Community Archives - The Blue Heart Foundation

Why Blue Heart?

by April Ray | Community, Education, Mentoring

How The Blue Heart Foundation Helps

The Blue Heart Foundation provides our young men from disadvantaged backgrounds with academic support, financial assistance, and leadership training to become first-generation college students.

Founded in 2013 by Tracy Morris and wife April Ray Morris, The Blue Heart Foundation focuses on the character development and education of underserved youth ages 13-18 in the greater San Diego County community. Primarily serving Southeastern San Diego, East San Diego, and City Districts 3 and 4.

Almost 90% of our student families are of low to moderate income, making it even more critical to prepare them for higher education with academic excellence and character development. We’re proud to say that our programming has empowered young men to earn thousands of dollars in scholarships to universities.

Our Mission

“Building community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for underserved male youth.”

Our mission statement drives the character development, emotional wellness, education, and mentoring that our young men receive. We provide resources for academic excellence, volunteerism, and cultural development.

We strive to prepare, support, strengthen, and equip underserved male youth through a safe and secure path to higher education, emotional health, and personal development with a community-oriented approach.

As a part of our program, participants receive mentoring, personal, emotional, and professional development workshops online through our remote learning program and in person. We consistently provide mentoring, personal, and professional seminars, as well as college campus and team-building trips that assist in developing social skills. We strive to give students the tools to succeed and excel in today’s academic and social environment.

The Future of Blue Heart

The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop us from developing our mentees into the best future leaders. Through the pandemic, The Blue Heart Foundation continued operations by adjusting programming and providing abundant resources to support families and actively give their sons the support they need.

Today, we feel confident that we can overcome any hurdles—including the passing of Tracy Morris, the Founder and Executive Director of The Blue Heart Foundation.

Tracy’s Legacy

Tracy grew up in the Southeast San Diego area, born into an unstable, abusive, and broken home with his two brothers. That experience later made him yearn to be more, do more and help more students who may be stuck in a similar situation. Tracy’s dream was to make a difference for young black men who yearn to be great and don’t see a clear path to reach their dreams.

“I just wanted someone or somewhere that I could consistently go to, that I knew would be there for me” -Tracy Morris

For almost a decade, Tracy developed a unique combination of educational empowerment, team-building, volunteerism, and character development programming that created a life-changing impact in young men’s lives in the greater San Diego community.

The Blue Heart Foundation has supported and mentored 52 senior graduates with a 100% college acceptance rate. In 2021, the young men were awarded $10,500.00 in scholarships. Our members spend 100 hours per year in community service activities, accumulating over 50,000 volunteer hours.

Today, Blue Heart currently serve 57 enrolled members.

New Leadership

One of the few men that Tracy trusted and respected in the community, Mathew Gordon, has joined the Blue Heart family as the new President and CEO. He was a great friend and a brother to Tracy.

As a former at-risk youth who experienced challenges like poverty and homelessness, Mathew devotes his time volunteering and mentoring with non-profit organizations that cater to under-served youth.

Mathew brings a wealth of experience working in and for disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County. His experience includes serving in the Fourth Council District as a Community Advisor under the first Black Female ever elected to the San Diego City Council, Council President Myrtle Cole.

Keeping Tracy’s Dream Alive

While Tracy is genuinely irreplaceable, we feel confident our new CEO, Mathew Gordon along with the Blue Heart team’s ability to carry the torch. We know we must continue serving our community and moving forward with Tracy’s vision, even with his devastating transition.

We know that there are wonderful things to come in the future for the Blue Heart family.

Building Community Online

In the spirit of keeping Tracy’s dream alive, we’re excited to announce the Blue Heart Online Academy with an accompanying mobile App—one of the first of its kind—a private online community that provide mentorship opportunities and 24/7 access to Blue Heart therapists, Alumni, and parents in a safe and secure platform for our African American youth. With this technology, Blue Heart will be able to expand its reach significantly!

“Together We Rise!”

Driven by almost a million dollars’ worth of grants, workshops, and sponsorships available, our goal is to reach at least 40,000 black male youth in San Diego by 2027.

Make a Positive and Lasting Impact!

Join us in making a difference for black youth in our community. We will keep our doors open, carry out Tracy’s mission, and positively affect the lives of even more young men with your support.

Make a positive and lasting impact with a 100% secure donation.

Together We Rise!

At The Blue Heart Foundation, we believe in empowering African American boys by equipping them with more than just academic knowledge. Our mission is to nurture a strong, positive mindset, instill the value of higher education, and introduce the transformative wisdom of metaphysical principles. We are committed to helping these young leaders develop the confidence, critical thinking skills, and spiritual grounding they need to overcome obstacles, excel academically, and lead with purpose.

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

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Human Sex Trafficking: A Little Too Close To Home

by April Ray | Community

In our monthly Blue Heart workshop, Armand King, former pimp and present-day COO of Paving Great Futures, uncovers the realities of human sex trafficking. According to a recent estimate from the International Labor Organization and the Walk Free Foundation, there are 4.8 million people currently trapped in forced sexual exploitation globally. For context, that is almost the entire population of New Zealand and Ireland.

In the United States, it is estimated that almost 200,000 human trafficking incidents occur every year. Shockingly, California consistently has the highest human trafficking rates in the country. Armand King, former Pimp and now COO of Paving Great Futures, a nonprofit that is dedicated to increasing the health and wealth in underserved communities in order for marginalized and at risk individuals to thrive socially, economically, and politically, educated us on the realities of human sex trafficking in our own community in this month’s virtual enrichment workshop.

As someone who understands the brutality of the streets, King brings real world experience and knowledge of human sex trafficking to Paving Great Futures. Providing comprehensive work experience programs that transform misguided young people into productive and empowered community leaders capable of guiding relevant and lasting changes.

Dedicating his life to guiding others out of the prison pipeline, criminal activities, and human sex trafficking, he believes that it’s important to have open discussions in the communities that would benefit the most from this knowledge.

King openly shares his personal story and perspective of the pimping and prostitution subculture in San Diego to uncover the real impacts on communities of color and prevent people from getting into this illicit economy.

What is human sex trafficking?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Human trafficking can occur in any community, and victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality.

Typically, traffickers use violence or manipulation to lure victims into trafficking situations. There are many factors that keep human sex trafficking a hidden yet rampant crime, including language barriers and economic hardship.

As a result, there is a deeply rooted history of human sex trafficking in low-income communities, which is often made worse with the current criminalization of both the survivors and traffickers. However, for a long time, law enforcement turned a blind eye to this crime. King recalls that police officers even called him and his former colleagues by their “pimp names.” This is largely due to how the black pimp culture was established in society.

Human sex trafficking in the black community

In the 1970s, black pimps were not necessarily looked at as the bad guy. As depicted in Hollywood and blaxploitation films, pimps positively contributed to the community – giving money to kids, taking care of older community members, as well as sheltering, feeding and clothing young women.

But as the drug and gang epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s trickled down to San Diego from Los Angeles and the Bay Area, there was a major shift in the pimping game.

Lost, poorly-educated, and underserved populations devastated by the drug and gang epidemic often turned to pimping and prostitution as a way out of the poverty they grew up in. King describes this time as the “bling bling” era, when the focus was on getting money, having money, and spending money. Human sex trafficking became a falsely promising option for financial security and personal success in the streets.

Supporting underserved communities

Ultimately, the root of the human sex trafficking in the black community is the lack of resources, opportunities, and education to escape generational poverty. Too often, these dismal circumstances result in people staying in the game because they don’t know anything else or have access to other options.

To end sex trafficking completely, King believes that we must end poverty. As an economic-based crime, he believes that as long as there’s poverty, there will be sexual exploitation.

We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated local and global economies, and with this new, tremendous financial hardship on families, the risks of human sex trafficking has increased. In response, The Blue Heart Foundation remains relentlessly dedicated to the education and empowerment of under-served youth in San Diego.

During these unusual times, The Blue Heart Foundation is here to help parents and students alike. Our hearts and thoughts go out to each and every one of you as we continue to navigate these strange, challenging times. To learn more about the history and current realities of human sex trafficking, watch a replay below of our workshop with Armand King

Together We Rise!

Email
support@theblueheartfoundation.org

Location
San Diego CA 92154

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Boys of Summer with the Padres

by April Ray | Community

Summer with the Padres… this year we had the opportunity to attend five games with each opportunity being a huge success! As we partnered with the San Diego Padres Charity Ticket Program and are identified as a charity group to partner with the Padres we were sure to take full advantage and had 100% participation.

Some of our guys were featured twice during the game with live shots on FriarVision.. Xavier (HEART Member) stated ” I had a great time watching the Padres with the group; it was even cooler when we were on the big screen!!! and when asked his thoughts about being on Friarvision;Xavier exclaimed “That was a great experience, I never thought that would happen to me!”

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 games each ended with mixed results… Each one we attended was a victory for young men and their families and never diminished 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 the community relations dept and Padres Foundation for the opportunity. Christie Johnon (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.”

A Day and Q & A with Black Violin

by April | Community

The San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce and The Blue Heart Foundation took over 100 youth with chaperones and took a pic with Black Violins with a post performance Q&A… The Escondido Staff and Management made it a wonderful experience!

Wil B and Kev Marcus picked up the viola and violin in high school, where they first started playing together. They each went on to earn music degrees, separately, and linked back up after college to become Black Violin, a classical hip-hop duo. With live shows that include lights, a DJ and the musicians themselves encouraging the crowd to join them in their excitement for the music they create

We believe the importance of the Arts and Music are critical to our young men’s growth. It nurtures creative thought and helps children think outside the box. We had the opportunity to speak with both Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste after the show. The result for many was life changing.

Djarese Blevins would go on to say “I thought it was great how they (Black Violin) collaborated mixing hip hop and classical music” He would also say “it was overwhelmingly inspiring and how they didn’t buy into the sterotypes but used that to drive them towards where they are today; I would definitely see them again!”

Stepping at Kuumbafest

by April | Community

The Blue Heart Foundation’s Step Team participated in the 24th Annual Kuumbafest’s Black Movement Step & Dance Showcase. Coordinated by Shanna Cofield. Founded in 1993, Kuumba Fest began as an offshoot of the San Diego Urban Warriors’ gang diversion program. Founder Dajahn Blevins taught arts to at-risk youth as a means of social development, cultural enrichment and self-empowerment. The students presented a sold-out performance at the San Diego Repertory Theatre at the end of the program, and the feedback from the community was so strong, Kuumba Fest was born. Co-produced by the Rep and its African American Council, Kuumba Fest is the county’s longest-running celebration of African-derived culture and commerce.

The goal is to create an urban performing artist community advocating, teaching, demonstrating collective work and responsibility promoting, self-determination and discipline through creative edutainment artistic experiences and exploration. This community represents all of the performing arts and serves as an alternative means of intervention when traditional forms don’t work. We unite engineers for change, warriors against apathy and parasites on the communities in which we live.

Kuumba (Swahili for “creativity”) Fest brings together community leaders, local performers and celebrities for an annual audience that averages 5,000. From gospel to hip-hop and theater to dance, San Diego’s Kuumba Fest present a wide showcase of arts that celebrate Black American culture in all its variety. Kuumba Fest will offer a three-day festival that includes educational workshops, hip-hop dance and speech competitions, performances of plays, Late Night Live (San Diego’s version of Late Night at the Apollo), and as always, a gospel concert finale. An African Market Place featuring arts and crafts for sale by local vendors will also be presented in the lobby of the Lyceum Theatre at Horton Plaza Shopping Center.

Marching in the 37th Annual MLK Parade

by April | Community, Volunteerism

We joined thousands at the 37th Annual – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday, January 17, at 2:00 PM the Harbor Drive- Embarcadero. For one of the largest celebrations of its kind in the United States in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The parade is filled with dazzling floats, phenomenal High School Bands, Drill Teams, College, Fraternities, Churches, Peace and Youth organizations.

Spectators along Harbor Drive enjoyed a crisp, sunny afternoon by the water, cheering a long line of floats, high schools bands, civic groups and other participants in what is often referred to as one of the country’s largest celebrations in honor of King.

There were 96 entries in the parade this year, from elected officials such as state Sen.Toni Atkins and San Diego City Councilwoman Myrtle Cole to the San Diego Black Panthers to local enforcement agencies and unions. Also marching were school bands including UC San Diego and San Diego State University, as well as Morse High School and Clairemont High School.

This parade is coordinated by the Zeta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the oldest African American fraternity in America, founded in 1906 at Cornell University in Ithica, New York. Dr. King was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.