Youth Mentoring at Community for Youth

[Gentle, uplifting music...]

So, Community For Youth, like,
it's kind of been in my family.

So, like, all my sisters
have been in it, so...

I was like, "Okay I'mma do it too,

because my sister's been telling me
so much great things about CFY,"

and I was like, "This is..
a new opportunity for me to take,"

so I decided to take it
and I just really enjoy it.

If you need jobs,
if you're looking for college, school,

they benefit you in a lot of ways.

Around the summer after Covid,
my friend invited me to like, this, um..

like, tabling event.

And I was just like, really drawn into,
like, the people's, like,

they were all so welcoming to me

and like, I came over there honestly
just to have some like pizza or something.

I didn't even know that by the end of it

I would, like,
have a one-on-one mentor

that I would be able to talk to
and hang out with.

My mentor's name is Leah.
I met her about...

We just had our one year anniversary.
[laughs]

My mentor, Eric, he's been very inspiring,
supportive, and well experienced.

Leia is a very supportive 
and sweet person.

She's always there when I need it.

But she's also like, really kind
and funny and understanding,

um, and just super easy to talk to.

She's like a adult in my life
that I could look up to

or like go to for help
when I need help with something.

I could talk to her about my problems, 
she'll be there and give me advice.

And she's just someone
that I've like, been really looking up to,

because like, she's like, um..

almost everything I want to be.
Honestly.

Having a mentor made me grow
in like, confidence in life.

I've felt more confident in doing things

knowing that someone's
always there to support me.

Leia has really helped me
with college preparation

and also been helping me 
be confident in my public speaking.

It's just nice to have
another support system and I'm...

I think I do want to be a support system
in the future to somebody else

cuz it's just so, it's just always nice
to have another supporter

and like, cheerleader in your life.

I'm mentoring someone in 
my family, which is my little sister.

I've always wanted
to be a role model for her.

Growing up, I never had anyone..
mentor me

and like, I thought that
was really difficult

cuz my family were immigrants, so.

I want to set a good example for my sister

and get a lot of experience 
so I can always be there to help her.

WOMAN, offscreen:
So, if Sasha was here sitting next to you

what would 
you like to say to her?

Um, I would say,
"Sasha, first of all, hi.

Thank you so much for everything 
that you've helped me achieve

and if I get rich
I'm gonna buy you a Lamborghini.

I would say that I love her

and she's sick right now
so I hope she feels better soon, um..

and that I'm so happy that I met her
and I always look forward to our hangouts.

If Leia was sitting next to me right now,

I'd really want to express
how grateful I am to her

and how much she's really
helped me grown over these two years.

I would actually say thank you

and also really proud cuz I feel like
he's also grown a lot as a person.

Yo, I really don't know what to say
if my mentor was right here.

Like, it's so blank right now.

Like, I love her so much
I don't know what to say.

WOMAN: Looks like you just said it.

MAN: Yeah you just said it.
WOMAN: Yeah, that was perfect.

[all laugh]

WOMAN: That was great.

[Upbeat music...]