Direct With North Light Directors

Jon and Bernetta talk with Philadelphia educators about their role in empowering their students.

Origins of Irene at North Light

Describe Little Irene and the lessons your parents gave you that helped you with the level of care and understanding you have had for the families you serviced at North Light.

My parents taught me not to judge others by preconceived notions, but to meet each individual as they came to you, and to remember that you don’t really know how anyone feels until you’ve walked in their moccasins. My father also let me know that the world is only as fair a place as you make it.

How did you get involved with North Light? In addition, what were some of the reasons you wanted to stay? I was junior day camp counselor as a teen in 1976, returned as intern in 1979 during my sr yr of college followed by a summer stint working for another non-profit that had me supervising some teens at NL and then started as an assn’t prog dir at NL that fall. In March of 1980, I Was offered prog dir position and I stayed in that position until 1983 when I almost left for a better paying position with less responsibility. After giving notice, I was offered the position of Assn’t ED, and I made the decision to stay because I realized that I had more autonomy at NL and could potentially use that freedom to have a bigger impact on those NL served.

While working here, whom did you find to be a mentor or asset toward your professional development? John Willard, NL’s previous ED was definitely my main mentor, nut NL brought me in contact with so many amazing folks from whom I learned so many valuable lessons. In fact it’s difficult to name them individually, but I learned from Board members, fellow staff members, professional colleagues, community members, and also from constituents that NL served, including children.

Are there any stories or fond memories of Anne Wright and John Willard that you would like to share to carry on their legacy? So many. I was privileged to meet NL’s founder, Ann Wright in 1985, when she was in her 80’s. She told me the story of NL’s beginning. It turns out that she was a somewhat reluctant founder, but she saw a need, took one step at a time, and soon it took on, and I quote, “A LIFE OF ITS OWN”.Since I worked side-by-side with John Willard for 5 yrs., there are so many memories. John had such an amazing capacity of love for his fellow human beings, that it was almost contagious. He often stated that there is no such thing as a bad kid. He also had a dry sense of humor, so there are many funny stories as well. He was a skilled community organizer who could rile folks around a cause and strongly believed that social justice issues were a major part of his duties at NL. Sometimes he would get folks active by telling them just what they didn’t want to hear. He actually goaded me into accepting the role of acting ED when I was hesitant to accept that responsibility by telling me that “a woman could never do the job”. He knew then that he had me hook, line and sinker.
How were you able to manage many personalities that have entered north light over the years? I think by enjoying them. I enjoy people. I find them and their diversity fascinating and enriching. In fact, to quote John Willard and give you more of an idea of his sense of humor, he used to say “NL was like a granola bar…fruits, nuts and flakes, but put them all together and they taste good and are good for you”. This still makes me laugh, but there is a great deal of truth to it as well.

Challenging Times

What are some of the Learning curves you hit in your early Career? What lessons did you take from those moments? Everything was a learning curve. As I moved into the ED position in the mid-80’s, there were lots of changes so even though NL already had a nearly 50 yr old infrastructure, there was no clearly established road map for me to follow. I had some basic knowledge from my college days and accessed Continuing Education opportunities as available, however, the biggest asset for me was that NL had a wealth of social capital…smart and skilled folks who cared about its work and served as invaluable and willing resources who I reached out to o a regular basis. Social capital is key to a small independent organization like NL.
What were some challenges that crippled North Light and how did you overcome them? For many years, the large majority of NL’s funding came from United Way membership. Since UW disbanded membership and took a different approach to funding, finding charitable resources to support NL’s work in the community has been an ongoing challenge. As an autonomous organization with limited capacity for earned revenue, there is no established funding model to plug into. To date, NL’s been successful in diversifying NL’s funding base, but sustainable funding for the future remains a challenge.
Looking back, was there ever any errors made that you wish could have been rectified that error? Absolutely…probably too numerous to count. It’s not possible to have successes without taking risks and making errors. The important thing is to learn from your errors and not repeat the same mistakes. One important lesson I’ve learned and try to live by is to never react in a conclusive way while you are upset. Give yourself some time to digest a situation and percolate your thoughts. I suspect this approach has saved me from many regrets.
Was there a time you thought of quitting? Why? Sure.I’ve encountered many difficult challenges over my 40 yrs at NL, some seemingly insurmountable, but I also learned that tough situations don’t last, but tough people do.
How was it managing a career in nonprofit and raising a family? A constant juggle and sometimes I felt that I wasn’t doing well enough at either responsibility, but at the same time, I feel privileged to have an opportunity to live in both of those roles. I loved experiencing a marriage and raising children and I also loved the opportunity to have professional goals and successes.

Krista’s Introduction

Irene, what traditions of yours or former Directors that you would like to see carried on?
When identifying a successor, what attributes did, you, and the board look for.
What helped yourself and the board arrive to the conclusion that Krista would be the best predecessor
Krista can you tell us what made you decide to work at North Light
Krista tell us a little about yourself and how you came to North Light
Now that you are here, what values and care do you hope to bring to North Light?

Back in my Day:

When did you realize you wanted to work in Nonprofit and what difference did in make on your life?

Conclusion:There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart. – Mahatma Gandhi. You have been a part of North Light for over 4 decades. This is not a goodbye when your legacy will forever be in the walls, the hearts, and the fine print of North Light. Irene you will be missed but never forgotten.

Salutations: Thank you MNYK studios for allowing us to use this space. In addition, thank you for listening. Please share and repost this podcast. In addition, have a blessed week. Thank you Irene, Krista, Jesse, Bernetta, and thank me. Because I am that awesome.

View Details

Topic: TEEMworks

Recap: Read to succeed

Discussion

What is TEEMworks?

How did you hear about TEEMworks?

What would you say to our youth whom have interest in entrepreneurship and developing life and professional development skills?

How would you advise young people to apply themselves?

What are the potential outcomes of being in programs with mentors?

How does a program like TEEMworks establish life skills?

What is Ebony Suns?

What did you learn from TEEMworks?

Success Story from TEEMworks?

• Mario Ward story from incarceration to joining TEEMworks; attended every day, willing to learn asked questions, participated and never stopped pushing. Now working a career field that allows him to take care of his family.

Throwback Thursdays Back in my Day:

I wish I had a mentor when ...

House Keeping

• Children Services – November 16th – Villanova Community Basketball game

o FUSE Kognition to learn about computer coding and film directing

• Teen Services – TEEMworks Cohort 3 Graduation Nov. 8th

o Next Cohort begins Nov. 12th – Dec. 13th

o Community Events and Volunteering in-community

• Development – What is north Light offering the community?

Conclusion:

View Details

Podcast: Direct with North Light Directors

Topic: Read To Succeed!

Discussion

Describe the Read to Succeed Program:

What are is the organizations mission and vision?

How many years has the R2S program been around and how was it established?

Describe the programs R2S offer.

How has it benefited the children in the program?

Where can parents find this program?

What was the difference of having the R2S program in a school setting verses a community setting?

What is the goal of the R2S Program?

What was the outcome at North Light community center?

What has been the overall outcome of this program?

Literacy Development:

How can a parent build a child’s language at toddler years until they start kindergarten or first grade?

When a child struggles with reading or comprehension at an early age what resources or actions should a parent take to help?

How does reading and literacy help with cognitive development?

What are your thoughts on introducing foreign language at an early age?

Literacy and Screen time:

Do social media help or impair a child’s reading ability?

How much screen time would you recommend for a child?

How has TV and electronics affected a child’s cognitive development?

How can parents use screen time as an educational tool?

What are some literacy websites you would recommend to parents?

Importance of literacy:

What is the correlation between literacy and a child’s behavior?

The ability to read aloud impacts a child’s esteem in what ways?

What are the statistics of children who cannot read, write, or do math at their grade level?

What are the long-term affects of not knowing how to read or write?

Back in my Day:

Reflect on a teacher who made an impact on your life today. Who are they? How did they help you achieve your goals in life?

Conclusion: My favorite quote is “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all” by Aristotle. It is as important to have education, as it is to understand and have compassion. We are all mentors and it is important that as we gain knowledge we share knowledge from our life experiences. It is equally important to show intellect by understanding a situation rather than reacting to it. Especially, as educators.

Salutations: Thank you Manayunk studios for allowing us to use this space. In addition, thank you for listening. Please share and repost this podcast. In addition, have a blessed week. Again, thank you Jinaki Bright and Special shout out to Peggy Savage, Danielle McCoy, Jasmine Eckenrode and all of the reads teachers whom joined us at North Light, this summer.

View Details

Topic: Know your Rights

Recap: Grief

Discussion

How should someone conduct himself or herself while engaging with cops?

What can an officer do when searching you?

Does Miranda rights apply to every arrest?

Describe what it is like in juvenile detention?

What would you say to our youth whom have conduct issues like cursing and arguing with authority, fighting in public and with strangers, being destructive to public property? What the potential outcome?

How does a felony record restrict you from jobs?

What jobs are available for felons?

What privileges does a felon lose?

What reform programs are there for felons who want to get their life on track?

Can you tell me more about this potential Recording cop interaction and it interfering with an investigation law?

What laws protect me against police who abuse power?

How are police giving back?

What programs are available to help people?

What programs are available to bridge the relationship between citizens and law enforcement?

Throwback Thursdays Back in my Day:

A moment of injustice and a moment of justice from the police.

House Keeping

• Children Services

• Teen Services

• Development

Conclusion: And justice for all. However, where is the justice for people who have served their time and the courts have seen them as reformed citizens. We as a people need to let go of some of our prejudices and open our hearts to forgiveness and second chances.

View Details

What is grief?

What is the process of grief?

Can you describe what the symptoms of grief are?

How does grieving affect someone's daily life?

How can a parent tell if their child is grieving?

How should parents talk to children about loss?

What ways can a parent help their child through the grieving process?

What are some coping techniques you would recommend for someone who is grieving?

View Details

North Light Directors Bernetta, Jesse, and Jon speak with North Light parent Tajae (Nelly) and DHS Employee Clarence, to give families who are dealing with the system the tools to stay together. This is a genuine conversation between a family currently working with DHS and a DHS representative.

View Details

Why is affordable childcare important? How does support from an early age help to set disadvantaged children up for long term success? Why do so many people get stuck within the cycles of poverty? There is a lot that we can do to help our neighbors, particularly those with the greatest need for help. At North Light, that is our mission. Bernetta, Jesse, and John introduce what the show will be about long-term, and quickly embark on a discussion surrounding childcare.

Direct With North Light Directors: Recent Episodes

Jon Thornton and Bernetta Williams