Published Wednesday, April 26, 2023                

Music provided by the Free Music Archive: "Cold Beat" by Serge Quadrado

Listen to this special audio presentation through the player above or read the transcription of the interview below.

Allie, Y.O.U. Communications: Hi, my name is Allie. I handle communications and marketing at Y.O.U., and I'm so excited to share with you this very special edition of our Y.O.U. Stories series. Y.O.U. Stories can be any story that highlights an engaging experience that an individual had in a Y.O.U. program. This can include program participants, alumni, volunteers, or staff, anyone in between.

Y.O.U. believes that we are an essential part of the workforce ecosystem in Northeast Ohio, so we wanted to create a platform to be able to share these incredible stories with our community. Today, I got to speak with Nezerae. She's a summer jobs alumni who was immediately promoted by her program facilitator at her summer job site, the Cleveland Police Foundation. I got to catch up with Nezerae about everything from her first summer job with Y. O. U., to her current leadership position with the new Cleveland Freedom Project. We also got to discuss what it was like to have her mentor and supervisor, Angela Bennett, believe in her and continue to promote her through multiple positions. And last but not least, ultimately, what it felt like for Nezerae to now become the caring adult making a difference in a young person's life after so many caring adults had done that for her.

Allie: Your name is Nezerae, right?

Nezerae, Y.O.U. Alumni: Yeah.

Allie: And, and Nezerae. How old are you now?

Nezerae: 19

Allie: Awesome. And you're in college?

Nezerae: Yes.

Allie: Where do you go?

Nezerae: I was attending Kent State University my first semester, but now I'm attending Tri-C so I can be close to home.

Allie: So were you in the summer jobs program? Right?

Nezerae: Yes.

Allie: Were you at the Cleveland Police Foundation?

Nezerae: Yes. So it all transpired my eighth grade year. I don't know how it happened. I got in trouble. I got sent to the office in my eighth grade. And this person told me, "Why don't you sign up for Y.O.U.?"

I had never heard about Y.O.U. And I was like, "Sure."

"It's a paid summer program."

So I'm signed up. And next thing you know, once I went through the orientation and all of that, then I saw where I got placed. And that was my first year in it. So everyone was excited for like the end of the orientation to see where you're going to get placed. Some people said daycare some people said this, that and that. And mine said, the Cleveland Police Foundation. I was like, "Huh?"

I was confused. I was like, well, it's okay. And I have started the program last summer. And I was so shy. It was like a group of 50 - 60 kids. And I was just like, there's no way a kid like me can go through this. There's no way. So I stay for a week. I'm like, okay, okay. So then that's when our groups were separated, and I started feeling more comfortable from who I was around. My boss made me feel more comfortable. That's Mrs. Angela Bennett. And I was like, okay, maybe I can get through this. Maybe I can.

We went on a college trip. We did a lot. And I was just so surprised how we got paid to learn and experience new things. I was just like, you know what, I liked it. I liked this. I was just like, I'm coming back next year. I'm coming back. And as you know, I came back the following year, the same thing happened. And my boss pulled me to the side. She was just like, "Next year, I have something big for you." And I was just like, okay, okay, blah, blah. Not paying it no mind. I'm a high schooler. I really don't care. And then the following year, which was, I believe, my sophomore year, myself after I finished off my year that summer, Covid summer. She picked me up, and she was just like—a day before the program starts—she was like, "You're a team leader."

I said, "Huh?"

Because the team leader is a person who leads a group of kids. And I'm like, "Mrs. Bennett, all these kids are my age. How they gonna listen to me?"

She said, "Nezerae, you got it. You got to just believe yourself. You got it."

So I did it. It was a good experience, a fun experience. Because I'm very petite, very short. I have a baby face. So I'm just like, there's no way. And my junior year after I finished junior year that summer, I got told that I was a program assistant. So I was like, Oh, shoot, I have to start taking this like more and more serious. I was like, they have to see something in me that I don't see in myself because I'm like, you keep bringing me up to this level. And I'm just like, "Are you sure?" And everyone's like, "I'm so happy your program assistant!"

So that year happened. And when I say I handled that year like a boss, I shocked myself!

I was like, "Are you serious? I just literally led a group of 30 kids on my own!"

[Mrs. Bennett] was there, but she was behind the scenes. She did all the paperwork this and that. But I was the one leading them every day through their challenges and their field trips, and all of that, and I was just surprising myself.

So last year after my senior year, I was program assistant again. But this time, there was someone over me: the program manager. So I was like, I wasn't used to that. I'm like, "Oh, they probably gonna downgrade me."

But the summer worked out well. And when we got to the end of the program ,and I was walking in, Mrs. Angela out. And then she turned around, and she told me she was like, "Oh, I'm going to tell you, you'll be running the program next year. The girl that was over you, Miss Mary Ann Cat, they told me that you're fit enough to run the program."

And I was just so shocked. I was all over the place. So not only was I the youngest team leader, the youngest program assistant, I'm now running the program at 19 years old? I was so shocked. And then Mrs. Bennett called me and she was like, "We cut from the Cleveland Police Foundation, and now we're the Cleveland Freedom Project."

And I was just like, Whoa okay, we got our own program. And I was like, well, "How's it gonna run? Is it going to run the same?"

She said, "Well, it's always gonna be a little different. Except this time you're a president."

They just keep shocking me. President! I said, "what do you mean?"

She said she wanted it to be youth led. So I said, "Okay."

And then we have an advisory council over us, which is her and two more people that's been through the program but know how to oversee it too. But yeah, I'm now running the whole program. And now this is the year I finally get to see the behind the scenes work of Y.O.U. and what it takes. And all the things, Oh lord! So much, but I'm so proud of myself. And I'm the type of person that I try to stay humble. I don't like to brag about it. But like, it's still mind blowing to this day, how far I've come in six years. Yeah. That's kind of how it went.

Allie: I do all the media, and I think it was two years ago, I went to the Cleveland Police Foundation for the final presentations.

Nezerae: Oh, the capstones?

Allie: Yeah. The trifold boards.

Nezerae: Right.

Allie: And so I'm wondering if I have footage of you. Like you were probably there.

Nezerae: I was most likely there. I think you're talking about, I had a green blazer on and all black, and I was running around telling the kids, "You got this. You got this. You got this!"

Allie: I feel like you're in our commercial.

Nezerae: I am in the commercial!

Allie: You have a big smile on your face. Cool.

Nezerae: Yep, that's me.

Allie: Awesome. I remember I was so impressed. I walked out of there. The energy of the youth! Everyone was so happy and silly.

Nezerae: Yeah. Like they were drowning at first, it was like a project. "We gotta do this. We got to do this?"

And then once we get towards the end, and they see everyone's capstone and how they compete. I'm like, "Listen, y'all. Y'all better want to go to the top. It's a money prize!"

And that's what everybody got ready. "We're going to beat y'all."

Yeah, it definitely shifts. It definitely shifts.

Allie: Where did that energy come from? Because you're part of leadership. There was something that you instilled in the participants that helped them make that shift.

Nezerae: Well, I mean, I just try to take it back to when I was in that place because I did not want to do a presentation. I was scared. I was camera shy and all of that. I just tried to help them throughout the weeks. Just let them know like, "I'm right by your side. If you need anything, you're never alone. I just I want y'all to understand that."

I'd go from table to table, helping everybody out and the day before capstones, I talked to my girls, and then I've talked to the boys. I told the girls, I"it's okay to feel overwhelmed. If you need a break, just call me, just sit down."

And I always give them that pep talk, which I definitely can't re-say right now, but when the time comes, it just comes out. I'd be ready to give it to them. The same thing with the boys. And the boys are emotional. They don't want to admit that but I'm just like yo, I got this. And then the date, when you see all of them dressed up and they're anxious, but they're ready. We put them all in one circle. And then we go around, we call it our village meeting. So we sit in a circle, and we go around: "what you had before today, what could you do better?"

We go around all in a circle, then that is when I give my last pep talk. And I'm just like, "remember, y'all got this."

Allie: Awesome. So tell me, I mean. I know you don't fully know yet, because it hasn't happened, but Cleveland Freedom Project: what's that gonna look like? What is that? What is the project?

Nezerae: So the Cleveland Freedom Project is basically what we did the year before, but much bigger and brighter. This year, we're focusing on social justice, through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, like STEM. And I just know what's gonna be a 7-week program where we're going to focus on college and career readiness, through our high schoolers from the Greater Cleveland area. And basically, the program is going to enable you to like co-build creative solutions that like affect social equality, and the communities through technology infused project based learning, you know? And we will be working at Case Western Reserve Thinkbox, I believe. I have yet to check it out. But I need to.

So we're going to be working through there. So they'll be able to bring out entrepreneurship, because they will be making shirts. Once we put them in our group, they have their own team design, team name. They'll be making buttons and then at the end, everyone is going to make a quilt, like a quilt piece for themself. And we're gonna stitch it all together at the end. So it was one big quilt. So it'd be like a 40 piece pallet. We're just trying to take it to a bigger space, because this year, we do plan on going on a trip for them to see Alabama State. Opportunities they might not get while they're in school, but they can get in the summer.

Allie: Something that's really important to Y.O.U. You know, our story is that w e provide the caring adult, a lot of time. We provide the job, but it's, you know, more than that. And now you've become that caring adult.

Nezerae: Right.

Allie: But before I ask you about that, I heard you say that before you started Y.O.U. in eighth grade. You got in trouble. And that's when someone brought up to you, "why don't you try this program?"

This is really important to us, because part of our mission, part of what we share is that, we believe in eighth grade Nazare. You know, we believe in all these youth. Who, like you, had every capacity to succeed, but you didn't have the resources to get there. And all we did was provide you some steps, and then you were able to do all of these things on your own.

Nezerae: Right.

Allie: Can you tell me like what you would do if you were the caring adult? And you were talking to eighth grade Nezerae? Because you're doing that now already. Tell me about that.

Nezerae: Well in that situation, I got in trouble with a teacher. I'm a very out-spoken person. So I feel like something's wrong, I want to say something, you know. And when I was sent to the office, the woman that referred me to Y.O.U. was a person I knew personally, but I hadn't seen in years. So when I saw her, I was pretty excited. And then she was like, " Nezerae, I know you're not getting in trouble."

That little mama speech. And then she was just like, "you should try Y.O.U. You have something to do in the summer.?"

"No."

And then she said, "Well, yeah, sign up right now."

She watched me sign up and do the whole process. And then she said, "I'll catch up with you later." and she left.

I always look back at that as a second chance. And I take that with me. It's always people, kids, they don't have the support we give at home and we never know that. You never know what a person is going through just because they have a smile on their face or this and that. Sometimes it reflects in the way they act, the way they move. I remember that very bright and clearly because growing up, I didn't have my mom or dad, I was raised by my grandma. So of course, my actions reflect that, used to reflect off of that. But I just know that kids go through a lot mentally. And most parents are not very supportive or look out for it. So during the summer, I just try to analyze everyone's first impression, how they move, this and that. And I have my side talks, but I just don't think of giving up.

I always use this quote, which is, "growth is the outcome." Because like, even in the 6-week program, I tell them, when they first come in, "you're going to be a new person, by the end of the summer, even if you grow one inch. Growth is the outcome. That's all that matters."

So that's how I take that, ever since I learned that lesson out of eighth grade. When I was going through a tough time, I had a caring adult take me in their hands and invest in me. And now, six years later, I am that caring adult investing in kids that was my age or around my age. That makes me feel proud. It makes me feel really proud, because just knowing I can make a change through a kid's life. It's just very heartwarming. Because I know the way I speak to kids and the way I go about training kids through the six week program is very different from an adult way. Because not only was I in that position, I know how I want to be talked to in that position. I know how to give to kids in another way that adults can't get to, maybe because I'm in between that area of adulthood. And when I was a child, but it makes me feel really proud and makes me want to keep going actually. I just think I can see myself in a much further place, if I help one kid I know I can help more.

Allie: So what are you studying at Tri-C or what do you want to do next?

Nezerae: I really want to be a journalist. I really do. That's why you keep hearing my voice. But I really want to be a journalist. My main goal is to be a sports reporter, hopefully. I really love basketball. I love watching basketball. Everything about sports, not all sports, but sports. I just love talking, basically. And I love writing, my two favorite things to do.

Allie: Thank you so much for listening to today's extra special Y.O.U. Stories episode. To get more information about Youth Opportunities Unlimited or to sign up for one of our programs, you can find us at www.youcle.org.