by April | Community, Mentoring
On a beautiful Saturday morning we partnered with Outdoor Outreach for a two day Surf Camp trip. The next two days would open the mind and challenge the young men of HEART to come together and a team learn to thrive outside of their element. Both organizations utilize outside the box experiences to provide youth with the support, relationships, resources and opportunities they need to become successful adults. Two primary drivers facilitate positive transformation in the youth we both serve: 1) the opportunity for ongoing experiences that are safe, fun, positive and challenging, and 2) the relationships built and deepened within these organizations.
A.J. was initially reluctant and had to be encouraged to get out the car but as we took to the road all became excited, looking forward to an experience. From the start, excitement filled the air as the group arrived to their destination where sand and surf waited. Corwin was initially reluctant and had to be encouraged but once the safety and surf lesson was complete took to the water as if it was a natural experience. Alexezander normally quite reserved would later say “Man, I had a great time … Yeah I’d do it again” with huge smile.
After lunch the group packed up and prepared to head to San Clemente State Beach for the rest of the weekend. San Clemente State Beach is located at the south end of the city of San Clemente, California. The area around San Clemente is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish Colonial style architecture. The city slogan is “Spanish Village by the Sea.” Visitors are attracted to the San Clemente area for its intense winds and dramatic location.
The beautiful mile long beach stretches between the curling ocean surf and the foot of a steep bluff was the perfect setting to set up camp and spend time away from the inner city. First thing, first the young men set up camp, pitching four six person tents and getting their area prepared to spend the night. Once done it was off to the beach again… Now these waves were no joke. Xavier marveled saying “Wow… These are way bigger than the last beach!” as he grabbed his boogie board sprinting toward the crash waves. After a couple hours in the water it was time to head up for dinner.
The next morning we headed to San Clemente pier taking in the view of the Pacific Ocean and would walk back together enjoying the view, people and landscape. We ended the trip with more of the same sun, surfing and fun. Jason framed the time perfectly by saying “it was nice to get away and just chill with the bro’s…I definitely want to do it again.”
Through these experiences our guys garner a sense of achievement, which increases their confidence, self-esteem and resilience, and enables them to see new possibilities for their lives. Our youth form long-term mentor relationships through these types of experiences. When youth consistently show up and are supported, it allows them to break out of the negative cycles in their lives, like media perception, drugs, gangs, poverty, negative sterotypes and replace them with new positive cycles.
by April | Community, Mentoring, Team Building
August 18th, 2016 – Ending our summer with a Padres win was perfect!!! Attending our final Padres Game of the Summer against the Arizona Diamondbacks which was a huge success as we won 9-8. Once again partnering with the San Diego Padres Charity Ticket Program. Identified as a charity group to partner with the Padres we were sure to take full advantage and had 100% participation. We were featured multiple times during the game with live shots on FriarVision by sharing our pics on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #SDinHD.
Corwin Harris (HEART Parent) stated ” It’s great to see that the padres are giving back to community by providing tickets for programs like this! We had a great time watching the Padres with the group. Olijah exclaimed “It was a great experience, I never thought that would happen that I’d see us on the big screen… but when we did .. WOW!”
We partnered with the San Diego Padres Major League Baseball’s “Commissioner’s Community Initiative” and MLB Player’s Association “Players Give Back” to donate complimentary tickets to deserving non-profit organizations who serve children within the Padres focus of LIVE (children’s health), LEARN (education) PLAY (recreation), and SERVE (military and first responders).
Though the Padres lost to the San Francisco Giants, it did not diminish the excitement of the group, all had a fabulous time staying until the last out was recorded. We look forward to our next trip to Petco Park and have to thank Christina Papasedero and the community relations and Padres Foundation for the opportunity. Shani McGowan (Parent) framed the event perfectly when he said “All the kids had a great time last night, they just wish the Padres had gotten more hits… This was the first baseball game for many of them and I’d like to thank the Padres for the opportunity.”
by April | Community, Education
This Saturday we went on a day trip to Birch Aquarium and snorkeling afterwards. Outdoor Outreach provides comprehensive, year-round outdoor programming for youth in San Diego. By introducing participants to the outdoors through exciting and joy-filled activities, OO inspires underserved youth to see possibility and opportunity in their lives, and realize various positive attitude and behavioral changes that help them become successful adults.
Once we arrived to Birch Aquarium we immediately got to view the Hall of Fishes. Which has everything you might want to see – starfish, jelly fish, octopus, fish galore!, crabs, seahorses, turtles, etc., etc. The highlight is for sure the Kelp Forest, with 70,000 gallons in the tank and so many fish and sharks of all shapes and sizes, that you can sit on the stairs and be mesmerized!
Outside the back there was a petting tidal pool overlooking the ocean, the people at the touch pool were friendly and the guys saw the shallow pools containing fish, lobsters, sea urchins, sea anemone, sea cucumbers, sea stars and snails!
The sea urchins, sea stars, sea cucumbers and sea anemone were safe to touch! AJ said “It was really cool how the anemone and urchins grabbed onto my fingers!”
After a quick lunch at Mission Point park the guys put on gear and went snorkeling. In the shallow waters close to the Mission Bay shore, we saw a few Garibaldi, California’s bright orange state fish. Picked up a Black sea hare, also called sea slugs,which can grow up to two and a half feet long and will almost certainly adorn the sea floor wherever you’re snorkeling.
The snorkeling entire day was remarkable filled with fun and discovery. It’s just amazing to see the smiles on these young men’s faces as the are free to be themselves away from the constructs of the intercity. But more importantly they are not chained to technology, experiencing all the world has to offer.
by April | Education, Team Building
Saturday morning after a long week of activism and service the leadership of Blue Heart had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Man for a private tour of the exhibit “Race: Are We So Different?”
THE EXHIBIT asks the questions:
Is race the color of your skin? Is it the texture of your hair? The shape of your eyes? Is it in your genes?
Is race even real?
Race: Are We So Different? explains in clear, helpful language the origins of race and racism, and helps us understand how to deal with them in productive, enlightening ways.
Most of what we think about race is based on myth, folklore, or assumptions unsupported by genetics or biology. No one is free of misunderstandings about race, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Visit the museum of man for an eye-opening look at human nature and biology. You’ll leave transformed.
The Museum of Man is a place where dialogue, learning, and exchange forge understanding and personal connections. That’s why — after an initial temporary exhibition — “Race” was permanently installed this award-winning exhibit created by the American Anthropological Society and the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Race is a wonderful platform to engage schools and teachers, the general public, and other groups, in feeling, thinking, acting, and reflecting on race and identity, and to raise awareness, build community, and positively impact the ways in which we treat each other.
Afterwards we sat down to discuss the issues of race and found that so many eyes were opened to both historical and current facts that help piece together and shape today’s world. Jeremiah Daughtry pointed out that “It wasn’t until the Bacon Rebellion that people started seeing each other as races… Rich white people turned everyone against each other.”
by April | Community
We had the opportunity to volunteer and assist in the prevention of human trafficking by distributing tip cards during Comic Con. As we stepped out in our SuperHero Capes distributing information on how to recognize and respond to the warning signs of human trafficking and child sexual exploitation.
Today, we became superheroes to assist SAFE San Diego in spreading the word of #theUglyTruth. The ugly truth is that San Diego has a thriving underground sex economy. not just one part of the county but the entire San Diego County region.
“In San Diego (and) Tijuana it’s a major problem and we don’t want people to get numb to the fact it’s a major problem,” said Dr. Jamie Gates with the Point Loma Nazarene University. “There are about three to eight thousand survivors in a year and a good percentage of that is happening in the hotels,” said Gates. Local experts say hotels are the top location for sex trafficking with 70% of transactions utilizing social media.
“Until our community sees the damage done to women, girls and boys being forced to work in prostitution, they will lack the will to take on this threat to our children and end demand,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan, who heads the county’s Human Trafficking Advisory Council. “Media can play a critical role in creating this awareness, particularly in an era where TV, print, film and online representations of prostitution are often so glamorizing.”
Blue Heart Foundation Founder Tracy Morris believes it’s critical that young men understand how important it is that people understand the impact of sexual trafficking. ” The average age of entry into sex trafficking is 16 and at many times as young as 12 years old. These are our daughters, nieces and little sisters. If we don’t advocate on their behalf … Who will?”
On a beautiful Saturday morning we partnered with Outdoor Outreach for a two day Surf Camp trip. The next two days would open the mind and challenge the young men of HEART to come together and a team learn to thrive outside of their element. Both organizations utilize outside the box experiences to provide youth with the support, relationships, resources and opportunities they need to become successful adults. Two primary drivers facilitate positive transformation in the youth we both serve: 1) the opportunity for ongoing experiences that are safe, fun, positive and challenging, and 2) the relationships built and deepened within these organizations.
A.J. was initially reluctant and had to be encouraged to get out the car but as we took to the road all became excited, looking forward to an experience. From the start, excitement filled the air as the group arrived to their destination where sand and surf waited. Corwin was initially reluctant and had to be encouraged but once the safety and surf lesson was complete took to the water as if it was a natural experience. Alexezander normally quite reserved would later say “Man, I had a great time … Yeah I’d do it again” with huge smile.
After lunch the group packed up and prepared to head to San Clemente State Beach for the rest of the weekend. San Clemente State Beach is located at the south end of the city of San Clemente, California. The area around San Clemente is known for its ocean, hill, and mountain views, a pleasant climate and its Spanish Colonial style architecture. The city slogan is “Spanish Village by the Sea.” Visitors are attracted to the San Clemente area for its intense winds and dramatic location.
The beautiful mile long beach stretches between the curling ocean surf and the foot of a steep bluff was the perfect setting to set up camp and spend time away from the inner city. First thing, first the young men set up camp, pitching four six person tents and getting their area prepared to spend the night. Once done it was off to the beach again… Now these waves were no joke. Xavier marveled saying “Wow… These are way bigger than the last beach!” as he grabbed his boogie board sprinting toward the crash waves. After a couple hours in the water it was time to head up for dinner.
The next morning we headed to San Clemente pier taking in the view of the Pacific Ocean and would walk back together enjoying the view, people and landscape. We ended the trip with more of the same sun, surfing and fun. Jason framed the time perfectly by saying “it was nice to get away and just chill with the bro’s…I definitely want to do it again.”
