In this final episode of the second season of the CHAMPS podcast, MIH staff member Shawn Deverteuil facilitates an intergenerational conversation with CHAMPS Cash, Oladipo, and Jason, along with Save Our Streets Crown Heights Associate Director of Safety, Rahson Johnson; CCI Director of Practice, Kenton Kirby; and special guest Richard Smith, National Director of United for Healing Equity. In this conversation, our guests will share and reflect on their lived experiences with the CHAMPS, and also dive into topics such as violence, challenges men and young men of color have experienced, help-seeking, and more.

(Note: This conversation took place in August, 2019)

Thank you for listening to the second season of the CHAMPS podcast! Stay tuned for more stories from our participants in the future.

In this episode, MIH staff member Shawn Deverteuil talks with CHAMPS Kawhi, Oladipo, Jason, and Cash about growth and resilience, what that looks like to them, seeking and getting help, and more.

(Note: This conversation took place in August, 2019)

In this episode, MIH staff member Shawn Deverteuil talks with CHAMPS Cash and Oladipo about manhood, what that looks like to them, sharing and expressing feelings, and more. 

(Note: This conversation took place in August, 2019)

In this episode, MIH staff member Steve Dacey talks with CHAMPS Kawhi and Cash about their communities. They reflect on how it was growing up in their communities, its impact on them, conflicts, what they believe are some of the good things about where they live, and more.  

(Note: This conversation took place in August, 2019)

In this episode, MIH staff member Steve Dacey talks with CHAMPS Jason and Browser about healthy relationships. They talk about what they see as healthy and not healthy, and the components of it.  

(Note: This conversation took place in August, 2019)

Welcome to the second season of the CHAMPS Podcast! Over the next 5 episodes we are going to bring you the stories from our Make It Happen Community Healers And Mentors for Personal Success on topics such as relationships, living in their communities, and more. This year we closed out the CHAMPS Podcast with our own intergenerational discussion. These podcast episodes were recorded last summer of 2019 and we hope the topics discussed by our CHAMPS in this second season are those that many can relate to, and can continue to build on these conversations.

 

In the final episode of this first season of the CHAMPS podcast, Make It Happen staff member Steve Dacey talks about the roots of violence, and the way danger and survival manifest in the lives of the young men involved in the Make It Happen program. CHAMPS Carter and Moolah describe their histories of violence, and pass on methods of avoiding violence and knowing your rights.

Thank you for listening to this first season of the CHAMPS podcast! Stay tuned for more stories from our participants in the future.

Peace, the Make It Happen Staff

Today Make It Happen staff member Carlos M. Torres shares some statistics on hate crimes, and CHAMPS Donte and Melo reflect on how racism shows up in their lives, including being negatively profiled by police and strangers. They then talk about ways to cope with experiences of racism and deescalate danger.

In the fourth episode, Make It Happen director Kenton Kirby contextualizes how mistaken identity can endanger the boys and young men of color served by the Make It Happen program. For the remainder of the episode, CHAMPS JT and JF explain the way that being misidentified poses significant risk in their lives, and can have serious consequences.

In this third installment of The CHAMPS Podcast, Make It Happen staff member Shawn Deverteuil explains the stop, question, and search policy of the NYPD known colloquially as stop and frisk, and CHAMPS Na’Jee and Pablo share their experiences of being stopped by police.