The cause: Shutting down the school-to-prison pipeline

The project: Urban Dove Student Exchange​

My role: Program Director

 

I directed a cultural exchange program between New York City teens and those living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. We used basketball as the hitch and common link between these two underserved communities and ran a 2-week program hosted by each community. The two groups of kids come from communities that are marginalized, and they learned from each other through sharing personal stories, interacting with community leaders, and exchanging in dialogue how much they had in common. Some of the friendships they forged on this trip have lasted years and my own personal experience left me inspired and humbled to be able to share and witness their connections. I thank the leadership at the Urban Dove in New York city for allowing me this amazing opportunity.