Frankly Speaking with Tyra G

Interesting title, right? Seriously, I know the only time we have is the present. However, the other reality is that our future is walking among us now. Those currently in high school will be overseeing our “aging-in-place” activities in the December of our lives. We need to connect with them, get to know them.

To come of age in 2018 in America is to enter adulthood in a time of often overwhelming turbulence. The country is deeply divided, technology is reshaping the world at a breakneck pace and the future seems filled with uncertainty. As each day appears to bring with it another crisis, from unprecedented natural disasters to horrific mass killings to violent and vehement ideological clashes, questions lurk in the background: Who will inherit this world? And what will they do with it?

They are the first generation to spend their entire adolescence with smartphones. according to Jean Twenge, author of “IGen”

"Enter Generation Zer 1995,

Loosely defined as those born after 1995 this new wave of soon-to-be-grown-ups, -- also dubbed as the iGeneration, Centennials, Post-Millennials, Founders, Plurals and the Homeland Generation, depending on whom you ask – picks up where Millennials left off.

They live in s world connected whereby the tap of a smartphone a pair of shoes can be delivered to their doorstep via Uber or a drone in less than an hour.

True digital and social media natives, they are ever-connected, multitasking on many screens and more comfortable sharing on Snapchat than IRL. “They are the first generation to spend their entire adolescence with smartphones.” That rapid adoption of smartphones has had ripple effects across many areas of their lives.”

You will enjoy hearing these young "voices from the future" as they share their views about what topics they are "woke" to including bullying and social media. By default, these topics are important to us as well.  Check them out.

Helenia has spent 20 years in prison over four separate sentences. Each of her terms in prison was the result of substance abuse, a multi-generational addiction in her family.

But while serving her last sentence, Helenia became determined to transform her life.

Seeking every opportunity to become more educated, Helenia earned the Sunshine Lady Foundation scholarship while incarcerated and received her Associate’s Degree from Piedmont Valley Community College in May 2015. She then enrolled in every course offered in Resilience’s Entrepreneurship Program at her facility. Through her courses with Resilience, she earned certificates from Darden upon graduation in May 2016 – credentials that would open doors for employment opportunities and further education.

Today, Helenia works as a house monitor at a transitional home for juvenile girls in Washington, D.C. and is set to complete a bachelor’s degree in social work from Marymount University in May 2019.

I attended Helenia's graduation party this past  May. Politicians, family, and friends came together to watch Helenia do her "HAPPY DANCE" and declare that the journey from the FBI's Most Wanted to graduate!

This Frankly Speaking conversation breathes life into the words, "Impossible is merely a word!" Tune in and be inspired.

"Legacy is about life and living. It's about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future.

A legacy may take many forms – children, grandchildren, a business, an idea, a book, a community, a home, some piece of ourselves. How many of us are living our lives so that our legacy reflects all that we truly hold most near and dear? How many of us are living with integrity and courage?

The world isn't connected by molecules. It's connected by stories, traditions, memories, hopes, and dreams. We are connected by the legacies passed down from those who came before us and the legacies we pass down to those who come after us.

For both young and old, the power of legacy enables us to live fully in the present. You understand that you are part of a larger community, a community that must remember its history to build its future.[1]

There is nothing more comforting than the warmth shared between a mother and daughter as they declare there are sometimes when you don't need a reason as much as you need reassurance. They will put a refreshing smile in your heart.

http://www.legacyproject.org/guides/whatislegacy.html

The National Conference of State Legislatures says, "Women, who are key in maintaining healthy families, access the health system more than men, both for themselves and on behalf of their children. Many become pregnant and give birth, a significant health event, then typically become their child’s primary caregiver, a role that greatly influences household health overall. Elder and long-term care issues affect women more often because they live longer; have higher rates of disability and chronic health problems; and lower incomes than men on average, which puts them at the greater need for state and community resources, such as Medicaid.

Across her lifespan, a woman’s health status matters to herself, her family and to state budgets. Legislators are wrestling with tight budgets and changing health laws—including the realities of implementing federal health reform under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If women’s needs are overlooked in these discussions, however, states lose important opportunities to improve the health of residents and gain partners in creating a healthier society."

Join an inspiring, informative, authentic conversation with Dr. Gloria Ivey Crowe who specializes in women's health. Understand why you need to know your numbers at every stage of your life. It's an intergenerational show. I guarantee you will learn something new about something old.

We don’t usually spend time considering the impacts of human choice unless our power to choose for ourselves is taken away. But for many young women, the right to choose how their lives unfold was never an option. Whether dictated by culture, circumstance, family, or poverty, their paths are often already set.

It’s all too common for women to surrender their chance for education and career.

But self-determination is a dream that many young women hold onto. And for the women who receive scholarships each year from schools in the United States,  choosing education over old cultural norms allows them to discover their own power, their own ability to make the world a better place.

Picture our guest, Jaleh Moslehi, age 16, migrating to the United States from Iran alone to pursue her dream of becoming an engineer. Listen as she shares her journey from student to engineer, entrepreneur, wife, mother of a U.S.navy pilot and officer and a U.S.navy engineer.

Listen beyond her words and understand why she lives her promise, " You can count on me." Additionally, enjoy a sample of her poetry reading gift, accompanied by one of her gifted sons playing an Iranian instrument called the Zanteur. They conclude their interview in a story-corp-format discussion.

Author Richard Kearney says in his book On Stories “Telling stories is as basic to human beings as eating. More so, in fact, for while food makes us live, stories are what make our lives worth living.”

Isak Dinesen says, “To be a person is to have a story to tell. —"

Author  David Denborough, Ph.D., writes  “Who we are and what we do are influenced by the stories that we tell ourselves…There are many different events in our lives, but only some of them get formed into the storylines of our identities. Whatever storyline we have about our lives makes a difference in who we are and how we act.”[1]

Through a story, we can pretend to be somebody else or go somewhere else, without taking on the risks or expense ourselves. We can even do the impossible, like travel through time or explore the universe. Kids play pretend from a very young age, and through various kinds of stories, we never really stop.

The stories we love to hear, read, and watch and the ones we tell ourselves, shape our lives. These stories shape how we interact with others, and even how they interact with us. They shape how we feel about ourselves and what we think we’re capable of.

When I was very young, I experienced stories that started with once upon a time and ended with happily ever after. A look in my rearview mirror reminds me of occasions when mother and daddy made up stories with specific messages intended to modify something undesirable in my behavior.

When I learned to read and could choose my own books, as an only child, I loved stories where the central character not only had exciting adventures but also had “special” friends with whom to share them. Innocently wrapped in my early story choices were hints of my current love of adventure and mystery and sharing.

Stories shape the decisions we make, everything from the partners we pick to the activities we participate in. If we spin a story that we’re not good enough, we just might pick a partner who doesn’t treat us very well. If we spin a story that we’re stupid, we might not submit our resume for the job we’ve always wanted because well, we won’t get it, anyway.

Join Denise Fayne as she takes us through a few of the intergenerational stories she grew up with, grew into, and ran from that have helped make her who she is today. We had fun around the Frankly Speaking virtual, global, table.

[1] https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-power-of-our-personal-stories/

“Legacy is about life and living. It's about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future.

Did you know that: The best place to plant a young tree: is in a clearing in an old-growth forest and not an open field. Why Tyra, I’m glad you asked.

Ecologists tell us that a young tree grows better when it's planted in an area with older trees. Now, this is the good part. The reason, it seems, is that the roots of the young tree are able to follow the pathways created by former trees and implant themselves more deeply. Over time, the roots of many trees may actually graft themselves to one another, creating an intricate, interdependent foundation hidden under the ground. In this way, stronger trees share resources with weaker ones so that the whole forest becomes healthier.

That's legacy: an interconnection across time, with a need for those who have come before us and a responsibility to those who come after us. Let me say again…

A legacy may take many forms – children, grandchildren, a business, an idea, a book, a community, a home, some piece of ourselves. How many of us are living our lives so that our legacy reflects all that we truly hold most near and dear? How many of us are living with integrity and courage?

The world isn't connected by molecules. It's connected by stories, traditions, memories, hopes, and dreams. We are connected by the legacies passed down from those who came before us and the legacies we pass down to those who come after us.

Join attorney and entrepreneur Danielle Nkojo around the virtual, global, table on Frankly Speaking with Tyra G radio show to hear about legacy through her lens and passion..

Author Richard Kearney says in his book On Stories “Telling stories is as basic to human beings as eating. More so, in fact, for while food makes us live, stories are what make our lives worth living.”

Isak Dinesen says, “To be a person is to have a story to tell. —"

Author  David Denborough, Ph.D., writes  “Who we are and what we do are influenced by the stories that we tell ourselves…There are many different events in our lives, but only some of them get formed into the storylines of our identities. Whatever storyline we have about our lives makes a difference in who we are and how we act.”[1]

Through a story, we can pretend to be somebody else or go somewhere else, without taking on the risks or expense ourselves. We can even do the impossible, like travel through time or explore the universe.

[1] https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-power-of-our-personal-stories/

My guest this week is Ms. Millie Harris, educator, and entrepreneur who inspires and empowers through the authentic and vulnerable stories of her own personal and professional transformation.

How to Make a Winning Transition.

Career transition is a process. No rash moves. Don’t get hung up on the daunting thought that you’re reinventing your career. You’re redeploying your skills.

Changing careers can be challenging, and scary. The key to success is to be prepared and resilient. I can help you take concrete steps toward building a career you love. Join the Frankly Speaking with Tyra G conversation in the studio with Kerry Hannon.

Bill Woolf had been a police officer for ten years and was a detective with Fairfax County Police Community Resources Division, tasked with investigating all forms of human trafficking in Fairfax County. He was named 2012 Gang Investigator of the Year by the Virginia Gang Investigator’s Association and received the Virginia Attorney General’s Award for Excellence. Recipient of the 2012 Milton Thrasher Award for Superior Excellence in Gang Prevention, he actively sought to form and foster collaborative relationships with agencies and service providers outside

of his department in an effort to comprehensively combat the issue of human trafficking.

Joins us in a courageous and candid conversation about how his passion for fighting human trafficking motivated the creation of the non-profit organization called The JUST ASK Prevention Project.

The JUST ASK Prevention Project works to educate our youth and adults about the signs of human trafficking to keep our teenagers safe. We know that a well informed public will decrease the ability of trackers to operate and inspire victims and survivors to come forward and Just Ask for help.