared [19:43] >> about getting a credit card cuz my mom [19:45] was like, "Don't get credit cards. [19:47] They're horrible. They bad." And the [19:49] world we live in, credit is important. [19:50] You know, [19:51] >> so teaching them those life skills. And [19:53] then that the huge part is [19:55] communication. [19:57] >> How do you communicate? Because our kids [19:59] are always on their phone. They're [20:01] texting. It's amazing how I'm not that [20:05] much older than them, but I guess my [20:07] generation is definitely different than [20:08] their generation. [20:10] >> Yeah. [20:10] >> How do you call and talk to people about [20:13] professional businesses and the, you [20:15] know, the things that you need? How do [20:16] you advocate for yourself even when [20:18] you're frustrated? [20:20] >> How do you maneuver through this world [20:22] and communicate the things that you need [20:24] and identify those feelings and those [20:26] emotions that you are feeling? is one of [20:28] those things that we're teaching the [20:30] girls as well. One thing we just did a [20:32] couple weeks ago because we fundraising [20:34] for our HB.CU tour, we had them get on [20:36] the phone and call businesses [20:38] >> and ask about fundraising opportunities [20:40] and we gave them like a script and just [20:43] to see like their confidence as they're [20:44] talking on the phone because it's like, [20:46] yeah, you're not talking on the phone [20:47] with your friend, you talking on the [20:48] phone about some business, you know, and [20:50] that's how you create [20:52] >> that confidence in yourself, you know? [20:53] That's how you create like you know what [20:56] I'm calling I'm talking about something [20:57] that I'm passionate about and something [20:59] that I want to do and I'm reaching out [21:02] to my community for those resources. So [21:04] it was amaz [21:09] >> talking business. [21:10] >> Yeah, that is so cute. What events do [21:14] you have going on this summer and how do [21:16] parents sign up their young ladies? [21:18] >> So this summer like I said so we start [21:20] our um bi-weekly group starts over every [21:22] fall. Okay. [21:23] >> Cuz we want to instead of just kind of [21:27] with the capacity, it's three of us [21:29] facilitating. [21:30] >> So, of course, we can't we won't shine [21:32] to be everywhere, but of course, it's [21:34] only three of us to go around. So, [21:37] >> we start every fall so that the girls [21:40] can kind of be with each other the whole [21:42] year, build that sisterhood, build those [21:44] bonds. So, we don't have summer [21:46] programming, but we will have events in [21:48] the summer. [21:48] >> Okay. [21:49] >> So, um be looking out. We'll be doing a [21:51] kickball game. We're doing a lot of a [21:53] lot of these events will be fundraising [21:54] for the HB.CU tour in October. [21:57] >> Okay. [21:57] >> So, we'll be doing a fundraising. We [21:59] have just partnered and created grind [22:02] boys group which stands for growing and [22:04] rising in new directions. [22:05] >> I love it. [22:06] >> Yeah. So, you got to grind so you can [22:07] shine. [22:08] >> You guys are doing all things. [22:10] >> So, they're going to actually [22:11] participate and come with us for our [22:13] first Well, not our this going to be [22:15] their first H.B.CU tour. It's going to [22:17] be Shine's third. [22:18] >> Okay. [22:18] >> Um and we partnering with Shadow. It's a [22:21] program out of Brooklyn Center. Um so [22:23] we'll be partnering with them. So we'll [22:24] have different events going on during [22:26] our summer um to fund raise. A big one [22:29] that we have at the end of the summer is [22:31] our back to school event where we do [22:33] haircuts um and braids. So I braid too. [22:36] So I'll be braiding [22:38] >> and we've been doing that for like the [22:39] last five, six years. And every year it [22:42] has been getting bigger and bigger. Last [22:43] year we partnered, we was giving out [22:45] clothes, we had hygiene, we had socks, [22:47] haircuts, braids. [22:49] >> Yeah. Um, so food of course. [22:52] >> Um, so those are the things that we have [22:54] going on this summer. Really just [22:56] preparing us for the fall for the H.B.CU [22:58] tour that we'll be going to Louisiana [23:00] and Mississippi. [23:01] >> Oh wow. [23:02] >> I'm excited. [23:03] >> Yeah, that's a huge opportunity because [23:05] a lot of our kids here in Minnesota [23:06] don't know anything about Louisiana and [23:09] Mississippi. [23:09] >> Well, some of them don't even know what [23:10] H.B.CU is. [23:12] >> Mhm. [23:13] >> Like when I first started working at [23:15] school, I'm like, "Y'all know what HB.CU [23:16] is?" They was like, "No." But I went on [23:18] a tour [23:20] >> my junior year. [23:21] >> Yeah. [23:21] >> And I went to Atlanta. [23:23] >> And I remember going to Atlanta. Like we [23:26] only ever been to Chicago growing up. [23:29] >> We never got I never got on a plane. I [23:30] was like 19. And I remember going to [23:33] Atlanta. I remember being culture shock. [23:34] Like [23:35] >> it's black people. [23:38] >> Yeah. Like that's a black judge walking, [23:40] you know. [23:40] >> Girl. Yeah. [23:41] >> You know cuz I'm so used to not I'm like [23:44] my family [23:46] >> had just working. Mhm. [23:47] >> You get a job, you get a job, you get a [23:49] job. So to see so many black people in [23:52] those careers was amazing. Then to go to [23:54] school where [23:55] >> it's so much black culture and it's so [23:57] much, you know, being able to be [23:59] creative. [24:00] >> Yeah. [24:01] >> In a space that you see so much [24:03] representation cuz I used always [24:05] thinking going to college was like for [24:08] like nerds. So it's just exciting to see [24:10] the girls when we go on these campuses [24:12] and they see the girls looking just like [24:14] them. They like, [24:15] >> "Oh, so I don't have to be a nerd." No, [24:17] you don't. Like, [24:18] >> yeah, [24:19] >> these people is getting to it. So, [24:20] >> just got to have a goal. [24:22] >> Absolutely. [24:22] >> Just got to have a goal. What are your [24:24] goals? Speaking of for the young ladies [24:26] in St. Paul, [24:27] >> my goal is for them to always remember [24:29] Shine [24:30] >> and [24:32] take that on with you and be the change. [24:35] Like um Michael Jackson said, man in the [24:37] mirror, [24:38] >> the change starts with you. So whether [24:41] you are in shine or whether they are not [24:44] in shine, be the change. Go help another [24:46] sister out that you see that may needs [24:48] help or you know I always challenge [24:51] myself to talk to different people every [24:54] time I see them. You know just you know [24:55] you just never know what people may [24:57] need. So my goal is for them to shine in [25:00] any room that they are in like own the [25:03] room that you are in. you know, make [25:04] sure you shine your your light because [25:07] we have so much and our girls have so [25:09] much to offer. Don't even know [25:12] >> how powerful they are and the talents, [25:15] the hidden talents that they have and [25:18] how many people are willing to invest in [25:19] them [25:20] >> and want to see you succeed. [25:22] >> Let's do the chat. The chant. Am I [25:24] supposed to repeat after you or you [25:26] going to do it? [25:26] >> Yeah. So, it's called So, it's it's a [25:27] call and response. [25:28] >> Okay. [25:29] >> Okay. Are you ready? [25:31] >> Yeah. [25:32] >> I am beautiful. I am beautiful. [25:34] >> I am worthy. [25:35] >> I am worthy. [25:36] >> I am enough. [25:37] >> I am enough. [25:38] >> I am important. [25:39] >> I am important. [25:40] >> I am smart. [25:41] >> I am smart. [25:42] >> I am resilient. [25:43] >> I am resilient. [25:44] >> I am confident. [25:46] >> I am confident. [25:47] >> I am strong. [25:48] >> I am strong. [25:49] >> I am irreplaceable. [25:52] >> I am irreplaceable. [25:54] >> I am perfect just the way I am. [25:56] >> I am perfect just the way I am. So [25:59] that's what we do at the end of of each [26:01] group. And they actually do sing. [26:03] >> They do. [26:04] >> They sing. Yeah. [26:06] >> What you're doing is beautiful. Tiara, [26:08] thank you so much. The city of St. Paul [26:10] is working to rehabilitate, intervene, [26:12] and provide safer neighborhoods. If [26:14] you'd like to learn more about Shine and [26:17] to volunteer or donate, you can find [26:19] them at weshineto togetherall.org. [26:24] If you'd like to be more involved in [26:26] community government, assisting in [26:27] advisory and recommendations on policies [26:30] and proposed alternative public safety [26:32] projects, the Neighborhood Safety [26:34] Community Council is now accepting [26:35] applications through August. Please [26:37] visit us at stpaul.govs. [26:40] forward slashs.