It's Where I Am with Zandra Polard

Kevin Krall 0:00
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Unknown Speaker 0:44
Good morning, good morning, Las Vegas. This is Zondra polearm hits where I am. Today we have community leaders, community organizations here to provide information and resources. Thank you for tuning in. I want to first welcome Manny Rodriguez. Manny works for help, which stands for many,

Unknown Speaker 1:11
what is Stanford help us Southern Nevada. Basically what we

Unknown Speaker 1:15
do is oh my god, I love your voice.

Unknown Speaker 1:19
Thank you. Thank you. What we do is to help both adults, families, individuals and youth become self sufficient through employment and numerous resources that we provide.

Unknown Speaker 1:31
Okay, well, I'm a little familiar with help. As I had to drop off an individual there once before in time, so I know you guys help youth, homeless youth,

Unknown Speaker 1:45
as well. Yes, ma'am. That's

Unknown Speaker 1:47
awesome. My friend Greg Ross is in the building. Thank you for being here. What's up, man?

Unknown Speaker 1:54
I'm good yourself,

Unknown Speaker 1:55
man. I'm great. I'm wearing my Aquarius sweatshirt, from a home girl, her show Quirinius. TV. And Manny. It's so interesting that I wear this sweater today. Because a lot of times the youth that are homeless are homeless because they've been banned from their families, right? Due to, you know, being transgender or gay. So can you tell us about the homeless population? I know majority of them usually are. Right.

Unknown Speaker 2:37
Right. So in that type of situation, you know, our homeless youth, we have a shelter there on site, Shannon West Homeless Youth Youth Center, where we do house, both male and female. Now we have a range from all walks of life. All backgrounds, we even have youth that are from other countries of origin that are coming here with employment authorization, or visas, and have no family, no type of family support. So, you know, the good thing, the beautiful thing about our organization and help us Southern Nevada is that we open the doors to everyone. We don't, you know, categorize anybody by their orientation, by religious beliefs. By you know, what their background is, everybody is welcomed, we basically are there to provide our resources, ensure that safety, of course, is important. So the shelter does provide all the necessary types of resources that they need, then, if they need clothing, clothing, toiletries, education, employment, that's where I would come in, okay, no, I do the outreach for the WIOA youth workforce program. So I get to also tend to our homeless youth, as well as our students, and offer these opportunities, these tools, these are resources that are provided through the community through HELP of Southern Nevada, that gives them the opportunity to become self sufficient again, you know,

Unknown Speaker 4:22
so it's not just helping the homeless. You also work with students from Clark County. Yes, ma'am. That is correct. Okay. So, Greg, I know you work with a lot of challenged, meaning bad. Kids. No, I'm kidding. But I know you work with a population of students that kind of have it rough sometimes. Right. So and I know you use the resources there to help. So tell us about working with these students and and how you provide resources such as help to

Unknown Speaker 4:57
them. Yeah, so I've been where Working with students for about 10 years now. So okay, it's been an amazing journey. It's been 10 years been about 10 years since we went to college together. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, I started out in the church with the youth ministry and worked my way through the Valley State College and nonprofits with fulfillment fun, went to go work without not, you know, Visa were bound, but Nevada college upper bound and did a couple of private ventures and came an interview for a job with a job for Nevada grads, which puts me in the classroom again, which is where I want to be okay. Yeah. So I get a chance to work with people like Manny, that offer, you know, different services for students on on certain campuses and the benefit and the beauty behind working with these organizations is I'm considered what what we call on campuses, wraparound services. Okay. And what that is, is just simply outside the great work that the counselors do, we come in and support their efforts. And we support students with just about everything related to assisting them get to where they are to where they need to be to be marketable as far as employment, understanding how to do interview skills, understand how to recognize their own worth and their value, and how to piece that together. And arcade tickets, articulate that in such a way that employers respond, hopefully with the interview. And hopefully with you know, an employment and the benefit of working with students at Canyon Springs, I work with majority our students are funneled from the 89031 area code. And you know, that's one of the roughest Erica's here in Southern Nevada. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. So any, any day I can go through a range of different issues with students and the benefit of having my classroom as a place for the for them to get food as a place for them to just unload and just feel safe? It allows them to be open. And building relationships helps me bring resources to them. Okay. You know, and I think that that is has been one of the best opportunities with this position that I hold now is that I get a chance to actually network with the community and bring as many resources as possible to my students and every less

Unknown Speaker 6:59
fortunate is it for your students that they have you do and then they can get to Mani Oh, yeah. At help. Yeah. So I also want to welcome Shawn, give me your last name shot. So Tori, Sean Tory, he works with UNLV upper bound here. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 7:17
that's, that's my nonprofit.

Unknown Speaker 7:19
Well, he does a couple of things. What do you do? Yeah, so

Unknown Speaker 7:22
my work for 10s. But my eight to five is with the City of Las Vegas. I'm a senior management analyst. So for the youth development and social initiatives department so what that means is I oversee the city of Las Vegas, My Brother's Keeper Alliance. I also oversee strong future youth employment. So it's like a wax like he, like man, he has so many you work with at a school and in school things right? That is correct. So yeah, so it's like a wax. So essentially, what a wax is. Okay, thank you hear what a wax. Thanks, Sean. I gotcha. It's a work experience for folks who who who are looking for looking to gain experience get So learn certain skills while getting paid at the same time. Now, some of the cool part about it is you're able to work with the city it's a little different, because will will place you for like eight to nine weeks at a department within the city of Las Vegas, right? I know what the WEX they'll place you at an actual business and they pay you it's just the same. So the city will pay you like $12 an hour I forgot how much it is for Wix. But we'll pay you to work there. And now if the employer wants to keep you, they'll hire you on officially that's often the goal for a Wix for for us. It's the same thing too. But at the city, you do your eight to nine weeks and then you're pretty much done unless you're with the business because we can't do you can't be with the business as well for the strong future youth employment. But we put them through a whole book a whole boot camp type deal where we put you through leadership workshops, professional development workshops as well. That's the second thing within the city the third is Deerfield strong future Enrichment Center that hasn't officially opened yet. But if everyone knows Lorenzi park right Oh, ya know the old senior center that's that's actually now Youth Center for you. So for middle school and high school youth that's a hub for them to come have a safe space. There's a computer lab there. There's a game room there there's a wellness room, their dance room and some other programs that are placed out in Deerfield. We're gonna be doing a grand opening a grand opening in March for that so that's that's coming but that's the eight to five and my win

Unknown Speaker 9:25
in March when in March because this is going to be here in March. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 9:29
Oh, this is Tony. I pray that this date then is because we just we just secured the day is gonna be March 25. Okay, but let's pray that's bought in.

Unknown Speaker 9:39
Okay. So then what if we want information about when it's going to open to have information?

Unknown Speaker 9:44
Yes, yes. Yes. So that information you can email me at story at Las Vegas nevada.gov

Unknown Speaker 9:52
That he pulled that off for us like story like you're telling the story. St. Horwath? Yes, ma'am.

Unknown Speaker 9:58
at Las Vegas and data.gov That's my email. You can you can look me up there, or you can email me sign up with me, email me. And that way I'll be able to actually Oh, yeah, it's official that it's actually happened in that day. So yeah, yes, ma'am. That's that. And then where I'm partnered with you and oh, he's upper bound is my nonprofit. Okay, good joules. Okay. kilojoules is an opera mentorship, that program that we started back in, oh, my God. 2015 16. And we've been working with black and brown youth to bridge that the school to prison pipeline. And we've been doing it ever since. And I was young when I was like, 2014. Yes. When 45 When I, when me and my best friend, one of my best friends, Nick Matthews, we created that program together. I think this is a question

Unknown Speaker 10:45
for Greg, do they still have work experience in high school? Or in your particular school, but just in high school in general?

Unknown Speaker 10:53
Yeah, absolutely. So students can definitely take advantage of different counselors, or currently, we got career counselors, scholarship counselors, you name it at the schools. And the benefit of that is you'll be able to actually go and apply for jobs and jobs are looking for students and they usually work with those particular counselors, and then does the GPA you have to be a certain not necessarily not okay. Resumes don't typically ask for the GPA. But when you're looking for leadership qualities and extracurricular activities, and just trying to find out whether or not students have kind of participated in more than just going to school, they do look for that leadership opportunities, making sure students are acclimated, you know, you just think about when you were in sports, you know, like dealing with conflict, I was a cheerleader. Okay, so you know about it, knowing how to communicate, all that stuff matters when you're in those extracurricular activity you get exposed to that so important is to find that as a plus.

Unknown Speaker 11:42
Okay, so the typical age to do all of this and 16 for all of these programs, whether you're in school, a wax, the wax wax, helped me out.

Unknown Speaker 11:54
Yeah, work experience, work experience. 16 to 24 for 1624. For us, it still stands to 24. So still the same. And this is the

Unknown Speaker 12:02
same for like Job Corps, right? Do you guys know don't know about Job Corps?

Unknown Speaker 12:06
The main thing I know about Job Corps that's in Reno, but I think the job were the main, most kids that night. And this is when I used to work for Nevada partner. So I know love about help. And we would when kids were like looking to drop out, just go straight to Job Corps, once they hit 16 you're able to go if your parents allowed, or if you were at the age where you could just go. I'll pass that to you, man. He's still the same. I haven't talked about Job Costing years. So it's still the same. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 12:36
So there's so many options out there, right? Yeah, man, what were you gonna say?

Unknown Speaker 12:40
So yeah, just to follow on is that, you know, the resources, you know, we I was fortunate enough to go and give an orientation with my supervisor, Miss Adriana Hooper, last week, to Mr. Ross's class. And, you know, one of the things is that, that ouch outreach that we do, you know, to inform that today's youth, you know, that, hey, there are so many resources resources out there, and getting your foot in the door into that work experience, is definitely a plus, it's going to help out because as you're approaching graduation, as you're approaching that age, you know, the responsibilities of bills have, you know, having to pay, you know, if your parents are gonna tell you, it's time to step out and go find your, you know, your own footing and make your life getting that job? You know, it's going to be hard for a lot of people. Yeah. So

Unknown Speaker 13:33
because my, my son rent is due in about a week

Unknown Speaker 13:37
or so. Absolutely. So yeah, you know, speaking to them and letting them know, hey, there are tools out there, there are people like me that are here to help you find those resources, fine tune your resume, if perhaps you don't have that experience, workshops that we provide help, you know, mock interviews, resume building, financial literacy, all those tools are very helpful in the end. So when they decide if they're going to continue their school, or go into a trade school, that's another option that we can offer. Sometimes, you know, they want to get into the medical field. And these courses, they can range from six months to 12 months. And it gives them the opportunity, you know, if they don't want to, if they want to take a break from going to college, or they don't want to continue on their education, but they want to specialize in a certain field H fac we work with a lot of academic Institute's as well, that provide these courses that help them you know, maybe spark that interest and then once they get certified, hey, you know what, I will go and continue my education or it gets them into that profession and then you know, in time so these are definitely beneficial resources that I think you know, our youth need to know about and

Unknown Speaker 14:55
but but I want to know, are they youth motivated? Do you feel I know that the youth are searching you guys out. Because I would say,

Unknown Speaker 15:04
I was just talking to a producer out there. And I said, you know, one of the shots on the 80s and 90s Student kid, you know, so for me, when I go give orientations to classes nowadays, you know, until a lot of my coworkers, it's almost shocking for me that I see, you know, the cell phone in hand in class. I remember back in my day, high school, it was the beeper, you know, and the teachers were like, put, you know, don't let me see those things out on, you know, on you. And now, it's, it's part of a student, you know, to have him right there with them, and how much they they rely on on the cell phone for everything, you know, social media information. So it is hard, because sometimes you're given these orientations. And they're looking down. So you're kind of thinking, do I really have their attention? And sometimes they will, you know, you'll ask them a question, and they'll respond, they'll reply back. And you, you know, it's a it's a different type of talent than I guess, I developed at my age. You know, for me, I had to, like, literally, the teacher had to make sure, are you looking at me? Are you paying attention, but now, you know. So it's a different era that we're living in. But it is interesting, it is interesting to see that our youth are developing into, you know, social butterflies, or whatever you want to call it. But you know, we have to insist in feeding them this information and providing these tools and resources.

Unknown Speaker 16:36
So you have to show up a lot of times at places like Greg's classroom, correct. Correct. And let the kids know about what's going on. Because they're not self seeking it right. Probably not really, right. And then we're given why you have something different to say, Okay, well,

Unknown Speaker 16:54
it has to be a mix depends. Okay. But I feel you know, don't get it twisted. Because I walk into spaces. And most of the time like today I'm wearing this but most times I don't. If

Unknown Speaker 17:06
we can't, no one can see you but yeah. Oh,

Unknown Speaker 17:10
sorry. I'm wearing a bowtie Okay, with some with some offers on all that right. But normally when it's clean,

Unknown Speaker 17:16
thank God. No, all y'all look good. Thank

Unknown Speaker 17:19
you. Appreciate you. I see the plays over there play I see you. Most of the time when I'm with us. I'm not dressed this way. Unless unless they know me already. Or they see me enough to be like on estimates. That's Shawn, but as Mr. Shawn or brother Shawn, that's what some of my busy my young kids call me. Main reason is because they already like soon as soon as they see this, unfortunately. And it'll st because we grew. We graduated around the same time. I think he wasn't here yet. Me. Yeah. But it's kind of like, Alright, you're not relatable. But as soon as they see me, they're like, oh, this cat with he's tatted up. He's this? Well, he I'm a professional. Like, don't don't let it Don't get it twisted. But I can I can walk into the room. And it's, it's nothing, but that's when they got there. Like for me, that's how I've been able to get their attention. Because at first, they're not trying to hear me. And so until we're in it or doing something, then some you have some who's like, oh, but let me go talk to you. Well, I'm

Unknown Speaker 18:13
a male as well. I mean, I have all men in here. You know, I think that tension might be a little different.

Unknown Speaker 18:19
I would say Yeah. Yeah. It's different. Depends, though.

Unknown Speaker 18:22
Like there's not too many of you guys. Not

Unknown Speaker 18:26
dependent depending on where you're at. Yeah, that's the that's the sad part. Because I'm not sure which witness do you identify? I gotta ask properly. You brown. So you're proud. So there's not many of us in these spaces, as you already know. And we're looking at anomaly like they look at us like, are you rare, or if you are one of them, they think we don't connect, and that's necessary apart. So that's why most of the time I just dress regular. I'm wearing some Jays. Vans,

Unknown Speaker 18:49
do you ever wear pajamas and crocs? Because that's what the kids are wearing.

Unknown Speaker 18:54
Now I wear some crocs for sure. But I'm not wearing. I'm not. I'm not doing why

Unknown Speaker 18:57
are these kids wearing Crocs and pajamas in school? Well, crocs are

Unknown Speaker 19:02
more comfortable. I will say it's comfort. I respect it, because it's like us.

Unknown Speaker 19:08
Do you think that the way that the workforce is, you know, moving? It's acceptable to be, you know, sobbing Manny shaking his head. No, go ahead. It's

Unknown Speaker 19:18
difficult to see it. I mean, because, you know, and you almost start saying, Oh, I sound like my my mom or my dad, you know, back in the day when they would say, you know, your posture how you school? Yeah, you know, your writing skills, things that nowadays almost seem irrelevant, or they're no longer existing. You know, I see that even with my my nephews. When I sometimes look over their homework, you know, that simple mistake, if they raise it and leave a smudge, it's okay. I grew up where you're not going to present this to your teachers right? This way. So redo it again. And that type of discipline is what You know, to this day reflects on my work. So when I see today's youth sometimes, you know, with certain dress attire or the way they speak, the way they express themselves, it goes far. Now granted, I understand that there are, we're living in a day and age where there's such a lot of influence by by social media, by, you know, what's out there. But you have to keep in mind that also, when you go and interview, sometimes we do have these, like I mentioned workshops, where we'll say, Okay, we'll send them via zoom. So they can do the link and we can do it on camera. And what's on them, hey, you know, dress, like you're going to an actual interview. So sometimes they will you see them on the screen, and you know, their hair is completely a mess, right? Look like they just woke up. You know? They're Hi, hygiene is part of it, too. So, all those little things,

Unknown Speaker 20:59
Greg is nodding his head. Yes, this 100% Absolutely. So my guy's a classroom stanking

Unknown Speaker 21:04
sometimes, sometimes. I've had to do it.

Unknown Speaker 21:10
So all those little things, I think, definitely. You know, it could be me nitpicking, on today's youth, like, you know, my parents did when I was going to school. But that's where I think, you know, people such as us, will help and are helping in keeping these youth in line and making them see the bigger picture that it is important to stay attentive to find that interest in the education

Unknown Speaker 21:40
now, Manny, where are you in the military? I've worked Yeah, I can tell which branch?

Unknown Speaker 21:43
US Air Force. Okay. All right. All right. I can tell.

Unknown Speaker 21:49
Cuz you guys know you guys can see but man, he's very polished as you can hear from his voice. Oh, yeah. very articulate.

Unknown Speaker 21:55
Thank you. Fine.

Unknown Speaker 21:59
Thank you. Well follows Air Force Two. Okay, great.

Unknown Speaker 22:02
Excellent show. miasm is a Marine. I love you, babe. All right, Greg. Once you got to tell me,

Unknown Speaker 22:09
Well, I want to say I want to add something to what Manny and Shawn was talking about, in reference to students think of it like this man, like our students, in order for them to become it they got to be hold that you can't see what you can't be what you've never seen, man. And why these kids don't believe that what we talking about is attainable. And it's not their fault. I mean, I have students in my classroom, most parents, they only get to two pairs, because half the time they're working. You know what I mean? They wear a uniform. So telling my students to dress for success day, like Mr. What do you mean dress for success? I got I gotta come in, like I'm going to church. Like if I say that? Yeah, that's it. Yeah, you got to come like a dress for church. And a lot of the students are like, I don't own that. And it's important to know that such as services, like what my program provides, and what managed program provides, we have a stipend with Burlington Coat Factory, where students can spend $125 to get those clothes are some nice slacks, nice blouse for the ladies shoes, belt everything. Sometimes we even have to go with them. So they know exactly what to choose and how to pick it out. So we stand behind the student monetarily. Oh, you know what I mean. And that's important. And I just wanted to throw that out there. So like, as we tried to give the kid as much knowledge as possible, but we stand behind it because you need dollars. In order to make it make sense for a lot of these students the math has to math. And that's important that students know that we stand behind them and when we just had a dress for success day, this past Monday, and all my students came prepared and ready to go because of the efforts that we had and they get a chance to see themselves and people compliment them. Now they start to feel a certain not necessarily confident confidence in the difference, you know what I mean? Like I can see myself be this now and it makes a huge difference just a tie, it's okay to wear a blazer. But teaching students how to properly tie a tie and they come in with that tie. I remember when I was in high school the basketball players all had to come in with with a tie for the game day. I don't know if they still do that. But that changes the atmosphere to any campus. So it's important that we start small and get these micro get these get these micro when I call micro success. Just little small things that really do make a big difference

Unknown Speaker 24:20
if I couldn't tell you to as you guys have their resources and other resources to the historic the historic west side which is also overseen by city of Las Vegas, they have a Career Closet for students for free party if they want to get suits Oh we got we got those donated titles or actually bought some more printing or donated but we have a lot of fresh new shoes socks actual blazers that are brand new man that's the thing is is the socks so yeah, they have that at the at the historic West Side school. Sorry, let me put that in stark West High School. The historic west side has been so

Unknown Speaker 24:52
if anyone wants to donate there, I mean, if you don't have much you can drop off some socks. Yeah, well

Unknown Speaker 24:58
actually trying to get one A lot of stuff we do that we tried to get rid of because folks come and use it, but I don't think people really know about it. So we're trying to get like, because the donations ain't the problem. We need people to come get it. Come take these clothes. So I'm letting y'all know that's a resource right there because some church clothes. When you said that, let's let's be clear, when it comes to church clothes, yes, church clothes, but we got to make sure to be clear on telling folks the difference on what it took, what type of different type of suits Yeah, I used to be a stylist too, when I was in undergrad trying to show so do not please, please, please never in your life. I'm gonna say this for the gentleman in the back. And the ladies in the front. Please do not wear a belt and suspenders at the same time. Okay, okay. It is 2023. That's, that's one, number one. Number two, do not come into interview with some tuxedo pants. They will laugh at you with their stripe on the side of your pants. Don't do it. That's number two. Number three. Please, please, please, please, please, please, please do not come in and interview with a shiny suit. That is not a suit. That is a tuxedo. Those are the three things I have to make. Here clear.

Unknown Speaker 26:13
Thank you for that. Wow, this has been a great conversation. I've had so much fun with you guys. By now. It is time to give everyone your resource information.

Unknown Speaker 26:27
All right. So I work for jobs for Nevada grants were private. Well, excuse me. We're a nonprofit company. And you can reach me on my instagram at Greg Ross Jr. They

Unknown Speaker 26:37
can write they can reach you personally. That's my business. Oh, yeah,

Unknown Speaker 26:41
it's incorporated. So Greg Ross, Jr. underscore, and nothing personal. It's all it's all business there. So on Instagram, on Instagram, every other

Unknown Speaker 26:51
one to man Greg has been in my family for some years now. Oh, yeah. He's helped to mentor, three out of four of my kids. And he's been just wonderful. And so I'm really delighted that you finally came in. Okay, bless. Thank you. Manny.

Unknown Speaker 27:09
Thank you Sondra. So, if anybody wants to get a hold of me, my email address Manny Rodriguez spelled ma nn YRODRIG. You easy at help SONV dot o RG and my contact number is 702-885-5933. And I just want to say you know and I encourage that since I am working with the youth have your parents also involved because it is good that they also understand these programs and what it is exactly that we are offering. So if they have any other further questions as far as enrollment, what are the requirements, they can also look into help Southern nevada.org and find all the information that they need. And

Unknown Speaker 28:04
I see here I see here you have free education and training. Free gas card and bus passes. That's a big one and free clothing and assistance. I need some gas to the bears get gas if we bring our kids we can find some

Unknown Speaker 28:20
I shot I'll be quick with it. So if you want to get the check out our website for the city of Las Vegas. The city of Las Vegas is Las Vegas. nevada.gov for kinky Joe's one nonprofit is King of jewels.org. If y'all want to reach me on Instagram, I don't care. So it's B T H E period. SHAN Sen. Period Tory try. And my cell is 702-752-9401 your cell phone number. Oh, that's the work. So you want to get into personal Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 28:54
Well, hey, I want to thank everyone out there for tuning in. You know me Zondra polearm you can always find me at it's where I am.com If you're trying to find any of these gentlemen, don't call me. Go to my website and send me a message and I'll contact you if you need the help. Okay. It's where I am is every Saturday at 7:30am and we'll see you next week. Thank you. Bye

Unknown Speaker 29:23
bye

Transcribed by https://otter.ai