by April Ray | Career Development
The Blue Heart Foundation’s Workshop theme this months had two focuses:
1) Preparing for an Interview and
2) Careers in Government and Intern Opportunities.
We want to the Em Jackson from @c2csd for her very insightful and informational presentation which included role playing.
We also want to thank Mathew Arthur Gordon@mat2fresh and Stephanie Allen for spending their Saturday Morning educating and investing in our youth.
As High School students work towards independence and adulthood, they’ve come to understand that young people need to take several important steps: – Choose the right learning path; – Focus on educational opportunities
; – Keep abreast of the rapidly changing world as it affects their life and career. The Blue Heart Foundation believes that preparation for all three are critical towards instilling confidence as they enter the workforce as well as assists in making the right decisions.
Rehearsing job interviews results in better actual interviews. Practice cannot make perfect, but it is guaranteed to make better. The more interviews you do, the more adept you are at doing them. Go to your first interview with the poise that comes with having done five or six interviews by engaging a friend to becoming an interviewer to your applicant and stage a rehearsal
by April | Career Development, Education, Mentoring
Saturday Oct. 15th – The Blue Heart Foundation held it’s monthly workshop which focused on both personal and professional development. This month Taryell Simmons of Connect2Careers focused on Creating an Elevator Pitch – Elevator pitches are brief, rehearsed introductions that give potential employers a “highlight reel” of a person’s experiences and aspirations — answering the common “tell me about yourself” interview question. Participants learned to build a pitch that included their passions, goals and qualifications, then practice their pitch individually and in groups.
Our Professional Development portion focused on Real Estate, facilitated by Derrick Luckett, President of DESTINY-SIX-FINANCIAL. Mr. Luckett’s interactive workshop focused on credit health and keys to home ownership. He also provided a powerful overview on redlining and how it impacts communities and wealth redlining is the practice of denying services, either directly or through selectively raising prices, to residents of certain areas based on the racial or ethnic makeups of those areas.
While some of the most famous examples of redlining regard denying financial services such as banking or insurance, other services such as health care[ or even supermarkets, can be denied to residents (or in the case of businesses like the aforementioned supermarkets, simply moved impractically far away from such residents) to carry out redlining. The term “redlining” was coined in the late 1960s by John McKnight, a sociologist and community activist. It refers to the practice of marking a red line on a map to delineate the area where banks would not invest; later the term was applied to discrimination against a particular group of people (usually by race or sex) irrespective of geography.
During the heyday of redlining, the areas most frequently discriminated against were black inner city neighborhoods. For example, in Atlanta in the 1980s, a Pulitzer Prize-winning series of articles by investigative-reporter Bill Dedman showed that banks would often lend to lower-income whites but not to middle- or upper-income blacks. The use of blacklists is a related mechanism also used by redliners to keep track of groups, areas, and people that the discriminating party feels should be denied business or aid or other transactions. In the academic literature, redlining falls under the broader category of credit rationing.
Finally, we were treated as Jay King of Club Nouveau stopped through and present on entrepreneurship… Mr. King started his career over 30 years ago (King rewrote music business history when he manufactured, distributed, marketed & promoted the Multi-Million selling #1 R&B and Top Ten Pop hit ‘Rumors’ by the Timex Social Club on his Indi label Jay Records in 1986). He knows what kind of talent, infrastructure and support that is needed to create a successful brand as well as business.
Building real synergy and networking opportunities between local communities and businesses are critical to the success of ones business, sharing his expertise as a marketer, visionary and businessman who was one of the music industry’s first black executives. We were honored that he would stop by to mentor our young men and guests
by April | Career Development, Community, Personal Growth
On Saturday, June 13th we had the privilege to participate in the The Urban League San Diego County Young Professionals event “Brothas With Ties” The 2nd installment of “Brotha’s with Ties” hosted by the San Diego County Urban League Young Professionals is an engagement meant to teach, motivate and inspire the bright minds of young men in the City of San Diego. Ties will be donated to all participants and will learn how to properly tie a tie (and or bowtie). ULSDC Young Professionals want to extend leadership to provide development and a platform for a successful future. Brothas with Ties will include:
The “Brothas in Ties” program consisted of:
Interactive Workshops: Activity filled workshops on Social issues & other activities challenging students to think quick on their feet and learn from their peers.
Self Empowerment – By the end of the event, participants will have a better understanding of how to manage and succeed in the real world.
Mentorship – The event is packed with interactions with Young Professionals and Community Leaders alike who have experience in their respective fields. Participants will also have the opportunity learn about past their mentors past experiences or inquire about what to expect becoming a young professional.
Mathew Gordon stated “The work doesn’t stop here, lets keep it going because there’s more work to be done!”
ULSDC Young Professionals wanted to provide developmental platform for young men ensuring a successful future and also donated 0 matching ties to The Blue Heart Foundation’s Youth program.
Special guest speakers and adult supporters whom really showed they care about our young men kudos! It was amazing to see so many organizations get behind such a worthy cause. Participating organizations included but 
are not limited to:
Reality Changers
Urban League
Justice4SD33
National Society of Black Engineers
Freshly Faded Barbershop
Family Resource Center Inc.
Tiffany Harrison summed the entire event perfectly “This event was clearly not about the clothing, but building and developing the young man under the suit and tie. Look at all that Black Excellence! Shout out to Mathew Arthur Gordon,Patricia Gibson, Jordan Jerome Harrison, Rod Watson, Taryell Simmons,Darielle Blevins, Khea Pollard, Charles Anderson, Neavrae Gibson, Tracy Morris, and everyone else I may have missed that donated their time/snacks/and wisdom to make our 2nd Installment of Brothas w/Ties a success! who turned it all the way UP and ensured that our young men know their value and lineage. Again to everyone who donated ties, time, giveaways, and support…thank you. Thank you for being the change, and not just donating some change.”
by April | Career Development, Mentoring, Team Building
Saturday March 26, 2016 – On a clear morning 15 young men from the Blue Heart Foundation’s mentoring program had the opportunity to get a taste ot what it takes to be a fire cadet. On an event coordinated by Fire Captain Jason Shanley the young men would suit up and spend the day going through training activities such as using a Telpher Line(aka as a “zip line”) to repelling out of a three story window and put on Search and Rescue with fire gear, through a “maze” otherwise known as the confidence course.
After going over a safety procedures and protocols lead by the men the from the San Diego Fire Department and more specifically Brothers United ( African-American Firefighters). Capt. Shanley thought it was important to “show who these youngsters “how we get down” at the Fire Department” He would later say “It’s important to the Fire Department to open up opportunities and be more diverse. Through these exercises it is my expectation that the kids would arrive on time, and come ready to assist wherever they can. We will definitely have fun, and they should get a LOT of life lessons from each component of the stations (i.e. Teamwork, Confidence, and Trust)”.
The day was filled with excitement, fun and challenges as each young man took their turns repelling out of the three story building. You could see the anxiety and anxoiusnous on each young man’s face as the firefighters tied them up and they began to climb out of the window. Isaiah Coleman would say “Though, I may not want to be a firefighter this was a great experience.”
Later teams would switch roles from repelling to the confidence course; the confidence course requires 
firefighters to navigate through a maze of obstacles with a “Blacked out” helmet using only each other and a firehouse as guidance. Brandon Rosete would later say “ It was crazy and I was nervous going through the maze but I learned to trust my teammates. So, I knew I cold get through.”
All in all this was an amazing eperience for each young man to sample a taste of cadet training. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Cadet Program was organized in 1983 for young men and women, age 16 to 21, who are interested in learning about a career in Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical Services. This program is not intended to be a direct recruiter of future firefighters, but rather gives young men and women an inside look into the Fire and Emergency Medicine profession.
The purpose of the Fire Cadet program is to help young people make the decision of whether they want to pursue a career in Fire Suppression. The Cadets attend mandatory training classes and are encouraged to participate in a ride-along program. This program helps Cadets gain experience as they observe firefighters and assist the Department in a non-hazardous capacity. In addition to Fire Department-related responsibilities, Fire Cadets are also encouraged to take Fire Science classes, and go on outings and camping trips organized by the Cadet leaders.- See more at: https://www.sandiego.gov/fire/careers/cadetprogram#sthash.y8S7mwSs.dpuf
by April | Career Development, Community
Our November Workshop focused on Engineering & Technology
from 8 AM – Noon we covered the following:
Hour One – Workshop Kickoff – Check in strategy for better grades
Hour Three – Professional Development – Careers in Engineering and Entrepeunership
Dameon Bryant – Entrepreneur & Senior I phone Developer at GadLight –
Dameon Bryant has been a software developer for 14 years and 100% self taught. Among his accomplishments are the following:
– Developed navigation system for 2010-2012 General Motors vehicles
– Developed software to enable rapid movie production for the Avatar sequels
– Developed software to display fantasy stats on displays in all NFL stadiums
– Won 2nd place in San Diego Startup Weekend “Tech Innovations for the Fashion Industry”
Anthony Winston III Electrical Engineer (Business Owner) and Jason Witt – Community Affairs Engineer (Business Development) both discussed the drive and focus it takes to make it through college as well as life.
Hour Three – Social Skills/Educational Development – Q & A with Kendrick Dial on know in your voice and Personal Empowerment
Hour Four – Discussing core fundamentals such as SAT, ACT, and Essay Writing with some additional classes like FAFSA & Financial Aid and College Careers & Majors.
by April | Career Development
Our October Workshop focused on Personal Branding and Careers in Law Enforcement and from 8 AM – Noon we covered the following:
Hour One – Workshop Kickoff – Expectations and Filling out paperwork
Hour Two – Social Skills/Educational Development – Discussion on Personal Branding by Pastor Eddie Baltrip
– Importance of First Impressions
– How to Dress for Each Occasion
– Impact of Social Media
Hour Three – Professional Development – Careers in Law Enforcement and Federal Agent Opportunities
Officer Akaan Thomas & Lieutenant Steven Hutchinson from The San Diego Police Department stopped by to speak to the young men on career opportunities in law enforcement. They also talked about the current climate of what’s going on in the world and openly answered any and all questions asked. The officers also offered the opportunity to take the guys on a ride along to which many of the young men ecstatically accepted
Ehren Thompson also stopped by to discuss what it takes to become a Federal Agent. This a long checklist including a degree, detailed background check and long drawn out test. He emphasized that the job is not for the feint of heart and is very detail oriented.. After all you are responsible for the security of our Nation.
Hour Four – Discussing core fundamentals such as SAT, ACT, and Essay Writing with some additional classes like FAFSA & Financial Aid and College Careers & Majors.
1) Preparing for an Interview and 
; – Keep abreast of the rapidly changing world as it affects their life and career. The Blue Heart Foundation believes that preparation for all three are critical towards instilling confidence as they enter the workforce as well as assists in making the right decisions.
