Helping youths find confidence
As a freshman at Crawford High School, Aleighna Stempien-Smith was captivated by a presentation that the founder of a nonprofit was making at her school. He talked about young people claiming their true identities, and making smart and healthy choices that would help them reach their destinies and fulfill their life’s purpose. She started attending their social events and completing the writing activities they had on their website, finding that they kept encouraging her to grow into the best version of herself.
“My passion is to guide youth that I have a personal connection with, understanding what they go through on a day-to-day basis. Being able to work with this organization at such a young age is a wonderful opportunity that I’m thankful for,” she says of Movement BE, a nonprofit that uses poetry, creative writing, social and emotional learning workshops, and storytelling to serve local youths.
The organization recently opened its Movement BE Center on El Cajon Boulevard, with after-school programming for kids and weekend programming for kids and families, in addition to their work with the San Diego Unified School District and with youth organizations.
Stempien-Smith, 18, works as office manager at Movement BE, lives in College Area, and has three sisters and a twin brother. She took some time to talk about the organization’s work in the community, their new physical space in the community, and her desire to connect with and help other young people find their voice. Q: Tell us about Movement BE (Brave Entrepreneur). A: In 2013, our founder and CEO, Nate Howard, would create Movement BE as a response to being on the receiving end of racial profiling after one of his social events was shut down by more than 60 police officers. The media and others traded in stereotypes in telling his story, which led him to create this organization that would help young people discover their own stories and the truth of their identities. Our vision is to help all youth gain the confidence to tell their stories and determine their destinies. Our purpose is to change the narrative in underserved communities by inspiring young people to tell their stories before someone else does, providing them with the courage to reject living according to society’s stereotypes, and to fulfill their own life’s purpose.
Nate based the name on the idea that everyone is, and can become, a brave entrepreneur in whatever way their hearts desire. Everyone is creative, anyone can build their own empire, and anyone can become their own boss by creating their own brands and companies. Being a brave entrepreneur means that you will chase your dreams and aspirations, while fulfilling your true purpose and blocking out society’s stereotypes and expectations.
Q:
Why is it important to the organization to focus on storytelling as a way to help young people?
A:
We focus on storytelling to help guide youth toward their purpose. When people tell their stories for them, those stories can be filled with stereotypes and projections based on how society sees them and their futures. The kids are shy, at first, as they’re expressing their emotions and life events. Over time, though, they listen to their peers share, and that confidence helps them gain the courage to tell their own stories, unapologetically. They use poetry, music, art, freestyle writing and digital methods to tell their stories. The way we guide their storytelling through our programming turns into a form of narrative therapy as we focus on social and emotional learning.
Q:
Tell us about the Movement BE Center on El Cajon Boulevard.
A:
Our 2,500-square-foot center is located at 6787 El Cajon Boulevard and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Operating a physical space has been a huge goal of ours because it gives us a safe space for people in the community to come and be themselves.
During the week, we’re currently open for after-school hours where kids can come for mentorship, to play games, eat healthy snacks, and just be. Youth will stop by during the week to talk to their mentors while building the confidence to find and tell their own stories and working toward reaching their goals in their personal journey of growth and development.
Each Saturday, we have our Movement BE Family Day, where we provide live music, games, arts and crafts, writing activities, open mic time for people to share their stories, and free food to help combat food insecurity in our community.
We’ve also recently partnered with We All We Got SD to provide them with a space to serve as a hub each Saturday, continuing their work in distributing food to those in need. They have an amazing staff and volunteers, and they donate food, pack food bags, and distribute them to individuals and families in San Diego County.
Q:
How does the center help the organization further fulfill its mission?
A:
The center really helps us build on our mission to serve, providing the community (especially the youth) with a safe space to be themselves, meet new people, and build lasting bonds while also receiving guidance and support that they may not find anywhere else. It serves as a home away from home, and a home for those who may not have a family or a home. We take pride in our center and in the people who become part of the Movement BE family.
Q:
Who has access to this center? And what’s the process for how people can take part in the offerings at the center?
A:
The center is a hub for the community because we want everyone to have a safe space to receive guidance, find and tell their stories, and freely be themselves. During after-school hours, however, the center is solely for the youth. People can sign up for mentorship, growth groups, or register to become a volunteer.
Q:
How many young people are currently participating in Movement BE’s programming?
A:
We’ve served thousands of youths between the ages of 5 and 24 years old, over the years. Our hip-hop and pizza summer camps have served more than 35 young people, and our family days currently serve about 25 individuals and families. In the county’s youth detention facility, we serve more than 80 youth, and our workshops in San Diego Unified School District schools serve well over 1,000 students.
Q:
What, specifically, is covered in the social and emotional workshops that you offer to school districts and youth organizations?
A:
Our social-emotional learning workshops use creative writing as a form of narrative therapy. We cover topics that include confidence, purpose, anxiety, goal setting, anger management, making healthy choices, love and more. Each lesson includes an inspirational quote focused on the subject being discussed, along with an inspirational message from one of our instructors. That’s followed by some guided writing that allows the participants to express themselves.
Q:
What has this work taught you about yourself ?
A:
This work has revealed my gift of reaching people and impacting lives in a way I couldn’t possibly imagine. People come to me when they’re searching for a guiding light. I have discovered patience and maturity in my work at Movement BE. People find comfort in freely expressing their stories and their needs to me, and I adore that. Not everyone has a person that they can confide in, so if I have the strength and knowledge to become a light or mentor to someone, I will happily fulfill that role within my community.
Q:
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A:
To help myself before helping others. As I’ve gotten older, people have pointed that I also need to help myself fully before pouring into giving back to and healing others. It all starts within.
Q:
What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A:
They’re usually surprised by how young I am when they hear about my role and accomplishments. I have a lot of talents and strengths that have helped me in nonprofit work, that most people my age don’t have.
Q:
Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A:
Relaxing at the pool and enjoying the sun, reading a book to relax, hitting the gym, strolling along the busy parts of town, and taking in the positive energy, lovely weather, hiking, and trying new foods (Pho is my favorite!).