We are traditionally accustomed to taking a moment around this time in the year to express thankfulness and gratefulness for what we have. People express this through a myriad of ways, including feasting or gathering with loved ones. But it is safe to say that this year is quite different. Being able to celebrate this time of year with loved ones may not be an option for many of us. I don't think anyone has experienced a Thanksgiving or holiday season quite like this one. I, for one, am simply grateful that I have made it this far into the year - a year which has forced me to take stock of those things that I still have that are important to me and keep me going. Our youth and families teach us this. Our young people, who are eagerly awaiting permanency within the foster care system, demonstrate resilience and endurance every day. They know too well what it feels like to experience setback after setback and find themselves still standing and moving forward with those things which are most important. 

We at BEST Kids have had to learn a little bit about that this year. From navigating a global pandemic, to racial injustices that directly affect our young people, to large funding cuts, we have definitely had our share of adversity this year. But even in the midst of it all, we find ourselves grateful for those things that are most important, especially our community of amazing mentors. We have seen our mentors continually step up and support whether that be learning how to video chat so they can keep up virtually with their mentee, asking the hard questions about race during our Solidarity Sessions this summer, or soliciting donations among their networks when BEST Kids expressed the urgent need for funding. We've had such a hard year but we are so grateful at the same time! 

I am so proud of our staff, our community, our partners, our supporters, and our youth for making Art of the Matter: The REMIX a huge success, in my opinion. For this to have been our organization’s first time ever having a virtual benefit concert, I must say it was a true pleasure to see everyone come together to make it happen. What I value most about the process and experience is the community partnership, community engagement, and community empowerment it took to bring what once was simply an idea into full fruition. It goes to show the impact that people coming together in support of a cause as important as empowering youth in foster care through one on one mentoring can make.  

To date we have raised $49,214.74 towards our goal, which speaks volumes when a pandemic and world challenges are currently happening. It is amazing what community can do when we come together. We had just over 13,000 views of the show that we are aware of, and that is only including the days the show actually aired. This does not include the views that have continued to happen since the completion of the show because it is still viewable on our website. Spreading awareness of our cause was one of our main goals and I believe we did indeed achieve that in a major way.

I can’t exclude the fact that being a part of the show and wearing multiple hats as co-host with KyleOnTheMic, performer as Dan’Talisha Nicole, and Development Director of BEST Kids was an absolute blast! It was hard work for sure, but was well worth it all. Ultimately, I must say I am well pleased with how everything turned out and just want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to every single person involved no matter what capacity. We could not have done this without YOU! 

And lastly, I just want to say that it is not too late to donate and continue to spread the word about the event and our cause here at BEST Kids. We work extremely hard to continue to support our youth efficiently and effectively to the best of our ability. Please feel free to encourage people to watch the show by visiting bestkids.org/live. 

Again, THANK YOU! ​

It has been one year since I joined the BEST Kids team and it has been an incredible journey ever since. I feel very fortunate to work with brilliant youth and committed mentors. Looking back on just this year, I am astounded at what we have gone through as a community. However, I am even more impressed by the collective effort in support of the BEST Kids mission. The global pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on countless lives and especially on the lives of our young people. Yet despite these difficulties, BEST Kids mentors have been unwavering in their commitment to our youth.  

During these uncertain times, it is more important than ever for our young people to have a mentor they can turn to. Many of our youth are facing an array of problems that have been compounded by COVID, including the deficiencies of distance learning, isolation from peers, and complications at home. No mentor can solve these issues, nor should they be expected to, but the consistent presence of a mentor has been an immense source of relief for our mentees. Our youth often feel more confident in their ability to deal with the numerous obstacles in their path when they have an adult friend walking with them. 

​Supporting mentors and mentees has reinforced my conviction in the transformative power of mentorship to bolster the human spirit. The BEST Kids community has confronted challenges of our time with courage, from extending additional assistance to families in response to COVID, to engaging in meaningful conversations about race. I have no doubt our community will continue to work confidently for our youth despite the troubles that may arise. And with ART of the Matter around the corner, we have a wonderful opportunity to invite our family, friends, and professional networks to share in the joy of mentoring youth in foster care. 

It is evident that we are living in a world that is ever changing. Our immediate response and attention is required in order for us to manage the change that so easily besets us. This week, BEST Kids staff participated in a team building exercise to discuss how we manage change during transition. Two of the quotes that were a part of our discussion were as follows:
 
“The only thing that is constant is change.” – Hereclitus (Greek Philosopher)
 
“Organizations don’t change, people do.” – Unknown
 
Think about that for a moment. Change is something that will happen. We can’t avoid it, and we certainly shouldn’t ignore it. With all that is going in our nation and globe to include the COVID pandemic, the revolutionary protests in support of Black lives, and the magnified attention on racial injustice in our country, we, the staff and leadership at BEST Kids, are taking the time and opportunity to be very reflective and introspective. We are taking an inward look at the way we do business, and to reassess the strategies and policies we have in place that directly impact and influence the lives of the youth that we serve.
 
We began to ask ourselves these questions:

• Who are we in the midst of change?
• Who do we want to be in the process of change
• How can we be the change we want to see?

 
Again, the quote says “organizations don’t change, people do.” Well, the people of BEST Kids extends beyond our staff and leadership. The people also include YOU, our supporters and stakeholders. How you show up during these times matters too. I’d like to challenge us all to be very reflective and introspective during these times; to ask ourselves the questions above; and to determine how we might actively be a part of the process of change in a way that continues to empower the youth that we serve and care about, and to help build each other up during these times.
 
I’ll end with this. Being a part of change does not always mean easy. It is often not void of pain. It requires strength, tenacity, and courage and most often comes with sacrifice. The upside is that we don’t have to go it alone. We are in this TOGETHER! As I encouraged our staff in our discussion earlier this week, I’ll do the same here - We should not just go through change, but we should GROW through it. I hope that you all will join us in this challenge. And my hope and my prayer for each of you is that you will be all the better because of your decision to be the change you want to see.