1 00:00:00,250 --> 00:00:02,702 Hello, I'm Isabelle. She her 2 00:00:02,756 --> 00:00:03,386 hers. 3 00:00:03,498 --> 00:00:04,650 And I'm David. 4 00:00:04,730 --> 00:00:07,534 He him his. And we're two therapists with 5 00:00:07,572 --> 00:00:09,902 ADHD who sit down to have some chats about 6 00:00:09,956 --> 00:00:12,446 ADHD. We can't promise we'll stay on 7 00:00:12,468 --> 00:00:15,246 topic or be professional or even 8 00:00:15,348 --> 00:00:18,206 remotely mature, but we can promise that you'll end 9 00:00:18,228 --> 00:00:20,798 up looking at you or your loved one's beautiful 10 00:00:20,964 --> 00:00:23,838 neurodivergent brain in a shiny new way. 11 00:00:23,924 --> 00:00:26,822 This is not a therapy B session. This is 12 00:00:26,956 --> 00:00:28,546 something shiny. 13 00:00:28,738 --> 00:00:29,718 I love it. 14 00:00:29,804 --> 00:00:30,966 Do you like it? 15 00:00:31,148 --> 00:00:33,926 That's amazing. And can this just be the 16 00:00:33,948 --> 00:00:36,838 intro? You saying that and be freaking out about how amazing it is? 17 00:00:36,924 --> 00:00:39,846 Yeah, that 18 00:00:39,868 --> 00:00:41,400 could be our first intro. 19 00:00:43,310 --> 00:00:46,218 So without further ado, welcome to Something 20 00:00:46,304 --> 00:00:47,126 Shiny. 21 00:00:47,238 --> 00:00:48,410 I'm David. 22 00:00:55,810 --> 00:00:58,014 In this episode, we are 23 00:00:58,052 --> 00:01:00,974 delighted, thrilled and honored to be 24 00:01:01,012 --> 00:01:03,678 joined by Eye to Eye co founders 25 00:01:03,774 --> 00:01:06,446 David Flink and Marcus Sutra. 26 00:01:06,638 --> 00:01:09,250 What is eye to eye. What are we talking 27 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:12,114 about? Goodness. Listen to 28 00:01:12,152 --> 00:01:14,610 this incredible episode and 29 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,702 keep coming back because we're going to keep 30 00:01:17,756 --> 00:01:19,910 this conversation going and keep 31 00:01:19,980 --> 00:01:22,934 expanding our deep dive into 32 00:01:22,972 --> 00:01:25,698 the world of neurodivergent culture. 33 00:01:25,874 --> 00:01:28,426 I think that this is where I'll just maybe try to do an 34 00:01:28,448 --> 00:01:30,838 introduction and start with a little bit of justice 35 00:01:30,934 --> 00:01:31,520 here. 36 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,952 so David Flink, Marcus 37 00:01:35,016 --> 00:01:37,404 Sutra are two really 38 00:01:37,442 --> 00:01:40,384 significant people in my story and in my life 39 00:01:40,422 --> 00:01:43,010 in terms of understanding the world of, 40 00:01:43,220 --> 00:01:45,596 learning diversity, learning disability, 41 00:01:45,708 --> 00:01:48,450 neurodivergence. However, we want to talk about this. 42 00:01:48,820 --> 00:01:51,802 David Flink started, this organization 43 00:01:51,866 --> 00:01:54,702 called Project Eye to Eye that turned into Eye to Eye National, 44 00:01:54,766 --> 00:01:57,682 which is now something even like, what is it's, just Eye to Eye now? 45 00:01:57,736 --> 00:02:00,466 Or either way, I don't want to butcher it. 46 00:02:00,648 --> 00:02:03,054 This organization has grown leaps 47 00:02:03,102 --> 00:02:05,686 and mean. You've been 48 00:02:05,708 --> 00:02:08,598 nominated by CNN as Person of 49 00:02:08,604 --> 00:02:11,446 the Year, right? Like, you've had these incredible, like, 50 00:02:11,468 --> 00:02:14,354 here's a hero moment kind of thing. But you've 51 00:02:14,402 --> 00:02:17,114 really, I think, created a network of community 52 00:02:17,232 --> 00:02:19,962 around neurodivergence spanning almost every state 53 00:02:20,016 --> 00:02:22,810 in this country, which is pretty incredible. And 54 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,420 if I'm just going to do it, Marcus, I'm going to say 55 00:02:27,070 --> 00:02:30,046 you were so much around the connections and 56 00:02:30,068 --> 00:02:32,894 relationships of this organization. You have been, 57 00:02:33,012 --> 00:02:35,598 if I'm going to say, like, the personification of boots on the 58 00:02:35,604 --> 00:02:38,532 ground, trying to create this change, working 59 00:02:38,586 --> 00:02:41,190 with school systems, people on 60 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,988 so many different states, different levels of 61 00:02:43,994 --> 00:02:46,936 socioeconomic class. And I think that you have been 62 00:02:46,958 --> 00:02:49,896 like a champion for so many people in this industry. I think you 63 00:02:49,918 --> 00:02:52,264 both have so much to talk about in terms of 64 00:02:52,382 --> 00:02:55,028 neurodiversity know, ADHD 65 00:02:55,124 --> 00:02:58,124 in. And I guess what I would say 66 00:02:58,162 --> 00:03:00,876 then is Isabel and I recently had the 67 00:03:00,898 --> 00:03:03,256 opportunity to go to the Oi, which is your organizing 68 00:03:03,288 --> 00:03:06,190 institute. And Isabelle, I want to maybe 69 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,816 I'll put you on the spot with this because I think 70 00:03:09,858 --> 00:03:12,736 for someone that is neurodivergent that has never been to an 71 00:03:12,758 --> 00:03:15,596 Oi, doesn't know what an Oi is, it's like m me talking about a Snarf 72 00:03:15,628 --> 00:03:18,480 Blat. Like it's a word but no one really knows what it means 73 00:03:18,550 --> 00:03:19,490 except for 74 00:03:22,030 --> 00:03:24,772 Marcus. David, like, what made 75 00:03:24,826 --> 00:03:27,696 you all think about creating an Oi? What's 76 00:03:27,728 --> 00:03:30,516 it for? Why does it work? Give me the 77 00:03:30,538 --> 00:03:31,140 guts. 78 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,166 great. Marcus, do you want to start to explain the Oi? 79 00:03:36,198 --> 00:03:39,114 And then we can kind of look to the future of what it's really about? 80 00:03:39,232 --> 00:03:41,994 I think we have to ground people who are listening on what this 81 00:03:42,032 --> 00:03:44,918 thing is that we're talking about. It's 82 00:03:44,934 --> 00:03:47,838 really a launching pad for the whole school year ahead, but really for the 83 00:03:47,844 --> 00:03:50,222 next 25 years. So maybe that's a good way to begin. 84 00:03:50,356 --> 00:03:51,406 Yeah, sure. 85 00:03:51,588 --> 00:03:54,490 So, the event is official. Full name? 86 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,026 is the Young Leaders Organizing Institute, 87 00:03:57,138 --> 00:03:59,976 but everybody calls it Oi. and the very 88 00:03:59,998 --> 00:04:02,994 first one, was held back at Jersey City University 89 00:04:03,042 --> 00:04:05,302 in 2005 and has happened every single 90 00:04:05,356 --> 00:04:08,188 summer, ah, except for two years, where we weren't able to host 91 00:04:08,224 --> 00:04:11,016 in person during the pandemic, but we hosted it virtually and 92 00:04:11,038 --> 00:04:13,656 had hundreds of students participating in that event as 93 00:04:13,678 --> 00:04:16,296 well. And it's young people from all over the 94 00:04:16,318 --> 00:04:19,206 country, who come together to basically 95 00:04:19,388 --> 00:04:21,606 build community around their own 96 00:04:21,628 --> 00:04:24,134 neurodivergence, their own lived experience of being 97 00:04:24,172 --> 00:04:26,564 someone, who has a learning difference, learning 98 00:04:26,602 --> 00:04:29,458 disability, and, learning how. To build that community, 99 00:04:29,544 --> 00:04:32,422 learning to be a leader, learning to tell their story 100 00:04:32,556 --> 00:04:35,494 and then going out and spreading that work and 101 00:04:35,532 --> 00:04:38,326 leading that work around the country. Eye to Eye is a 102 00:04:38,348 --> 00:04:40,956 youth led movement, and this event kind of kicks 103 00:04:40,988 --> 00:04:43,872 off and helps facilitate the beginning of our work 104 00:04:43,926 --> 00:04:46,746 throughout the year. so you really have young people coming together 105 00:04:46,848 --> 00:04:49,622 in all different ways. Some who are already activists 106 00:04:49,686 --> 00:04:52,602 in the LD space or in the Nd space and have 107 00:04:52,736 --> 00:04:55,210 done speaking and have done advocacy and community 108 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:58,202 organizing locally. And some are brand new to it. And their school 109 00:04:58,256 --> 00:05:01,162 has just said, you're a leader and you should go to this conference 110 00:05:01,226 --> 00:05:04,128 and learn how to work with Eye to Eye. and they come together from all 111 00:05:04,134 --> 00:05:06,946 over the country and learn, basically how to 112 00:05:06,968 --> 00:05:09,750 build community, for their neurodivergent school 113 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:12,136 community and everybody, in the surrounding 114 00:05:12,168 --> 00:05:12,940 towns. 115 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,468 It's something like it's one of those things that fits neatly in a 116 00:05:17,474 --> 00:05:18,940 sentence, but it's so much bigger. 117 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,096 I know. Sorry, David. Right now I'm like, I'm sorry, I just 118 00:05:22,118 --> 00:05:24,944 can't stop smiling because I'm like I mean, even 119 00:05:24,982 --> 00:05:27,968 just the idea of a youth led movement you're not 120 00:05:28,054 --> 00:05:30,832 kidding, okay? I just want listeners to really 121 00:05:30,886 --> 00:05:33,616 take that in because I needed to take that in. Does that 122 00:05:33,638 --> 00:05:36,224 make know, you toss these words around like, oh, it's a grassroots 123 00:05:36,272 --> 00:05:39,268 movement. Oh, youth led movement. Oh, we're asking people to 124 00:05:39,354 --> 00:05:41,800 tell their stories and spit. Oh, yeah, of course I support 125 00:05:41,870 --> 00:05:44,776 this. No, the impact of being in 126 00:05:44,798 --> 00:05:47,544 a room of people who have come 127 00:05:47,582 --> 00:05:49,832 together to talk, think, 128 00:05:49,966 --> 00:05:52,776 share, be vulnerable, the 129 00:05:52,798 --> 00:05:55,476 whole is greater than the sum of its parts. And the parts 130 00:05:55,508 --> 00:05:58,488 themselves are just like these brilliant beams of light. Okay, so I'm 131 00:05:58,504 --> 00:06:01,116 just saying I'm just adding a little color 132 00:06:01,218 --> 00:06:03,852 commentary. This is incredible. So, anyway, 133 00:06:03,986 --> 00:06:05,592 please, I didn't mean to interrupt. 134 00:06:05,656 --> 00:06:08,592 I think the one thing that I wanted to jump on there, and you're not interrupting at all, 135 00:06:08,646 --> 00:06:11,196 is that there are Eye to Eye 136 00:06:11,228 --> 00:06:14,050 chapters. In how many states now? A lot. 137 00:06:14,140 --> 00:06:15,258 yeah, over 20 states. 138 00:06:15,344 --> 00:06:18,278 Okay. Over 20 states. And so 139 00:06:18,384 --> 00:06:21,310 you're having one or two people from 140 00:06:21,380 --> 00:06:23,966 every program come to this 141 00:06:23,988 --> 00:06:26,894 centralized location to build this community and talk about 142 00:06:26,932 --> 00:06:29,758 culture and making a 143 00:06:29,764 --> 00:06:30,800 difference in the 144 00:06:33,270 --> 00:06:35,282 and go, yeah, yeah. 145 00:06:35,336 --> 00:06:37,790 So two students from each of these schools so, 146 00:06:38,230 --> 00:06:41,214 come to the Organizing Institute. This year was held at University 147 00:06:41,262 --> 00:06:44,054 of Denver, in Colorado. And, they 148 00:06:44,092 --> 00:06:46,874 learned to yes, to tell their story. They have an incredible time 149 00:06:46,912 --> 00:06:49,830 coming together as a community and sharing, 150 00:06:49,910 --> 00:06:52,906 but also they learn real, tangible skills on how to be leaders and 151 00:06:52,928 --> 00:06:55,898 how to implement a program. And I think that's something that's really 152 00:06:55,984 --> 00:06:58,698 special about Eye to Eye is it's not just a conference. 153 00:06:58,794 --> 00:07:01,614 The conference is the beginning of the work. And 154 00:07:01,652 --> 00:07:04,574 every single one of those students who comes from their community really 155 00:07:04,612 --> 00:07:07,390 represents another ten or 20 students back 156 00:07:07,460 --> 00:07:10,286 that they are going to help guide through the program throughout the 157 00:07:10,308 --> 00:07:13,264 year. so these are the leaders who are running 158 00:07:13,302 --> 00:07:16,096 these programs on the ground. And we are a youth led movement and 159 00:07:16,118 --> 00:07:18,912 student led movement. And this event has allowed us to give students 160 00:07:18,966 --> 00:07:21,884 the skills and really just the empowerment 161 00:07:22,012 --> 00:07:24,898 so, that they feel seen, heard, and valued and connected in community so that 162 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,794 they can then make that so for others. I often 163 00:07:27,848 --> 00:07:30,738 say we teach students to put their mask on first, so 164 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,572 then they can go help put somebody else's mask on. 165 00:07:35,062 --> 00:07:37,938 And we're talking in that moment specifically about, like, an oxygen 166 00:07:37,970 --> 00:07:40,870 mask, as opposed to the masking and hiding who you are, part of 167 00:07:40,876 --> 00:07:43,526 the mask. We're taking those masks off, 168 00:07:43,644 --> 00:07:46,460 putting the oxygen masks on. so then 169 00:07:46,546 --> 00:07:48,940 looking at you here, Flink, just kind of shifting. 170 00:07:49,036 --> 00:07:51,856 One of the things that I get kind of curious about in life is it's hard 171 00:07:51,894 --> 00:07:54,864 to dream about things you've never seen before. It's actually 172 00:07:54,918 --> 00:07:57,838 almost impossible. which is why parents be very 173 00:07:57,860 --> 00:08:00,558 careful about what your kids watch at a very young age. They will have 174 00:08:00,580 --> 00:08:03,566 dreams. But realistically speaking, what 175 00:08:03,604 --> 00:08:06,366 led you to dreaming about making something like Eye to 176 00:08:06,404 --> 00:08:08,512 Eye, and how did you go about that? 177 00:08:09,042 --> 00:08:11,868 Well, I have to say, and I don't really know how to co dream 178 00:08:11,900 --> 00:08:14,528 in reality. But I can tell you that Eye to 179 00:08:14,550 --> 00:08:17,298 Eye was absolutely, something that 180 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,902 was created through the spirit of, 181 00:08:19,902 --> 00:08:22,536 whatever a version of co dreaming 182 00:08:22,648 --> 00:08:25,516 might be. And I would even argue while this year 183 00:08:25,538 --> 00:08:28,252 was celebrating our 25 years since 184 00:08:28,306 --> 00:08:30,808 inception, and that's not really hard to do the math. It's 185 00:08:30,824 --> 00:08:33,808 September right now. I don't know when folks might actually be listening to this, but 186 00:08:33,814 --> 00:08:36,384 I stepped onto a college campus 25 years 187 00:08:36,422 --> 00:08:39,184 ago. But I would say the codereaming really 188 00:08:39,222 --> 00:08:41,728 began when I met Marcus Sutra, because 189 00:08:41,894 --> 00:08:44,816 the original version and you mentioned this, David, in 190 00:08:44,838 --> 00:08:47,560 the introduction was a pretty small dream. 191 00:08:47,740 --> 00:08:50,500 I just sort of thought no one had told me 192 00:08:50,650 --> 00:08:53,348 at any point throughout my entire 193 00:08:53,434 --> 00:08:55,700 education with 194 00:08:55,770 --> 00:08:58,456 authenticity that there was something 195 00:08:58,558 --> 00:09:01,144 about my learning experience that was powerful. And 196 00:09:01,182 --> 00:09:03,896 right now, I will say I hit the 197 00:09:03,918 --> 00:09:06,164 family lottery. I hit the teacher 198 00:09:06,212 --> 00:09:09,192 lottery. I had a lot of things going 199 00:09:09,326 --> 00:09:12,296 for me, so I did have people who were cheering me on. I know 200 00:09:12,318 --> 00:09:15,196 not everybody has that. So the early days, I really 201 00:09:15,218 --> 00:09:18,140 just wanted to help one kid know that they weren't alone. And 202 00:09:18,210 --> 00:09:20,764 as somebody who's neurodiverse myself, to be able to share that with 203 00:09:20,802 --> 00:09:23,504 authenticity to a young person, that felt like 204 00:09:23,542 --> 00:09:26,412 enough. And it wasn't until, thank goodness, 205 00:09:26,556 --> 00:09:29,532 I met Marcus, where I would argue the co dreaming 206 00:09:29,596 --> 00:09:32,400 is what allowed this thing to be. Now, as you 207 00:09:32,470 --> 00:09:35,244 generously described an organization that's 208 00:09:35,292 --> 00:09:38,244 changing the know, I think we came together, we had 209 00:09:38,282 --> 00:09:41,156 different life experiences, and we started to 210 00:09:41,178 --> 00:09:44,016 co dream. And we realized what would it look like if we brought 211 00:09:44,048 --> 00:09:46,410 people from different backgrounds, different states, 212 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,326 different socioeconomic, orientations, 213 00:09:49,454 --> 00:09:52,434 gender, race. I mean, what I love and what you all saw 214 00:09:52,488 --> 00:09:54,372 this national community just came from 215 00:09:54,822 --> 00:09:57,502 is what I really believe we need in America, 216 00:09:57,582 --> 00:10:00,406 which isn't just to tell young people that they have 217 00:10:00,444 --> 00:10:03,346 power, but to do so across our differences. 218 00:10:03,474 --> 00:10:06,406 We hear a lot in this country about how 219 00:10:06,444 --> 00:10:09,398 divided we are. And what I feel and what I've seen and why 220 00:10:09,420 --> 00:10:12,026 this is so important to be a youth driven movement is young 221 00:10:12,064 --> 00:10:14,906 people who come to this conference from all 222 00:10:14,944 --> 00:10:17,738 backgrounds and they find a way to love each 223 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,714 other through their experience of learning 224 00:10:20,768 --> 00:10:23,738 differently. And for me, when I think about what's the 225 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,606 next 25 years of our organization, it's about 226 00:10:26,644 --> 00:10:29,326 helping these young people find their power and what's right with them, 227 00:10:29,364 --> 00:10:32,286 helping the adults around them who do love them, but 228 00:10:32,324 --> 00:10:35,198 who don't always know how to love them. 229 00:10:35,380 --> 00:10:38,114 And we have figured out ways to help 230 00:10:38,168 --> 00:10:40,802 educate educators so that they can more 231 00:10:40,872 --> 00:10:43,698 actively and effectively say yes to when young 232 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,656 people ask for what they need. and we've also engaged 233 00:10:46,704 --> 00:10:49,600 our allies. Now I think we've come to realize it's 234 00:10:49,616 --> 00:10:52,216 not just the one in five who are neurodivergent. It's the four in 235 00:10:52,254 --> 00:10:55,192 five who are in this community with us, who also 236 00:10:55,262 --> 00:10:58,174 are oriented towards love, but need to understand 237 00:10:58,228 --> 00:11:00,958 how to kind of cross communicate, which is why we're so excited to be on this 238 00:11:00,980 --> 00:11:03,726 podcast. By the way, because you all are doing that as well, helping 239 00:11:03,774 --> 00:11:06,338 everybody who's listening figure out a way to just understand this 240 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,014 neurodivergent journey. 241 00:11:08,158 --> 00:11:10,532 I'm just going to soak all of that up 242 00:11:11,062 --> 00:11:13,982 because I think, Marcus, I didn't 243 00:11:13,992 --> 00:11:16,918 mean to even minimize your role in how much you've been 244 00:11:16,940 --> 00:11:19,798 a part of putting eye to eye together and making it as what it 245 00:11:19,820 --> 00:11:20,392 is. 246 00:11:22,202 --> 00:11:25,150 Part, and I'll shift here to you ispell 247 00:11:25,186 --> 00:11:27,772 a little bit the part that I often think about is 248 00:11:29,102 --> 00:11:31,850 the neurodivergent, the learning, just like, different. 249 00:11:31,936 --> 00:11:34,538 However we want to talk about our community, it's a real 250 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,958 community that has significant parts of 251 00:11:36,980 --> 00:11:39,918 culture that get buried. We 252 00:11:39,940 --> 00:11:42,912 don't see our cultural parts because we're trying to hide them 253 00:11:44,002 --> 00:11:44,654 know. 254 00:11:44,788 --> 00:11:47,072 Isabelle, what was it like for you 255 00:11:47,602 --> 00:11:50,494 to attend this organizing institute? 256 00:11:50,558 --> 00:11:52,852 What was it because here you are. 257 00:11:53,302 --> 00:11:55,970 I don't think I'm spoiler alert. You're a grown up, right? 258 00:11:56,056 --> 00:11:57,442 You're pretty successful. 259 00:11:58,712 --> 00:12:01,608 and what is it like now for you as a grown up 260 00:12:01,630 --> 00:12:03,272 to go to this Oi experience? 261 00:12:03,422 --> 00:12:06,308 I mean, goodness, our listeners are probably going to get a big heap 262 00:12:06,340 --> 00:12:07,772 of my big feels about it. 263 00:12:10,942 --> 00:12:13,670 it's interesting because I think as I'm listening 264 00:12:13,766 --> 00:12:15,966 to you, David, and you, Marcus, sort of 265 00:12:16,004 --> 00:12:17,952 describe where 266 00:12:19,042 --> 00:12:21,662 sorry, it's just like really sinking in for me that this is 267 00:12:21,732 --> 00:12:24,638 25 years in the making. Because I think sometimes when you 268 00:12:24,660 --> 00:12:27,538 experience something, you're like, of course this needs to exist. And 269 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:30,162 now it exists. But I can't imagine all the years 270 00:12:30,232 --> 00:12:32,334 of blood, sweat, tears, 271 00:12:32,478 --> 00:12:34,930 organizing, connecting, building 272 00:12:35,016 --> 00:12:37,938 momentum, fundraising. Like, pick a thing, right, that you needed to 273 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,598 do to give it legs, give it a place to 274 00:12:40,620 --> 00:12:43,318 go. The thing that struck me first off, 275 00:12:43,500 --> 00:12:46,338 as soon as I walked in, and this is seemingly 276 00:12:46,370 --> 00:12:49,318 minor detail. This is major detail because David, when 277 00:12:49,340 --> 00:12:52,158 you're saying we spend so much time not even knowing 278 00:12:52,210 --> 00:12:54,412 we have our own culture, sort of, 279 00:12:55,422 --> 00:12:57,850 I'm going to be proud. I'm 39 years old. 280 00:12:57,936 --> 00:13:00,810 Woohoo. That means I survived 39 years. I'm proud of 281 00:13:00,816 --> 00:13:03,726 it. Imagine that. My whole life. 282 00:13:03,764 --> 00:13:06,714 And I've been to many a conference too many, perhaps, 283 00:13:06,778 --> 00:13:09,658 okay? And I've got my conference mode. I've 284 00:13:09,690 --> 00:13:12,574 got my business my 285 00:13:12,628 --> 00:13:15,614 business casual sweater I put on because it's always 286 00:13:15,668 --> 00:13:18,058 too cold. I've got my pumps or my 287 00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:20,946 sneakers because goodness knows I'm going to be walking for 288 00:13:21,064 --> 00:13:23,810 I got my mode. I walk into this building 289 00:13:23,896 --> 00:13:26,866 and first off, I am taken aback because, okay, picture this, 290 00:13:26,904 --> 00:13:29,762 everyone. There are big signs everywhere. 291 00:13:29,922 --> 00:13:32,566 And the signs indicate where you 292 00:13:32,604 --> 00:13:35,432 are and also where you need to go. 293 00:13:36,042 --> 00:13:38,978 Hands up if you've ever been to a conference where you're 294 00:13:39,010 --> 00:13:41,666 just in like some nameless, faceless hotel 295 00:13:41,714 --> 00:13:44,710 convention center, and it's just these teeny tiny rooms and 296 00:13:44,716 --> 00:13:47,498 they're all named like the Oak Room. And you're like, 297 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,586 where'd to go to the Oak Room? And they're like, oh, second floor, left 298 00:13:50,624 --> 00:13:53,578 of the lobby. And I'm like, that means nothing to me. I've forgotten 299 00:13:53,610 --> 00:13:56,588 already. so I've never been to any event at a 300 00:13:56,610 --> 00:13:59,404 conference on time, even though I arrive like, 301 00:13:59,458 --> 00:14:02,434 half an hour early. I'm always literally 302 00:14:02,498 --> 00:14:04,738 drenched in, like you know, when you get fear 303 00:14:04,770 --> 00:14:07,670 sweat and it's got like, I'm a kind 304 00:14:07,676 --> 00:14:10,458 of stinky person, and it's got a smell to it. And 305 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,110 then I'm like, great, I'm going to be stinkier. 306 00:14:13,286 --> 00:14:16,266 And now I'm meeting new people and I have to sit close 307 00:14:16,304 --> 00:14:19,276 to them. okay, that's the other thing. And then you get in, and you have to sit right 308 00:14:19,330 --> 00:14:22,032 next to people on top of people all facing forward, 309 00:14:22,118 --> 00:14:25,100 watching someone in front. Okay? So first of all, walk in. There's 310 00:14:25,132 --> 00:14:28,080 signs. I know where I'm going. I don't get lost at all. And 311 00:14:28,102 --> 00:14:30,800 there's a sign about every 5ft and that 312 00:14:30,982 --> 00:14:33,780 actually has arrows and things that I'm like, oh, yes, now I 313 00:14:33,802 --> 00:14:36,788 understand. I will go here. I get there ahead of time. 314 00:14:36,906 --> 00:14:39,648 First off, as I get there, I pass a wonderful 315 00:14:39,696 --> 00:14:42,532 array of snack foods. And they're not those kind 316 00:14:42,538 --> 00:14:45,480 of old apples that you're always like, yikes. No one wants to 317 00:14:45,502 --> 00:14:48,024 eat those apples, but they're going to. They're like 318 00:14:48,094 --> 00:14:50,936 crunchy and sound, and they all have 319 00:14:50,990 --> 00:14:53,572 those wrappers that make lots of noise. And I'm 320 00:14:53,588 --> 00:14:56,550 like, those are the snacks I would like. But I normally avoid, at 321 00:14:56,556 --> 00:14:59,386 a conference. And then I get in and there's like, these beautiful 322 00:14:59,504 --> 00:15:02,374 the tables are spread out. The chairs kind of have little wheels. 323 00:15:02,438 --> 00:15:05,290 You can move. You don't have to be on top of each other. 324 00:15:05,376 --> 00:15:08,170 Some people are sitting there making friendship braces. Some people are sitting there 325 00:15:08,176 --> 00:15:11,006 doodling. Some people are sitting there, like, laughing. And it 326 00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:13,918 just feels so welcome and warm and friendly. And then 327 00:15:13,940 --> 00:15:16,766 someone starts talking, and they have things to 328 00:15:16,804 --> 00:15:19,312 say I actually want to listen to. 329 00:15:20,402 --> 00:15:23,294 All right, that's my rant. But this is what it feels like. 330 00:15:23,348 --> 00:15:26,146 Okay, so folks are listening. They 331 00:15:26,184 --> 00:15:29,106 understand the truth of where we came from, because where you ended was 332 00:15:29,144 --> 00:15:31,986 really all we ever had at the beginning. So the last 333 00:15:32,024 --> 00:15:34,802 thing you said was people were saying 334 00:15:34,872 --> 00:15:37,798 things that you actually wanted to hear, which, if 335 00:15:37,820 --> 00:15:40,646 we've all been to conferences, we know. Even if we 336 00:15:40,684 --> 00:15:43,602 had the sign and even if we didn't have the fear sweat, 337 00:15:43,682 --> 00:15:46,330 and even if the seats didn't have the wheels and we didn't have the 338 00:15:46,336 --> 00:15:48,938 fidgets, when you finally sit down and the person starts opening their 339 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,354 mouth, immediately my mind 340 00:15:51,408 --> 00:15:52,012 goes, 341 00:15:55,902 --> 00:15:58,132 I don't know what they're saying because it's not interesting to me at all. 342 00:15:58,132 --> 00:15:58,416 now. 343 00:15:58,454 --> 00:16:01,380 So I just want to go back and David Kessler, I'm going to put you on the 344 00:16:01,386 --> 00:16:04,342 spot because I want people to know where we came from. So, 345 00:16:05,272 --> 00:16:08,148 David Kessler, you came to one of our earliest conferences. We're so 346 00:16:08,170 --> 00:16:10,920 lucky. You've been a part of our community for so long. You also 347 00:16:11,006 --> 00:16:13,848 have co dreamed with us. And we did 348 00:16:13,870 --> 00:16:16,696 not have signs. We did not have snacks. In fact, 349 00:16:16,814 --> 00:16:19,144 I very much remember Marcus and I were on 350 00:16:19,198 --> 00:16:22,088 campus. None of the students had arrived, we did not 351 00:16:22,110 --> 00:16:24,916 know where they were. And luckily, through nothing sheer 352 00:16:24,964 --> 00:16:27,304 of love and trust, I called David Kessler 353 00:16:27,368 --> 00:16:30,316 and you were at the airport. Do you remember 354 00:16:30,354 --> 00:16:33,252 this? You were at the airport and you were about to get on the bus. I said, don't 355 00:16:33,272 --> 00:16:36,128 get on the bus. And I gave you a list of vague descriptions of 356 00:16:36,150 --> 00:16:39,116 people who were all ADHD and just wandering. 357 00:16:39,244 --> 00:16:41,922 I was like, Go find them 358 00:16:44,692 --> 00:16:45,392 from here. 359 00:16:45,462 --> 00:16:46,464 I love this. 360 00:16:46,598 --> 00:16:49,536 But this is where we began holding the one 361 00:16:49,574 --> 00:16:52,468 thing that was true, which is at the end, we had things that people were 362 00:16:52,490 --> 00:16:55,220 going to say that was meaningful. But what did you do, David? Because this is what is the 363 00:16:55,226 --> 00:16:58,180 embodiment of our community. You didn't shame me, for one. You 364 00:16:58,186 --> 00:17:00,436 said, I'll get off the bus. And then what happened? 365 00:17:00,634 --> 00:17:03,608 I'm on it. I'm excited. Let's do this. And I 366 00:17:03,630 --> 00:17:06,376 think one of the last things I remember you saying is, 367 00:17:06,494 --> 00:17:09,336 they should be wearing look for people that look lost or 368 00:17:09,374 --> 00:17:11,562 have eye to eye here. And I was like, got it. 369 00:17:12,092 --> 00:17:14,772 I was running through the airport, 370 00:17:14,932 --> 00:17:17,736 and whenever I'd see anyone with an eye to eye 371 00:17:17,784 --> 00:17:19,448 thing, I'd be like, you eye to eye? 372 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:19,788 You're here? 373 00:17:19,810 --> 00:17:22,284 And they're like, yes. I'd be like, Come with me. We have to find the others. 374 00:17:22,338 --> 00:17:22,942 And 375 00:17:25,812 --> 00:17:28,732 it was like, collect them all. Like Pokemon adventure, 376 00:17:28,812 --> 00:17:31,648 but didn't know it. It was like, all of a sudden, we had, 377 00:17:31,670 --> 00:17:34,438 like, 15 people. We're like a 378 00:17:34,460 --> 00:17:37,222 crew working through, screaming like, who's here for the 379 00:17:37,372 --> 00:17:40,346 people don't know what's going on. People do know what's going on. It was 380 00:17:40,384 --> 00:17:43,306 amazing. And I think we filled one 381 00:17:43,344 --> 00:17:46,074 bus and sent it back. And there was, like, another bus we had to set. 382 00:17:46,128 --> 00:17:48,954 And we kept finding it was so much 383 00:17:49,008 --> 00:17:51,822 fun. I remember I had so much fun. 384 00:17:51,972 --> 00:17:54,936 Sorry doing that. it was like, I 385 00:17:54,974 --> 00:17:57,880 can help. I can help people. And all they want 386 00:17:57,886 --> 00:17:59,802 me to do is be nice to people. 387 00:18:01,052 --> 00:18:03,704 That was like sorry. So much fun. 388 00:18:03,838 --> 00:18:06,476 I put David on the spot to share that story because I really 389 00:18:06,514 --> 00:18:09,276 appreciate what you said, Isabel. And 390 00:18:09,314 --> 00:18:12,241 also, when I think about the next 25 years, we're going to 391 00:18:12,241 --> 00:18:14,988 have all the snacks. We're going to have all the fidgets. We're going to make sure the environment is 392 00:18:15,010 --> 00:18:17,936 supportive of your needs and everyone's needs. We figured that stuff 393 00:18:17,974 --> 00:18:20,936 out that's really been important to us. And so, I really appreciate those 394 00:18:20,958 --> 00:18:23,716 reflections. But we haven't lost what David 395 00:18:23,748 --> 00:18:26,708 Kessler did, and we haven't lost what you experienced at the very 396 00:18:26,734 --> 00:18:29,244 end of your story, which is I feel like 397 00:18:29,282 --> 00:18:31,996 organizations can lose themselves. We are an 398 00:18:32,018 --> 00:18:34,904 education equity organization. We are youth 399 00:18:34,952 --> 00:18:37,820 driven, as you said at the very beginning. And now 400 00:18:37,890 --> 00:18:40,688 our jobs all people. I'm a little older than the 401 00:18:40,694 --> 00:18:43,616 39 years I got you by four, but 402 00:18:43,638 --> 00:18:46,464 we're in the same bucket. We are here to set 403 00:18:46,502 --> 00:18:49,376 up the next generation of young people to ask 404 00:18:49,398 --> 00:18:51,820 for what they need and to change the school systems forever. 405 00:18:51,980 --> 00:18:54,836 And it's been a privilege to go from the young person who 406 00:18:54,858 --> 00:18:57,540 was doing that and David, from you doing 407 00:18:57,610 --> 00:19:00,324 that to now we get to talk about how we're really 408 00:19:00,362 --> 00:19:02,944 supporting this next generation. So when we go to visit 409 00:19:02,992 --> 00:19:05,896 schools and it's such a diverse group of schools that we 410 00:19:05,918 --> 00:19:08,516 work in, I feel so excited 411 00:19:08,628 --> 00:19:11,396 because the kids aren't looking where to go. They're 412 00:19:11,428 --> 00:19:13,176 just waiting to say what they. 413 00:19:13,198 --> 00:19:14,090 Need to say. 414 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,436 What they need to say. There's this moment where I want to 415 00:19:21,458 --> 00:19:24,434 be a little cynical. coming from a world of therapy and 416 00:19:24,472 --> 00:19:27,278 psychology, one of the things that happens in therapy 417 00:19:27,294 --> 00:19:30,166 that isn't always so helpful is just like, going into the 418 00:19:30,188 --> 00:19:33,026 gory details all the time, right. Trauma, 419 00:19:33,058 --> 00:19:35,974 bonding, it's not so good. And so I'm very 420 00:19:36,012 --> 00:19:38,966 used to people saying, you got to share your story. And then I 421 00:19:38,988 --> 00:19:41,814 almost want to eye roll. Okay, I really want to share 422 00:19:41,852 --> 00:19:44,746 my story. And then this is 423 00:19:44,768 --> 00:19:47,610 a long time ago, by the way, but then when I 424 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,666 met you, Flink and Marcus, one of the things you were talking about at 425 00:19:50,688 --> 00:19:53,420 the Oi was, you need to know your story. 426 00:19:54,350 --> 00:19:57,134 Talk about your story, talk about how you got here. And I 427 00:19:57,172 --> 00:20:00,052 remember thinking, when you were saying that, Marcus, like, I'm a 428 00:20:00,106 --> 00:20:02,948 fraud. The last thing I want to 429 00:20:02,954 --> 00:20:05,928 do is tell anyone how I got here. 430 00:20:06,094 --> 00:20:08,824 And I don't think that's going to be really healing for 431 00:20:08,862 --> 00:20:10,890 anyone. And then, 432 00:20:11,980 --> 00:20:14,584 Marcus, I think you let it off by talking about, 433 00:20:14,622 --> 00:20:17,576 your know, 434 00:20:17,598 --> 00:20:20,488 and I'm not here to share your like and then another person shared 435 00:20:20,504 --> 00:20:23,256 their story. And what I started noticing when I was hearing everyone's 436 00:20:23,288 --> 00:20:23,980 stories, 437 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,036 how much I wasn't alone, how much of 438 00:20:29,058 --> 00:20:31,900 these things that I felt like I needed to hide, everyone 439 00:20:31,970 --> 00:20:34,832 else was talking about. And it was like this first 440 00:20:34,886 --> 00:20:37,794 time where, I became aware of a culture. I didn't even know it was 441 00:20:37,832 --> 00:20:40,660 culture back then. I just became aware of, like, 442 00:20:41,210 --> 00:20:44,146 I'm not deficient in this group. I'm 443 00:20:44,178 --> 00:20:45,960 not different in this group. 444 00:20:48,570 --> 00:20:51,334 And I'm wondering, Marcus, what was it 445 00:20:51,372 --> 00:20:54,246 for you where you realized was 446 00:20:54,268 --> 00:20:57,258 there a moment where you realized, we need to hear 447 00:20:57,344 --> 00:21:00,266 these kids talk about their stories? Was there 448 00:21:00,288 --> 00:21:03,034 a story in particular that you heard? How did 449 00:21:03,072 --> 00:21:06,042 you really come to understand 450 00:21:06,176 --> 00:21:08,746 this need, and where did you see it 451 00:21:08,768 --> 00:21:09,340 work? 452 00:21:10,130 --> 00:21:13,054 Yeah, I think really, the phrase that I've often used, 453 00:21:13,092 --> 00:21:15,886 I think that eye to eye does in the beginning of the 454 00:21:15,908 --> 00:21:18,622 process, we take people through going from 455 00:21:18,756 --> 00:21:21,626 not talking to anyone about this to being nd and proud, 456 00:21:21,658 --> 00:21:24,514 to be proud of their neurodiversity, the badge that they 457 00:21:24,552 --> 00:21:26,862 wear. We've made the invisible 458 00:21:26,926 --> 00:21:29,902 visible. And there is this hidden culture. 459 00:21:29,966 --> 00:21:32,866 There is this hidden connection. There is this hidden bond that 460 00:21:32,888 --> 00:21:35,574 we have from everything. From how we experience 461 00:21:35,692 --> 00:21:38,594 the trauma of going through school and being labeled 462 00:21:38,642 --> 00:21:41,606 different and medication and all those things that young kids are going through 463 00:21:41,628 --> 00:21:44,614 as they're developing to something as simple as I know 464 00:21:44,652 --> 00:21:47,522 a Dyslexic person by the fact that they point at the menu 465 00:21:47,586 --> 00:21:50,486 when they go out to dinner, that they point at the food item 466 00:21:50,518 --> 00:21:53,466 they want, as opposed to say it because they're afraid they're going to read it out 467 00:21:53,488 --> 00:21:56,346 loud. Wrong. I have been at dinner with people and had to 468 00:21:56,368 --> 00:21:59,046 watch them do that and go, you dyslexic. And they'll 469 00:21:59,078 --> 00:22:01,840 go, Why do you ask me that? 470 00:22:02,610 --> 00:22:05,546 Because you didn't want to pronounce the Italian dish 471 00:22:05,578 --> 00:22:08,446 wrong. And you pointed to, like, I 472 00:22:08,468 --> 00:22:11,342 think there's a hidden aspect to this. And 473 00:22:11,396 --> 00:22:13,922 I think that there was a point early 474 00:22:13,976 --> 00:22:16,914 on that I was wondering I saw this working for young 475 00:22:16,952 --> 00:22:19,714 adults. I saw this working for me. I saw Dave tell his 476 00:22:19,752 --> 00:22:22,686 story. I saw, okay, there's value in his story. I connected 477 00:22:22,718 --> 00:22:25,586 with it. We had never even met each other. Like, the first time 478 00:22:25,608 --> 00:22:28,598 Dave and I talked on the phone, he just 479 00:22:28,604 --> 00:22:31,526 started telling me his story. And I was like, this guy is 480 00:22:31,548 --> 00:22:34,466 from Atlanta. He goes to Brown. I grew up in Massachusetts. I'm at keen 481 00:22:34,498 --> 00:22:37,412 state. We don't know each other, and, everything he's saying, 482 00:22:37,466 --> 00:22:40,150 like, nine out of ten, I'm connecting with. 483 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,574 But I was working with a young student, in Eye to 484 00:22:43,612 --> 00:22:46,556 Eye, before I went full time 485 00:22:46,578 --> 00:22:49,376 in Idaho, before we had enough money to pay for both of us to have a 486 00:22:49,398 --> 00:22:52,336 job. And I was running an eye to 487 00:22:52,358 --> 00:22:55,184 eye chapter after school and working 488 00:22:55,222 --> 00:22:57,952 in another school that I wasn't teaching in, and 489 00:22:58,006 --> 00:23:00,864 working with a group of mentors and running the art room there. 490 00:23:00,982 --> 00:23:03,824 That's, what we call the art room because we do art projects with students to 491 00:23:03,846 --> 00:23:06,640 build social emotional skills. And the project 492 00:23:06,694 --> 00:23:09,264 we were doing at the time was called the 493 00:23:09,286 --> 00:23:12,272 Invention Project. And the idea was to think 494 00:23:12,310 --> 00:23:14,820 of something that, Einstein was 495 00:23:14,842 --> 00:23:17,700 dyslexic, and he was an inventor. So that's kind of where the origin of 496 00:23:17,722 --> 00:23:20,400 this idea came from. And there's a lot of dyslexic 497 00:23:20,432 --> 00:23:23,428 inventors and innovators invent something that would deal with 498 00:23:23,466 --> 00:23:25,574 the biggest problem you have in school. 499 00:23:26,104 --> 00:23:29,080 Like, think about what was the biggest thing that's tripping you 500 00:23:29,102 --> 00:23:31,928 up, that makes you hate school the most. So some kids 501 00:23:31,966 --> 00:23:34,920 were picking academic things, like spell pens that 502 00:23:34,942 --> 00:23:37,892 spelled for them, and kind of more like specific things that 503 00:23:37,918 --> 00:23:40,780 were tied to that. But this other kid, this kid said 504 00:23:40,802 --> 00:23:43,660 to us, he said, I hate school because I get 505 00:23:43,682 --> 00:23:46,444 bullied for having to use extended time in school, 506 00:23:46,594 --> 00:23:49,504 in class, like having to take a test, he has to leave the room, 507 00:23:49,574 --> 00:23:52,320 all of that. And he was shamed by 508 00:23:52,342 --> 00:23:55,088 it. So he created this thing called the bully. Be 509 00:23:55,126 --> 00:23:57,740 gone. And it was this invention 510 00:23:57,852 --> 00:24:00,720 that would shield bullies, like, whatever they were 511 00:24:00,742 --> 00:24:03,700 saying it would bounce off of them. He called it the Death Star for 512 00:24:03,722 --> 00:24:05,654 bullies, like, nothing could get through. 513 00:24:06,024 --> 00:24:08,916 And the way he was able to use art 514 00:24:08,970 --> 00:24:11,588 and in a space around other young people and to 515 00:24:11,626 --> 00:24:14,356 communicate the thing that he was struggling with at most, 516 00:24:14,490 --> 00:24:17,092 and then to have other near peer role 517 00:24:17,108 --> 00:24:19,448 models give him advice on how to navigate that 518 00:24:19,486 --> 00:24:22,104 problem. I was like, this is something 519 00:24:22,174 --> 00:24:25,108 truly powerful, and this is something that is powerful 520 00:24:25,156 --> 00:24:28,140 for a 19 year old, a 25 year old, a ten 521 00:24:28,162 --> 00:24:31,050 year old, twelve, year old. And it 522 00:24:31,072 --> 00:24:33,498 didn't matter where we were from or what experiences we 523 00:24:33,536 --> 00:24:36,458 had. That was that emotional experience and that 524 00:24:36,496 --> 00:24:39,198 ability to support each other and build that 525 00:24:39,236 --> 00:24:41,818 community that actually tangibly made a difference in people's 526 00:24:41,866 --> 00:24:44,638 lives. That moment with that kid 527 00:24:44,676 --> 00:24:47,184 TJ, that was when I was in. 528 00:24:50,274 --> 00:24:52,766 So many feelings. So many 529 00:24:52,820 --> 00:24:55,374 feelings. Oh, my gosh. Well, 530 00:24:55,444 --> 00:24:57,810 okay. my brain is going 80 places. 531 00:24:57,954 --> 00:25:00,518 Something that I'm thinking about as you're talking. 532 00:25:00,588 --> 00:25:03,494 One, I'm so curious, because you 533 00:25:03,516 --> 00:25:06,150 two, David and Mark, is you both have 534 00:25:06,204 --> 00:25:09,106 really cool not to say that eye 535 00:25:09,122 --> 00:25:11,910 to eyes in a job, but you also have a lot of expertise 536 00:25:11,974 --> 00:25:14,794 and cool stuff you have added into the 537 00:25:14,816 --> 00:25:17,450 mix, right? Like, Marcus, you were just describing running this art 538 00:25:17,504 --> 00:25:20,288 room, and as an educator right. 539 00:25:20,658 --> 00:25:23,566 I want to know a little more and I want to know a little more how you got each 540 00:25:23,572 --> 00:25:26,350 other's numbers, because I'm like, that's so cool. 541 00:25:26,484 --> 00:25:29,310 And also, who put the two together? 542 00:25:29,444 --> 00:25:32,224 What's the me cute here? and then the 543 00:25:32,246 --> 00:25:35,136 other question I have around or the other thought I had as 544 00:25:35,142 --> 00:25:37,952 you were sharing that story because I don't want to go 545 00:25:37,990 --> 00:25:39,538 everywhere, was 546 00:25:41,028 --> 00:25:44,004 what I think about is, like, trauma mastery, right? Which is like 547 00:25:44,026 --> 00:25:47,012 that impulse or that sense we have when we have 548 00:25:47,050 --> 00:25:49,844 survived something, even when we don't label it a 549 00:25:49,866 --> 00:25:52,616 trauma or recognize it as such. Which, for the record, 550 00:25:52,702 --> 00:25:55,444 I just want to speak to bullying 551 00:25:55,636 --> 00:25:58,360 as a massive trauma, okay? 552 00:25:58,494 --> 00:26:01,448 It has massive long term impacts on people, 553 00:26:01,598 --> 00:26:04,340 especially if it goes unrecognized and unacknowledged 554 00:26:04,404 --> 00:26:07,278 and there is no recourse. Right? So 555 00:26:07,648 --> 00:26:10,552 this is a real thing that happens that devalues 556 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,340 you. It dehumanizes you, it leaves you feeling less than, 557 00:26:13,394 --> 00:26:16,252 and it changes a lot of how you then 558 00:26:16,290 --> 00:26:19,072 relate to others in the world, including yourself. So imagine it's this 559 00:26:19,110 --> 00:26:21,932 big deal thing, okay? And you're 560 00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:24,768 able to put art 561 00:26:24,838 --> 00:26:27,504 or movement or just expression to it 562 00:26:27,606 --> 00:26:30,464 because it goes beyond words, right? Like, you could talk about it all 563 00:26:30,486 --> 00:26:33,252 day, but the fact that you can express it and 564 00:26:33,290 --> 00:26:35,908 have someone who kind of resonates with that 565 00:26:36,058 --> 00:26:39,044 what I think about is what it means for those 566 00:26:39,146 --> 00:26:42,004 near peer mentors. Like the older kid. I 567 00:26:42,026 --> 00:26:44,678 say kid. Young adult, really, right? 568 00:26:45,228 --> 00:26:48,008 Youth. The youth. The older youth. 569 00:26:48,908 --> 00:26:51,822 So old. It's fine. what it 570 00:26:51,860 --> 00:26:54,308 means for them to 571 00:26:56,678 --> 00:26:59,474 I know, for myself. And it's not. Just because I'm a 572 00:26:59,496 --> 00:27:02,494 parent. This is how I feel for all my clients. 573 00:27:02,606 --> 00:27:04,738 I want to spare you the suffering 574 00:27:05,078 --> 00:27:07,806 that I went through, ultimately. 575 00:27:07,902 --> 00:27:10,894 Right. I think you go into these helping fields, 576 00:27:10,926 --> 00:27:13,830 you go into this work because you're like, I just want the world 577 00:27:13,884 --> 00:27:16,774 to not have that. I want to make it a little better than 578 00:27:16,796 --> 00:27:19,746 it was before I got here, kind of. So 579 00:27:19,932 --> 00:27:22,822 I'm struck by the amount of healing. 580 00:27:22,870 --> 00:27:25,466 And when I say trauma mastery, what happens 581 00:27:25,552 --> 00:27:28,314 when you help change the outcome of 582 00:27:28,336 --> 00:27:31,234 another person's story? It's not your job to it's not your role 583 00:27:31,286 --> 00:27:34,238 to but to recognize that you matter 584 00:27:34,388 --> 00:27:37,210 and to recognize that you can kind of transmute 585 00:27:37,274 --> 00:27:39,648 that wound into something that 586 00:27:40,258 --> 00:27:42,558 helps someone else feel less alone. 587 00:27:43,538 --> 00:27:46,506 When you say you felt it in that room, I don't 588 00:27:46,522 --> 00:27:49,442 know, I'm just kind of waxing on. But it's like, I 589 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,714 know that's, like, the healing. You felt the 590 00:27:51,736 --> 00:27:54,370 healing. I've talked a lot. Does that make any 591 00:27:54,424 --> 00:27:55,028 sense? 592 00:27:56,278 --> 00:27:56,594 Yeah. 593 00:27:56,616 --> 00:27:59,602 No, I think that was also when I saw it, happening 594 00:27:59,656 --> 00:28:02,582 on the other end with our young adults. People 595 00:28:02,636 --> 00:28:05,510 often ask, I'm always surprised young people keep showing up. 596 00:28:05,580 --> 00:28:08,534 There's a little piece of me that's always just so happy that they keep 597 00:28:08,572 --> 00:28:11,442 showing up. And I think one of the big fundamental differences 598 00:28:11,506 --> 00:28:14,326 between us and other organizations maybe have brought 599 00:28:14,358 --> 00:28:17,210 people together to solve the same kinds of issues 600 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,234 or work through the same kinds of issues, is that the first thing 601 00:28:20,272 --> 00:28:23,214 we say is, your story matters and it can change the life 602 00:28:23,252 --> 00:28:25,600 of someone else. And, 603 00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:29,216 every time we starting Night Eye in those first few schools, they 604 00:28:29,238 --> 00:28:32,000 would say, we tried a support group for, those 605 00:28:32,054 --> 00:28:34,992 students and nobody showed up. There was free pizza, the whole thing, and 606 00:28:35,030 --> 00:28:37,764 nobody came. And I was like, I think because you labeled it a 607 00:28:37,786 --> 00:28:40,772 support group and the only draw was 608 00:28:40,810 --> 00:28:43,584 free pizza, which they can get in the dining comments. 609 00:28:43,696 --> 00:28:46,292 So it was like, how do we bring people together and 610 00:28:46,330 --> 00:28:49,184 say, your story matters and you have something to do 611 00:28:49,226 --> 00:28:51,672 that you can make a difference? And it was that 612 00:28:51,710 --> 00:28:54,584 tangible action that they could take that made the 613 00:28:54,606 --> 00:28:57,592 difference and made the shift that they could use their story 614 00:28:57,630 --> 00:29:00,284 to change another person's life. And then there was a sense of 615 00:29:00,306 --> 00:29:03,116 responsibility and ownership to that, that they had to 616 00:29:03,122 --> 00:29:05,674 communicate that to somebody else, as well as they kept 617 00:29:05,706 --> 00:29:07,808 fulfilling their cup as well. 618 00:29:08,738 --> 00:29:11,694 Thank you so much for listening. If you ever have that thought where you 619 00:29:11,716 --> 00:29:14,174 think, hey, I have nothing, stop. Remember, 620 00:29:14,276 --> 00:29:16,158 you're something's shiny. 621 00:29:16,238 --> 00:29:19,074 That's right, just as you are. If you 622 00:29:19,096 --> 00:29:21,698 like what you heard, and you want to hear more free 623 00:29:21,768 --> 00:29:24,210 episodes of this podcast, please 624 00:29:24,344 --> 00:29:27,154 subscribe, rate and review. Anywhere you listen to 625 00:29:27,176 --> 00:29:30,142 podcasts, we're on Instagram as Something Shiny 626 00:29:30,190 --> 00:29:33,090 podcast. And if you're looking for more information, 627 00:29:33,224 --> 00:29:35,878 useful links, definition, visuals, 628 00:29:35,958 --> 00:29:38,794 everything we can think of and more is on our 629 00:29:38,816 --> 00:29:42,426 website@somethingshinypodcast.com 630 00:29:42,512 --> 00:29:45,002 and it's all free. Thank you so much for 631 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,788 listening. And we'll see you in two weeks.