I need to start with some rather boring "Business" before I get to the heart of this blog. So please, bare with me, stay engaged and just open your mind and your heart. I did today and I can't help but think it changed me a bit.I've recently become a member of JCI (Junior Chamber International), because of what JCI is and stands for, when I was asked to consider the role of a Director on the board, I quickly jumped at the opportunity. My official title: Director of Community Development. I've just started in this role and have been making appointments with organizations I think could use JCI's support, organizations that in ways, share similar visions and goals as JCI, organizations that are working HARD to make a difference in our community.
My first appointment was with iHuman. Have you heard of iHuman? Did you know they are located in downtown Edmonton? Right in the thick of the inner city? Did you know that over 500 at risk youth are registered in their program. These youth range in age from 12-24. Did you know that they are often the ONLY agency that will assist these at risk youth once all the other agencies have given up? Did you know iHuman is completely unique to Edmonton?
I didn't. In fact a little over a month ago was the first time I had even heard the name iHuman. It was brought up in a meeting I attended where several charities were up for consideration for a fundraising initiative. Unfortunately, iHuman wasn't selected but my interest in the organization was peaked.
Here is some great info on iHuman:
"iHuman" - Our name comes from an Inuit term identifying the symbiotic relationship of the individual within the collective community; 'one for all and all for one'.
The iHuman Youth Society is a registered non-profit, charitable organization founded by two local Edmonton artists in 1997. Stemming from a millennium art exhibit and project known as "the gun sculpture" (which you can see at the Prince of Wales Armoury), high risk youth became interested in art and with guidance from our founders, began working on their own exhibit on anti violence called "red tear". Both exhibits were displayed concurrently at the Alberta Gallery of Art. Following the completion of the exhibits the youth petitioned to continue to express their voices through art, thus the iHuman Youth Society was established.
The mandate of iHuman is to engage Edmonton's high risk and at risk youth in arts that lead to positive social change. They are a youth-driven agency that develops programs solely for youth, responding to their changing needs and using art as a positive engagement tool. They promote the re-integration of the youth into the community through arts mentorship, crisis intervention and targeted programming. iHuman serves 500 youth in the city of Edmonton between the ages of 12-24, with the majority being between 15-21.
500 youth!
500!
So going to iHuman today, I learned from the website prior that they worked with at risk youth, that they offered programs in art and that they were making positive changes, mentoring these kids into leaders.
Leaders that may one day be your boss, your co-worker, your friend.
What I didn't know is how that visit today was going to effect me. After all, it was just a meeting. iHuman is working on building leaders through mentorship programs, JCI is all about leadership and mentoring. So it seemed like it could be a good fit.
I had contacted Catherine, the Executive Director to arrange a meeting. She was quick to respond to my email and we quickly set up a meeting where I could come down and actually see what they did. I had no idea.
They are located on 96 Street and 101 Avenue. She suggested I park a block away where I wouldn't have to pay for parking.
As I got close to their location, I quickly spotted the building. You can't miss the art work hanging on all sides of the building. It looks like large frames of graffiti and it's bright, colorful and it's moving.
She wasn't kidding, parking was a block away and for a few moments, I reconsidered this option. I was downtown, in the inner city. Not really a safe place for me to be. Was this really a smart decision? I parked and I put my big girl panties on and I walked the block through the neighbourhood you wouldn't EVER catch me walking alone in, alone.
When I arrived at iHuman, I quickly noticed all the paint, art supplies and the "artsy" feel to thefront studio. Far from fancy, shiny or sparkling. This building is old, used and well worn. I'm sure the walls have stories we could only ever imagine.
As soon as I opened the door, a lady greeted me and I must have looked like a fish out of water. Catherine was warm, friendly and welcoming. Very quickly, any reservation I had was out the window.
She gave me a little tour. Upstairs was her office, next to it, a room that looked like a board room but a room that most likely serves several purposes, and a kids room for their mom's group, full of kids toys and books.
That's right. Let the circle be unbroken. Many of these kids are having kids. So they have a mom group that was meeting at 5. Professional childcare is provided for the wee ones while the mom's can work on their studies, art or programming. The main level housed their art studio and fashion room as well as a kitchen that is serviced by the Edmonton Food Bank.
How do you describe a place like this without seeing it. My heart was heavy, but the inspiration flowing in there was incredible. The energy should have been heavy and sad. It was the exact opposite.
After my meeting with Catherine, my brain was flying with ideas on how we could help them and get involved. As we walked out of her office, we walked right past a bunch of the moms and their little ones. Little ones being brought into the very life that iHuman is fighting to get their mom's and dad's out of.
And then it hit me. THESE ARE KIDS! They were born to this world, some of them under horrid circumstances. Some never got a fighting chance from day one. And here they were. Fighting. Trying. Living. Creating.
And these kids, are in MY BACKYARD. They are the kids I was scared of when I was walking from my car. They are the kids I'm scared of when you see them walking in groups. But here's the thing. They are kids.
Kids who haven't been given a chance, many from day one. Kids who struggle with addiction, homelessness, and mental illness. Kids who were born to FAS because their mom couldn't see past the bottle long enough to put it down and keep their BABIES healthy. Kids who have gone through life alone, who have had to fight and who have had to find a way to survive.
Kids who have been lost in the system, who have been turned away from other agencies and organizations. Who have had more doors slammed in their faces than you and I ever will.
Kids who are BEYOND talented, resilient and strong. Kids who have reached out to iHuman because they want change. Because they dream of something better, something bigger. Kids who want to break the cycle.
And these kids folks, they are HERE in Edmonton. 500 of them!!! and Catherine tells me that many of the kids they take in, come to them because the other organizations have slammed their doors on these kids. They are just "too much" to handle.
For iHuman, there isn't a "too much". Everyone is welcome. Everyone is part of a family. You see many don't have a mom, dad or real sisters and brothers. But on the street, they build families like you and I build "families" with our friends and networks.
At iHuman, they celebrate one day clean, the success of qualifying for AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped), they celebrate small steps, they work with these kids during incredible unimaginable crisis's, they go to court with them, counsel them, feed them, nurture them, support them, celebrate their individuality, their talents. And they work hard.
My mind was spinning. They have many amazing success stories, youth who have completed the iHuman program and have gone on to be amazing successful professionals, labourers, entrepreneurs. iHuman is an organization in Edmonton working hard to create positive change. Working hard to mentor future leaders, future fully contributing members of society. THEY my friends, are making a difference. One human at a time.
I was inspired. I was moved. I left iHuman with a million ideas rolling through my head of how JCI might be able to help. How I might be able to help.
These people may not be from my walk of life, we don't have the same experiences and we haven't been given the same luxuries but they are my peers. And they are here. In my backyard. In my hometown. 500! I just can't get over how unacceptable that number is to me. One is too many. 500 youths in SERIOUS need of help? Unacceptable. And consider this: iHuman is ONE of a handful of agencies that support youth at risk. 500 are registered at iHuman, I can't help but wonder what the actual stat is for Edmonton at risk youth. What I do know. It's TOO MANY!
So as I was walking out, full of hope and inspiration, Catherine introduced me to Jaime. She warned me. She told me this guy oozed charisma. He was one of their success stories and he was going places. You could see the excitement in her as she spoke about him. And then I met him.Our meeting was no more than 2 minutes, 3 maybe at most. Jaime, I am quite certain is a person I will never forget meeting. I was told he was a success story. Now a graduate and mentor to the iHuman program, helping the youth coming up behind him, change their lives like he has.
He stood up, shook my hand and was as genuine as they get. I told him a little bit about JCI and how I thought our leadership and mentoring initiatives was potentially a great fit with iHuman and he quickly told me about an initiative he is working on. He is planning a cycling across Canada trip from Victoria to Newfoundland and gave me one of his flyers. Jaime needs sponsors. But more than that, his plan is to spread awareness. To speak to communities about addiction, the cycle and how he himself broke that cycle. And as he says, "There is life outside of this vicious cycle".
I had asked Catherine to come speak briefly at our next JCI event to let us all in on the great things iHuman does and how we could help and she asked if Jaime could come. He lit up. Said he LOVED networking. Was totally interested in coming to visit us.
I took 2 of his flyers and promised I would share them. Jaime has been clean and sober for 3 years this past January. He has spent time in Jail. Today? Jaime got a reference letter from the Solicitor General for a talk he did.
Jaime is an inspiration. If I had met him at a JCI event, or even on the street, I would have chatted with him in a heart beat.
Yet, his peers, those he's mentoring now, I feared on my walk to iHuman.
We are a society that forgets the forgotten. THAT, my friends, has to change. I'm going to join their team somehow and try to help. I don't yet know how, but these youth like our privileged youth are our NEXT Leaders. They are our future. So, whether you live in a 3 storey mansion or the inside of a box, the thing is this: YOU MATTER, THEY MATTER.
And 500 is simply too many.
The several pieces of artwork on this blog article were done by iHuman youths. Incredible talent! Interested in learning more about iHuman and how you can help?
www.ihuman.org
Interested in learning about Jaime's story and his "Riding 4 Mentors, Cycling 4 Change" initiative, please visit his blog: http://riding4mentors.blogspot.com/2012/02/introduction.html
This was my first stop in my new role. Next stop(s), Operation Friendship Seniors Society, The Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, Junior Achievement; the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (YESS) among several others.
If you're interested in what JCI is all about, check us out here: www.jciedmonton.com
I end this blog with a quote from Jaime:
"Hope is a small seed, yet Hope can make a world of difference. I aim to make that difference in the world."
"Hope is a small seed, yet Hope can make a world of difference. I aim to make that difference in the world."
