December 30, 2025 • 30 mins
Join Stormy as she talks to Sam O'Bryant, President and CEO of Bridges Memphis.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Pulse.
Ladies and gentlemen. I got another special guest on the show.
I know, I know, I tell you that every week,
but I do have another special guest. I am Stormy.
It is the Pulse. We keep our fingertips on the
pulse of our community. And this week Bridges is in
the house. Ay Stormy, Yay, it's an old friend. I
(00:23):
think I talked to you, what about a year ago
this time.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Just about a year ago?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Huh yah, well yeah, give for take yeah, yeah, Well
welcome back, Sam O'Brien.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Well, thank you Stormy, thank you for having me, thank
you for letting me come back.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, I would thank you for coming back because the
last time you were here, you were in a different role,
well maybe the same role, but just with a different organization. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
So this time, yes, So this time I am the
president and CEO of Bridges USA. So coming up, Well,
just recently passed the year. So I started there December
twenty twenty four, so it's been a year and I
don't know a week and a half a year and
a week or so since I've started.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, but Bridges has been here for how long Oh.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
My goodness, a little more than one hundred years. Bridges
has roots going back to the nineteen twenties being associated
with Catholic charities. Over its iterations, it's been, you know,
just a few different names. So at one point it
was Youth Service USA. But around nineteen eighty eight, so
we're coming up on about forty years since then, it
(01:30):
started to use the title Bridges USA exclusively and the
reason is because of the inclusion of bridge Builder curriculum,
which is used throughout the summer conference that we coordinate.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, so, was that separate bridge Builders and Bridges.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Or bridge Builders is a program of Bridges, So Bridges
is your umbrella organization. Bridge Builders is one of three
programs that Bridges manages through its programmatic offering.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Okay, so how's it been since you've been there?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
It's been great, you know, it's you know, I tell
people that the thing that I'm getting used to this
is just me. I'm a country board at my heart.
We have our own building, right and it's downtown. It's
in the uptown downtown area right there on the corner
of Fifth Street and A. W. Willis Avenue. Over fifty
five thousand square feet sits on the entire city block.
(02:25):
Prior to that, in previous roles, I was in an
office space that we rented. So now I'm in my
own building. So oftentimes if you know, if something goes wrong,
is you don't call the landlord, right, you got you
gotta gotta fix it. So it's almost like managing the house. Okay,
But but it's it's been a fantastic sort of thing
(02:46):
the we being able to work with young people directly.
This is kind of a return to earlier career work
that I had done. We're getting to see a lot
of ideas kind of developed at this younger age, but
we see how they are, how they work within the
existing community, how they work with existing policymakers, and it's really.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
A beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Okay, Now that's the part of the bridge Builders part
of what you do.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
That's that's the beginning of it, and I can get
into each of it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So yeah, so the other arms are besides bridge Builders,
there's what else you have.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Our Youth Action Center, which in many ways is a
I would say a growth from bridge Builders. To briefly
sort of explain it. When the student goes through bridge Builders,
they're finding finding out more about themselves. So there's a
self discovery component. They're founding out more about Memphis, so
there's this sort of location discovery component.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
And they do that location discovery and their self discovery.
They put it all together to create the leader that
is within them, Okay, and we encourage them to use
that newly found leader to you know, be active in
their their school or in their church and their community.
The Youth Action Center, which is the one of our
one of our programs, the second program of Bridges.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Is a continuation of that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
So we do have young people that will say, I
learned all this great stuff in Bridges. I'm learning about myself,
I'm learning about Memphis, I'm learning all these leadership skills,
but I need somewhere to apply it, right, And so
the Youth Action Center permissed them to do that, and
we have I think we have six different councils within
the Youth Action Center by which a young person can
(04:20):
participate in.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
One I want to highlight is the Shelby County Youth Council,
which mirrors the Shelby County Commission what so. Yeah, So
we have thirteen young people who liaised with the thirteen
county commissioners.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Pushing issues, pushing challenges, but also pushing solutions to that
elected body and hopes that it becomes, you know, institutionalized
public policy.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Wow. So bridge Builders is really a bridge building. Seriously,
you're doing exactly what the name says. But I didn't know,
I guess I didn't really know what bridge Builders was
us or even Bridges. I didn't know what the function was.
So that's good to know. And then you've got this
(05:06):
youth action the action center okay, youth Action center.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
And then the third component, So we have bridge Builders
Youth Action Center. Our third component is team Bridges. This
is where we bring adults. Oftentimes, when we bring adults
into the into the space, Okay, we'll have a corporate team,
we'll have an organization, they're say, hey, you know, we
we work well together as a as a as a
as a unit, but we we could be better. And
that's when they come into Bridges and they participate in
(05:31):
our team building activities through experiential learning opportunities. So basically
it's a team building component that brings in Again, this
is how we engage typically engage adult spaces. So if
you've ever been to bridges. You know, we have a
that rock That rock climbing wall is I don't know,
thirty feet I guess. So we have the rock climbing
wall in our in our facility. That's just part of
(05:54):
the team building exercise. That's that's the that's the I
think the most recognizable component of it.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
So so let me ask you this. I don't mean
to cut you off. You can hold where you were holding.
So so if if like iHeartMedia Memphis, if we decided
we wanted to come and use that, can we as
a team building exercise? Is that something that's available to.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yes, and we want you to come on over.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yes, really, uh, and we're climbing up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
That's part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
We don't make you climb, but you know, but if
you all would like to include that it's part of
the team building, we won't stop you.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Oh wow. So you take people from companies in town
that want to you utilize bridges to build their teams.
Goodness gracious.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
So you do a lot, Yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You're making leaders out of young folks, putting them in
the political environment, yes, and helping them to really become leader.
It's kind of strengthening their I guess political muscle.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, Yeah, we say they're there, their their civic muscle,
their advocacy muscle, all those things.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
And then to that third point, we also bring in
grown folks, adults to come in and also participate in
team buildings. So the core of Bridges, just to kind
of bring it all together is leadership development. Specifically, we
really lean on youth leadership development yea, because we've shown
that youth can they can lead right now with where
(07:20):
they are in the spaces in their schools or with
elected bodies. But these young people grow up and they
become adults. And what we've found, because we have a
vast alumni network, is that a lot of our alarms
they get into what we may call purpose driven careers,
so they're leading government agencies, they're leading nonprofit organizations, or
(07:41):
they may be involved in corporate social responsibility that a
lot of their leanings toward that level of service is
rooted in the work that they did with Bridges.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Wow. Wow. So some of the stories that you hear
from your alumni that have gone away and maybe talk
about what you do or give back to Bridges, what
do they say, you know, how Bridges affected them.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
What what Bridges did for a lot of our alums,
and what they'll say is it brought them close to
people that they probably never would have met.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Wow, so you got to you mean in the city or.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Within within the city and within the county. So you know,
what we look at is that, you know, leadership can
live within anyone regardless of your zip code, regardless of
your income, regardless of whatever your socioeconomic status is, and
Bridges brings well, we attempt to bring.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
All these people together. So we to that.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You know, we were open to students that are in
public schools, students that are in private schools, charter school,
home school. Again, no matter the municipality, it does not matter,
call your Calrville, Bartlett, whomever.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, at what age can they become a part of Bridges?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Are we we do about grade bands? So rising seventh
grade to rising eleventh grade?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Oh wow, take as early seventh grade.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yes, so it's awesome to that point, just a quick
chameless plug. Our summer application process is now open.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
If you go to our website Bridges USA dot org.
At the top of the page, there's a tab that
says click here to apply. So students that are I
would say currently in the sixth grade that are going
to seventh, all the way up to students who are
currently in the eleventh grade going to the twelfth please apply.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Wow. Okay, so that's a lot of people that can.
I love it that you've opened it up to everybody.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I think that's beautiful because that means that everybody kind
of I guess it makes it more of a give
everybody a chance. It's basically what I'm trying to say,
if you're willing.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And also to that, you know, we grouped them accordingly.
So our seventh to eighth grade students will be working,
you know, intersection of the building, you know, with on
their work. Ninth and tenth grade will be in another
section of the building working on the things that they
have going on. But our eleventh twelfth grade students are
housed at the University of Memphis, so they even get that,
(10:06):
you know, that sort of first experienced college.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Now you said housed. So when they come into Bridges,
are they coming into Priss kind of like a school.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Well, so.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Those grade bands seven through tenth parents dropped them off
and picked them up, dropped them off in the morning,
pick them up In Africa, okay, seventh I mean eleven
and twelfth grade.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
You're staying overnight for for a week?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Really, okay? Okay for a week, yes, okay for a
part of the programs. It's not like case day all year.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Oh no, no, no, no, no no, no.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Said, they stay on the campus in the University of.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I'm like, no, it's for their week.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Okay, okay. But I love it though. I love it
that it sounds like the kids get to do something
that I think as far as you know, for those
parents that are listening, sometimes as parents, we have to
kind of push our children in a direction and then
they've realized, oh, this is what I really needed.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
And the funny thing about that that also goes into
like that that range of students that we get. So
you have some students they're like, hey, you know my
teacher recommended it. You know, my brother did it a
few years back, or like my sister did, or even
we're at the point now like my mom did this
when she was in high school.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So yeah, right, because one hundred years forty years for bridges.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, and so you have those students that are excited
and ready to do it, and then you're going to
have the students that are like, look, I'm here because
my dad made me and no, we got something for
them too.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
But at the end of the week, everybody feels.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Connected to something, everyone feels excited about what they just completed.
So you know, again it doesn't matter, you know, if
you're kind of pushing your kid along, at the end
of the week, they will have enjoyed it and they
may want to come back again the next year.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
So do you go into the public schools MSCs or
any of the surrounding municipalities and talk to them about
bridges and the work that you do to encourage their
students to come.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Yes, that's part of our recruitment strategy. So we manage
relationships with several schools. UH, any schools that will have us,
you know, we will come in and just walk through
what you know, what what it means to be a
bridge builder. Our recruitment team often coordinates that with either
counselors or you know people on that on the administrative
staff UH to either speak to the those those staff
(12:24):
members or speak to a selected group of students. So, yes,
we are open to you know, coming into anybody school.
Like I said, and that's again it's not just public.
You know, we have a number of students that attend
private schools that that are in our program as well.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Okay, Sam O'Bryant, Ladies and gentlemen here with bridges talking
about bridge Builders.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Team team Bridges, Bridges and the Youth Action Center Youth.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Actions because the team bridges because it's you know, for
those of that are listening and maybe you want to, well,
let me you tell me the team bridges. How do
adults get involved in that?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Oh, they can reach us directly.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
So and but what's the criteria? So so I could
be in Team Builders or Team Well.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
It's not a it's not a residential component like like
the summer program. This is this is typically a one
or maybe a two day sort of exercise that you
do with your say just say, for exam, what's your employer?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Okay, okay, yeah, we kind of talked about that already.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Okay, so yeah, so yeah, so it's to your point,
like if the iHeart Team is like, hey, you know,
we're we say, we got some new folks on staff
and we want to kind of you know, really bring
folks in understand the culture of the iHeart Team. Let's
start with an exercise at Bridges, you can you can
reach us and we can coordinate all that for you.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I'm going to suggest it to our boss around here.
I'm storming it is the pulse.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Now.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
You got to tell me, Sam, what is If people
want to reach you these different businesses around town, how
do they get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
The best way to reach us is on our websit.
Our website is Bridges USA dot org. From there, there's uh,
there's tabs on there where you can just kind of
reach out to us and just you know, what what
fits what you want to do. So again, like right now,
our our application process is open for the summer conference,
and so if you want to sign your student up
(14:19):
for that, you apply there. Then there are other tabs
that say, hey, do you want to even if you want,
you want to rent our space our space really yes, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So is that kind of the way one of the
ways that you guys raise money for the program as well?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Exactly, Okay, I like that.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay, So I remember we have we have fifty five
thousand square feet of of building usage that that you know,
we we love to show off and and you know,
walk people through if they're if they're looking to host
an event or or or host a meeting or anything
of the sort.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Oh okay, and maybe people didn't know that. Do a
lot of people know that that y'all do that.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We have a good bit of people that know.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
So, like shout out to Leadership Memphis every year when
they kick off their their program.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I was thinking about them.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Yeah, they start at bridges when they have I think
it's called three two to one, when they do a
three day sort of retreat with members of their executive class.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
They start that air bridges.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Wow, I was thinking about them when you were talking
about the team Builders and I was thinking about Leadership. Well,
not team builders, but your bridge Builders sound something like
a younger version of Leadership Memphis.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
It's been called that before. Yes, look, we loved to
shout out to Reginald Porter. He's the new president CEO
over at Leadership Memphis. Reggie, if you're listening, we love
to talk about how we can build this thing and
make it some sort of continuation.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
I just put them on the spot.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
So, yeah, you did.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Originals. I love him though he knows I love them.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So I'm looking at your website and the pictures that
I'm seeing of the Youth Action Center. Is that the
part of the building where you allow people to come
and rent out or is it where you know when
you walk in, because I can't imagine what the building
it looks like. I'm trying to find pictures of it.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Over in that part of the building there are different
work rooms that are that are open to to rental
use it, and I can't recall them all right now,
but I want to say that there is there's a
conference room over there that's open for that. There are
four meeting rooms that are open, and then there's a
(16:28):
sort of a we call it our mosaic rooms. It
has a few more windows to it, so it's this
natural sunlight sort of deal going on. I think that's
open for rentals too, Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
And then you have change. Did you tell me about
that We change fellowships?
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Well, yes, the Social Change Fellowships. That is a component
of the Youth Action Center. So we do have young
people that participate as Youth Action Centers social Change fellows
One that I do want to shout out is a
young man in Christian Love. He recently won one of
the Keeper of the Dream awards at the Freedom of
Awards the Rice Museum. Christian has been doing outstanding work
(17:06):
over the last year. He's created this platform called Opportunity
Bridge nine oh one where he has kind of pieced
all of these different leadership and club opportunities that are
external of schools, kind of pieced them.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
All together on his website.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
And what he does he shares that with different young
people so that they can know what are the different
leadership opportunities I can participate in.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
That is awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
So, yeah, Christian is doing some outstanding work. And he's
one of the Social Change Fellows.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Wow, okay, So that means he's one of the ones
that I guess follow the commissioners or is that what
you were telling me early?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
He's not one of those.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So when I was going back to the Youth Action Center,
there are like six different components, six different councils. The
Social Change Fellows is different from the Shelby County Youth Council.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Oh okay, okay, okay, So tell me more about the
Social Change Fellows.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So their thing, Oh is.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That what you just told me about a second ago?
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Yep, So Christian is one of those.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
So are all the Social Change Fellows they are each
of them, I think, identify an issue that they wish
to push forward.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So just by.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Example, Christian's issue was how do I get more young
people involved in leadership opportunities? And he was able to
manifest that through Opportunity Bridge nine on one.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
I love that. I love that. Bridges y'all got it
going on. And I guess that's why the name is Bridges,
because you're like bridging Yep.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
We gotta make that connection.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah, And the work has been going on for a
hundred years yep, forty years specifically for bridge Builders the program.
And I see when you go to Bridge BRIDGESUSA dot org,
right on the front of the page is where they
can become a part of the program, the bridge Builders program.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yep, click on that apply. It maybe takes about ten
minutes to complete. And I'm saying that from experience because
I had my son apply last year and it didn't
take it didn't take long at all. And so we
love to get as many young people as we can.
You know, I think our goal for this summer is
(19:10):
somewhere between six hundred to eight hundred young people we
want to participate in the program.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
So how many young people have you guys had at
one time, the most that you've had at one time.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I want to say, the biggest number we've had, probably
somewhere near a thousand, I want to yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So how do you do that? I know it's got
to be more than three people working there, because there's
three of y'all in the roads, so it's got to
be way more than y'all.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yes, it's way more.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Okay, Okay, So here I am thinking that this is
a small.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Again, that's why we got to get y'all out there.
You know y'all do live remotes, you know we do.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
We'd love to do that.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
We got to get y'all out there, don't see it
all and take place.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
But to that point, our summer conference, our, I would say,
is our It's our largest undertaking because again, if we're
trying to bring in anywhere from six hundred to eight
hundred students, typically just to kind of give a quick
staffing model of it, we typically hire about thirty two
people as summer support staff to help coordinate that.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
And then, well, you didn't say volunteer, you said hire.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Yes, ma'am, higher, Yes, we hire about sam talk, well,
you know, working in any place, we want to make
sure that people are valued and appreciated.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
For what they do and if they're getting paid, and
if they getting paid, I.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Think they work, probably work a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
That probably adds a little bit to their value and appreciation.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Hello. So so we have about thirty two people that
we hire each summer to coordinate that that that component
of the program.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
To lay it out.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
As far as time frame, the work happens over a
kind of I say, over a five week timeframe, but
it's four weeks that we actually have the program. Typically
the last two weeks the of June we skip a
week because that's the fourth of July, and then the
second and third week of July is when we do
(21:12):
the program. So kind of divvy up. If we're talking
about six hundred people, kind of divvy that up over
the four weeks. So it's like it's session. So Week
one is you know bridge builders, you know, and we
bring them in Monday, and then we do the closing
ceremony on Friday. Yeah, we all catch our breath that weekend,
and then week two starts right after that the same thing,
(21:34):
engaging young people. Then we break for the fourth of
July week. Then we come back for week three Monday
through Friday, and then week four Monday through Friday.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
What do the kids say? A lot of them after
that's over.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
You know, a lot of them are again going back
to their self discovery component. A lot of them are saying,
you know, I didn't know one I didn't know these
things about Memphis. Because we're taking them on a different
only sort of culture, sort of culture and historical journey.
So they're they're they're visiting the National Civil Rights Museum there. Uh,
they visited slave Haven. They've visited you know, Soulsville and
(22:12):
those areas over thereby I said, Maclamore where you know,
Uh it was the grocery store where.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Yeah, round by Stacks, all those different places there.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
So they're they're going on this sort of cultural historical
walk while they're doing the program and they're learning more
about Memphis. But then they're also coming back and they're saying,
I didn't know I could be pushed like this.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I didn't know I could lead in this way.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
I want to share this program with my friends and
other people.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So they're again that's self discovery changing lives, Yes, ma'am. Yes,
what we're doing mm.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Hmm, one young person at a time. Sam O'Brien's on
the show today from Bridges. You guys, if you don't
know about Bridges, maybe you need to go to their
website to see more about them Bridges USA dot or
I'm learning something. I was out years ago doing a
remote and y'all were out there at It was at
(23:08):
a Kroger years ago, and I was like, oh, bridge Builders,
that's where I first heard the name. Had no idea
what bridge Builders was or Bridges, but yeah, that was
my first introduction. But I'm glad to know today that
we're introducing Bridges and your programs to people that are
listening probably all over the country.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
And you know, and to that point, bridge Builders for
a lot of people, is that first introduction into the
work that we do. And so to your point when
we bring them in through bridge Builders, like, yes, it's
the introduction, but here's how we can walk this thing
through after you've come in at this level.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Is Bridges just in Memphis or is it a national organization?
Speaker 3 (23:52):
So we're primarily located in Memphis. We've done some i
would say some satellite location sort of work with a
location in Birmingham, and I think another location, I want
to say, it's Houston, Texas.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
So but it's it's all.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
So it's kind of like I'll say, those those locations
their satellite sort of spin offs, they're they're doing their things,
but primarily our work has been in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
That I think that's beautiful. It's like a Memphis treasure
that many of us didn't know anything about. Like Okay, Bridges,
Saint Jude, right, no, but but.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
But no, you're you're right, it's it's it's right along
that I would say that vein of you know, generosity,
their vein of what kind of makes Memphis special. And this,
in many ways, this is a this is a a
leadership cultivation effort, you know, because we want, we want
young people to to love Memphis and lead in Memphis
(24:51):
and and then you know, stick around and just make
this place, you know, fulfill this greatest promise.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And we believe that Bridges helps does that.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah, you know what, I think it's beautiful when
I think of what you do and what the Stax
Museum does with their kids. You know, they're teaching the Memphis,
the culture, the music, and then you're teaching them other
great things about Memphis. I just I think that's so beautiful.
I don't know a lot of cities that I've lived
in that they actually do that so much. And maybe
(25:20):
they did it and I just didn't know about it,
But I know from my hometown, we don't know nothing
about that place, nobody that lives there, you know what
I'm saying. So I think it's beautiful that you're teaching
young people about the history and the culture of the
of Memphis. Of course, because that's where it's going to
live on it's not I mean, you know, once we
are gone, they need to have all that so that
(25:42):
they can teach.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Right and you know, so of course that goes back
to we appreciate you bringing us on and know so
Storm like, I'm going to deputize you, so you're going
to have to just talk all the good stuff about
Bridges when you leave here. So when you're out in
the public and you know, somebody with young people and
they're like, oh, I need something for my kid to
be involved in. I know some folks at Bridges I
(26:06):
need I need. I'm deputizing you, okay, and you have
my permission. I accepted to go out there and pull in.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Help us pull in as many young people to participate.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Yeah, I think that's beautiful because we got to give
them options. And if they don't have options, you know
what I'm saying. I just think that a lot of
young folks they'll fall by the wayside if they don't
have options. We got to give them options things to do.
You know, they don't they don't know what they like
until they sometimes until they like it, you know, until
they'll get involved. And Bridges is here for your young folks.
(26:39):
So parents that are listening, grandparents that are listening, tell
your babies about Bridges. Go to bridges USA dot org
and tell them more. And Sam, do you talk to
a lot of the students when they come for the
conferences and all that.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I try to stay out of their way, okay, And
you know, like so I'm around. They are so engaged
with our summer staff. Summer staff is they're facilitating conversations
and so I'm trying not to mess that up. So
we have folks that when we bring in the summer
staff to do this facilitation, they go through, you know,
weeks of intense training of like one, how do you
(27:16):
engage young people? How do you maintain their focus. How
do you maintain their attention when those facilitators are in
that space. I tend to step away.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Now.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Of course, when they're in the building, we're high five,
and we know we're recognizing swag. You know, I might
have on some cool shoes. They may have them some
cool shoes, and we can recognize that. But when they're
I would say in their element, I don't get in
the way of that.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Yeah, that's that's tough, because how do you keep them engaged?
You know what I'm saying? How do you do that?
I have a hard time my grandson giving them engaged.
Teach me some techniques, please somebody, But anyway, I am stormy.
It is the pulse. We always keep our fingertips on
(28:02):
the pulse of our community. Sam O'Brien with bridges In today,
thank you for sharing this conversation with us, and tell
our listeners again how they can get involved in the program,
and you know some some things that you want them
to get involved with. I know you mentioned the summer program,
but you also you said something about something else you're
taking application or something.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Go ahead, Yeah, sure, So I would say the two
ways that we can we can bring folks in as
far as getting involved. Applications for the bridge Builder Summer
Conference is live. The application is open if you go
to our website bridges USA dot org. At the top
of the page, there's a link that says click here
to apply. Probably takes about ten minutes to complete. Young
(28:45):
people between the grades of I would say right now,
if you're in the sixth through the eleventh grade, please
apply and we would love to have you there.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
The other way that.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
People can participate and assist us in our mission reckon
that it is the end of the year and we
are a nonprofit organization, so we accept gifts of all sizes.
So you can go to our website and become a supporter.
You can you can give one time, you can sign
up to do a recurring gift where you give monthly,
(29:17):
and no gift is too small, no gift is too big.
We take all the support that that that you would
love to uh, you would love to give us so
and I would say that even an out at one
more thing. You know, we've also had people that say, well,
I want my gift to go towards something specific, and
so people will say, like I want to support three
(29:38):
or four bridge builders how can I do that by donating?
You can go to our website and you can specify
that I want this amount to cover the cost of
three or four bridge builders. So there are several different
ways to go and go to our website. Either apply
if you're a young person, or or donate.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Okay, I'm looking at at it right now. Yeah, you
got a lot of options on there. And thank you
for coming and sharing this with us, and hopefully now
Memphians know a whole lot more about bridges than I do,
or than I did, because I know a lot about
it now.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Deputized, and I've been deputized, have been duly deputized.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Come on here right, I love it. Thank you Sam
for coming by again and being on the show. Appreciate you,
appreciate Bridges and all the work that you guys do
in our community. God bless you.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
You're welcome. I'm Stormy. It's the Pulse. We'll see you
next week, same time, same station. God bless you. Have
a great week.
Well, hello everyone, and welcome to another edition of the Pulse.
Ladies and gentlemen. I got another special guest on the show.
I know, I know, I tell you that every week,
but I do have another special guest. I am Stormy.
It is the Pulse. We keep our fingertips on the
pulse of our community. And this week Bridges is in
the house. Ay Stormy, Yay, it's an old friend. I
(00:23):
think I talked to you, what about a year ago
this time.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Just about a year ago?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Huh yah, well yeah, give for take yeah, yeah, Well
welcome back, Sam O'Brien.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Well, thank you Stormy, thank you for having me, thank
you for letting me come back.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Yeah, I would thank you for coming back because the
last time you were here, you were in a different role,
well maybe the same role, but just with a different organization. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
So this time, yes, So this time I am the
president and CEO of Bridges USA. So coming up, Well,
just recently passed the year. So I started there December
twenty twenty four, so it's been a year and I
don't know a week and a half a year and
a week or so since I've started.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Yeah, but Bridges has been here for how long Oh.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
My goodness, a little more than one hundred years. Bridges
has roots going back to the nineteen twenties being associated
with Catholic charities. Over its iterations, it's been, you know,
just a few different names. So at one point it
was Youth Service USA. But around nineteen eighty eight, so
we're coming up on about forty years since then, it
(01:30):
started to use the title Bridges USA exclusively and the
reason is because of the inclusion of bridge Builder curriculum,
which is used throughout the summer conference that we coordinate.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, so, was that separate bridge Builders and Bridges.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Or bridge Builders is a program of Bridges, So Bridges
is your umbrella organization. Bridge Builders is one of three
programs that Bridges manages through its programmatic offering.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Okay, so how's it been since you've been there?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
It's been great, you know, it's you know, I tell
people that the thing that I'm getting used to this
is just me. I'm a country board at my heart.
We have our own building, right and it's downtown. It's
in the uptown downtown area right there on the corner
of Fifth Street and A. W. Willis Avenue. Over fifty
five thousand square feet sits on the entire city block.
(02:25):
Prior to that, in previous roles, I was in an
office space that we rented. So now I'm in my
own building. So oftentimes if you know, if something goes wrong,
is you don't call the landlord, right, you got you
gotta gotta fix it. So it's almost like managing the house. Okay,
But but it's it's been a fantastic sort of thing
(02:46):
the we being able to work with young people directly.
This is kind of a return to earlier career work
that I had done. We're getting to see a lot
of ideas kind of developed at this younger age, but
we see how they are, how they work within the
existing community, how they work with existing policymakers, and it's really.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
A beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Okay, Now that's the part of the bridge Builders part
of what you do.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
That's that's the beginning of it, and I can get
into each of it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
So yeah, so the other arms are besides bridge Builders,
there's what else you have.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Our Youth Action Center, which in many ways is a
I would say a growth from bridge Builders. To briefly
sort of explain it. When the student goes through bridge Builders,
they're finding finding out more about themselves. So there's a
self discovery component. They're founding out more about Memphis, so
there's this sort of location discovery component.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
And they do that location discovery and their self discovery.
They put it all together to create the leader that
is within them, Okay, and we encourage them to use
that newly found leader to you know, be active in
their their school or in their church and their community.
The Youth Action Center, which is the one of our
one of our programs, the second program of Bridges.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Is a continuation of that.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
So we do have young people that will say, I
learned all this great stuff in Bridges. I'm learning about myself,
I'm learning about Memphis, I'm learning all these leadership skills,
but I need somewhere to apply it, right, And so
the Youth Action Center permissed them to do that, and
we have I think we have six different councils within
the Youth Action Center by which a young person can
(04:20):
participate in.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
One I want to highlight is the Shelby County Youth Council,
which mirrors the Shelby County Commission what so. Yeah, So
we have thirteen young people who liaised with the thirteen
county commissioners.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Pushing issues, pushing challenges, but also pushing solutions to that
elected body and hopes that it becomes, you know, institutionalized
public policy.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Wow. So bridge Builders is really a bridge building. Seriously,
you're doing exactly what the name says. But I didn't know,
I guess I didn't really know what bridge Builders was
us or even Bridges. I didn't know what the function was.
So that's good to know. And then you've got this
(05:06):
youth action the action center okay, youth Action center.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
And then the third component, So we have bridge Builders
Youth Action Center. Our third component is team Bridges. This
is where we bring adults. Oftentimes, when we bring adults
into the into the space, Okay, we'll have a corporate team,
we'll have an organization, they're say, hey, you know, we
we work well together as a as a as a
as a unit, but we we could be better. And
that's when they come into Bridges and they participate in
(05:31):
our team building activities through experiential learning opportunities. So basically
it's a team building component that brings in Again, this
is how we engage typically engage adult spaces. So if
you've ever been to bridges. You know, we have a
that rock That rock climbing wall is I don't know,
thirty feet I guess. So we have the rock climbing
wall in our in our facility. That's just part of
(05:54):
the team building exercise. That's that's the that's the I
think the most recognizable component of it.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
So so let me ask you this. I don't mean
to cut you off. You can hold where you were holding.
So so if if like iHeartMedia Memphis, if we decided
we wanted to come and use that, can we as
a team building exercise? Is that something that's available to.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Yes, and we want you to come on over.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yes, really, uh, and we're climbing up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
That's part of it.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
We don't make you climb, but you know, but if
you all would like to include that it's part of
the team building, we won't stop you.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Oh wow. So you take people from companies in town
that want to you utilize bridges to build their teams.
Goodness gracious.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
So you do a lot, Yes, we do.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You're making leaders out of young folks, putting them in
the political environment, yes, and helping them to really become leader.
It's kind of strengthening their I guess political muscle.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, Yeah, we say they're there, their their civic muscle,
their advocacy muscle, all those things.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
And then to that third point, we also bring in
grown folks, adults to come in and also participate in
team buildings. So the core of Bridges, just to kind
of bring it all together is leadership development. Specifically, we
really lean on youth leadership development yea, because we've shown
that youth can they can lead right now with where
(07:20):
they are in the spaces in their schools or with
elected bodies. But these young people grow up and they
become adults. And what we've found, because we have a
vast alumni network, is that a lot of our alarms
they get into what we may call purpose driven careers,
so they're leading government agencies, they're leading nonprofit organizations, or
(07:41):
they may be involved in corporate social responsibility that a
lot of their leanings toward that level of service is
rooted in the work that they did with Bridges.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Wow. Wow. So some of the stories that you hear
from your alumni that have gone away and maybe talk
about what you do or give back to Bridges, what
do they say, you know, how Bridges affected them.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
What what Bridges did for a lot of our alums,
and what they'll say is it brought them close to
people that they probably never would have met.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Wow, so you got to you mean in the city or.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Within within the city and within the county. So you know,
what we look at is that, you know, leadership can
live within anyone regardless of your zip code, regardless of
your income, regardless of whatever your socioeconomic status is, and
Bridges brings well, we attempt to bring.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
All these people together. So we to that.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You know, we were open to students that are in
public schools, students that are in private schools, charter school,
home school. Again, no matter the municipality, it does not matter,
call your Calrville, Bartlett, whomever.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, at what age can they become a part of Bridges?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Are we we do about grade bands? So rising seventh
grade to rising eleventh grade?
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Oh wow, take as early seventh grade.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Yes, so it's awesome to that point, just a quick
chameless plug. Our summer application process is now open.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
If you go to our website Bridges USA dot org.
At the top of the page, there's a tab that
says click here to apply. So students that are I
would say currently in the sixth grade that are going
to seventh, all the way up to students who are
currently in the eleventh grade going to the twelfth please apply.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Wow. Okay, so that's a lot of people that can.
I love it that you've opened it up to everybody.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I think that's beautiful because that means that everybody kind
of I guess it makes it more of a give
everybody a chance. It's basically what I'm trying to say,
if you're willing.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And also to that, you know, we grouped them accordingly.
So our seventh to eighth grade students will be working,
you know, intersection of the building, you know, with on
their work. Ninth and tenth grade will be in another
section of the building working on the things that they
have going on. But our eleventh twelfth grade students are
housed at the University of Memphis, so they even get that,
(10:06):
you know, that sort of first experienced college.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Now you said housed. So when they come into Bridges,
are they coming into Priss kind of like a school.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Well, so.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Those grade bands seven through tenth parents dropped them off
and picked them up, dropped them off in the morning,
pick them up In Africa, okay, seventh I mean eleven
and twelfth grade.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
You're staying overnight for for a week?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Really, okay? Okay for a week, yes, okay for a
part of the programs. It's not like case day all year.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Oh no, no, no, no, no no, no.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Said, they stay on the campus in the University of.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I'm like, no, it's for their week.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Okay, okay. But I love it though. I love it
that it sounds like the kids get to do something
that I think as far as you know, for those
parents that are listening, sometimes as parents, we have to
kind of push our children in a direction and then
they've realized, oh, this is what I really needed.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
And the funny thing about that that also goes into
like that that range of students that we get. So
you have some students they're like, hey, you know my
teacher recommended it. You know, my brother did it a
few years back, or like my sister did, or even
we're at the point now like my mom did this
when she was in high school.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
So yeah, right, because one hundred years forty years for bridges.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, and so you have those students that are excited
and ready to do it, and then you're going to
have the students that are like, look, I'm here because
my dad made me and no, we got something for
them too.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
But at the end of the week, everybody feels.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Connected to something, everyone feels excited about what they just completed.
So you know, again it doesn't matter, you know, if
you're kind of pushing your kid along, at the end
of the week, they will have enjoyed it and they
may want to come back again the next year.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
So do you go into the public schools MSCs or
any of the surrounding municipalities and talk to them about
bridges and the work that you do to encourage their
students to come.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Yes, that's part of our recruitment strategy. So we manage
relationships with several schools. UH, any schools that will have us,
you know, we will come in and just walk through
what you know, what what it means to be a
bridge builder. Our recruitment team often coordinates that with either
counselors or you know people on that on the administrative
staff UH to either speak to the those those staff
(12:24):
members or speak to a selected group of students. So, yes,
we are open to you know, coming into anybody school.
Like I said, and that's again it's not just public.
You know, we have a number of students that attend
private schools that that are in our program as well.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Okay, Sam O'Bryant, Ladies and gentlemen here with bridges talking
about bridge Builders.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Team team Bridges, Bridges and the Youth Action Center Youth.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Actions because the team bridges because it's you know, for
those of that are listening and maybe you want to, well,
let me you tell me the team bridges. How do
adults get involved in that?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Oh, they can reach us directly.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
So and but what's the criteria? So so I could
be in Team Builders or Team Well.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
It's not a it's not a residential component like like
the summer program. This is this is typically a one
or maybe a two day sort of exercise that you
do with your say just say, for exam, what's your employer?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Okay, okay, yeah, we kind of talked about that already.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Okay, so yeah, so yeah, so it's to your point,
like if the iHeart Team is like, hey, you know,
we're we say, we got some new folks on staff
and we want to kind of you know, really bring
folks in understand the culture of the iHeart Team. Let's
start with an exercise at Bridges, you can you can
reach us and we can coordinate all that for you.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I'm going to suggest it to our boss around here.
I'm storming it is the pulse.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Now.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
You got to tell me, Sam, what is If people
want to reach you these different businesses around town, how
do they get in touch with you?
Speaker 3 (13:57):
The best way to reach us is on our websit.
Our website is Bridges USA dot org. From there, there's uh,
there's tabs on there where you can just kind of
reach out to us and just you know, what what
fits what you want to do. So again, like right now,
our our application process is open for the summer conference,
and so if you want to sign your student up
(14:19):
for that, you apply there. Then there are other tabs
that say, hey, do you want to even if you want,
you want to rent our space our space really yes, yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
So is that kind of the way one of the
ways that you guys raise money for the program as well?
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Exactly, Okay, I like that.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Okay, So I remember we have we have fifty five
thousand square feet of of building usage that that you know,
we we love to show off and and you know,
walk people through if they're if they're looking to host
an event or or or host a meeting or anything
of the sort.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Oh okay, and maybe people didn't know that. Do a
lot of people know that that y'all do that.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We have a good bit of people that know.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
So, like shout out to Leadership Memphis every year when
they kick off their their program.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I was thinking about them.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Yeah, they start at bridges when they have I think
it's called three two to one, when they do a
three day sort of retreat with members of their executive class.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
They start that air bridges.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Wow, I was thinking about them when you were talking
about the team Builders and I was thinking about Leadership. Well,
not team builders, but your bridge Builders sound something like
a younger version of Leadership Memphis.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
It's been called that before. Yes, look, we loved to
shout out to Reginald Porter. He's the new president CEO
over at Leadership Memphis. Reggie, if you're listening, we love
to talk about how we can build this thing and
make it some sort of continuation.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
I just put them on the spot.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
So, yeah, you did.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
Originals. I love him though he knows I love them.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
So I'm looking at your website and the pictures that
I'm seeing of the Youth Action Center. Is that the
part of the building where you allow people to come
and rent out or is it where you know when
you walk in, because I can't imagine what the building
it looks like. I'm trying to find pictures of it.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Over in that part of the building there are different
work rooms that are that are open to to rental
use it, and I can't recall them all right now,
but I want to say that there is there's a
conference room over there that's open for that. There are
four meeting rooms that are open, and then there's a
(16:28):
sort of a we call it our mosaic rooms. It
has a few more windows to it, so it's this
natural sunlight sort of deal going on. I think that's
open for rentals too, Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
And then you have change. Did you tell me about
that We change fellowships?
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Well, yes, the Social Change Fellowships. That is a component
of the Youth Action Center. So we do have young
people that participate as Youth Action Centers social Change fellows
One that I do want to shout out is a
young man in Christian Love. He recently won one of
the Keeper of the Dream awards at the Freedom of
Awards the Rice Museum. Christian has been doing outstanding work
(17:06):
over the last year. He's created this platform called Opportunity
Bridge nine oh one where he has kind of pieced
all of these different leadership and club opportunities that are
external of schools, kind of pieced them.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
All together on his website.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
And what he does he shares that with different young
people so that they can know what are the different
leadership opportunities I can participate in.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
That is awesome.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
So, yeah, Christian is doing some outstanding work. And he's
one of the Social Change Fellows.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Wow, okay, So that means he's one of the ones
that I guess follow the commissioners or is that what
you were telling me early?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
He's not one of those.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So when I was going back to the Youth Action Center,
there are like six different components, six different councils. The
Social Change Fellows is different from the Shelby County Youth Council.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Oh okay, okay, okay, So tell me more about the
Social Change Fellows.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So their thing, Oh is.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
That what you just told me about a second ago?
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Yep, So Christian is one of those.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
So are all the Social Change Fellows they are each
of them, I think, identify an issue that they wish
to push forward.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
So just by.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Example, Christian's issue was how do I get more young
people involved in leadership opportunities? And he was able to
manifest that through Opportunity Bridge nine on one.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
I love that. I love that. Bridges y'all got it
going on. And I guess that's why the name is Bridges,
because you're like bridging Yep.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
We gotta make that connection.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Yeah, And the work has been going on for a
hundred years yep, forty years specifically for bridge Builders the program.
And I see when you go to Bridge BRIDGESUSA dot org,
right on the front of the page is where they
can become a part of the program, the bridge Builders program.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Yep, click on that apply. It maybe takes about ten
minutes to complete. And I'm saying that from experience because
I had my son apply last year and it didn't
take it didn't take long at all. And so we
love to get as many young people as we can.
You know, I think our goal for this summer is
(19:10):
somewhere between six hundred to eight hundred young people we
want to participate in the program.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
So how many young people have you guys had at
one time, the most that you've had at one time.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I want to say, the biggest number we've had, probably
somewhere near a thousand, I want to yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
So how do you do that? I know it's got
to be more than three people working there, because there's
three of y'all in the roads, so it's got to
be way more than y'all.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yes, it's way more.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Okay, Okay, So here I am thinking that this is
a small.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Again, that's why we got to get y'all out there.
You know y'all do live remotes, you know we do.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
We'd love to do that.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
We got to get y'all out there, don't see it
all and take place.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
But to that point, our summer conference, our, I would say,
is our It's our largest undertaking because again, if we're
trying to bring in anywhere from six hundred to eight
hundred students, typically just to kind of give a quick
staffing model of it, we typically hire about thirty two
people as summer support staff to help coordinate that.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
And then, well, you didn't say volunteer, you said hire.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Yes, ma'am, higher, Yes, we hire about sam talk, well,
you know, working in any place, we want to make
sure that people are valued and appreciated.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
For what they do and if they're getting paid, and
if they getting paid, I.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Think they work, probably work a little bit.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
That probably adds a little bit to their value and appreciation.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Hello. So so we have about thirty two people that
we hire each summer to coordinate that that that component
of the program.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
To lay it out.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
As far as time frame, the work happens over a
kind of I say, over a five week timeframe, but
it's four weeks that we actually have the program. Typically
the last two weeks the of June we skip a
week because that's the fourth of July, and then the
second and third week of July is when we do
(21:12):
the program. So kind of divvy up. If we're talking
about six hundred people, kind of divvy that up over
the four weeks. So it's like it's session. So Week
one is you know bridge builders, you know, and we
bring them in Monday, and then we do the closing
ceremony on Friday. Yeah, we all catch our breath that weekend,
and then week two starts right after that the same thing,
(21:34):
engaging young people. Then we break for the fourth of
July week. Then we come back for week three Monday
through Friday, and then week four Monday through Friday.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
What do the kids say? A lot of them after
that's over.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
You know, a lot of them are again going back
to their self discovery component. A lot of them are saying,
you know, I didn't know one I didn't know these
things about Memphis. Because we're taking them on a different
only sort of culture, sort of culture and historical journey.
So they're they're they're visiting the National Civil Rights Museum there. Uh,
they visited slave Haven. They've visited you know, Soulsville and
(22:12):
those areas over thereby I said, Maclamore where you know,
Uh it was the grocery store where.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Yeah, round by Stacks, all those different places there.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
So they're they're going on this sort of cultural historical
walk while they're doing the program and they're learning more
about Memphis. But then they're also coming back and they're saying,
I didn't know I could be pushed like this.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
I didn't know I could lead in this way.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
I want to share this program with my friends and
other people.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
So they're again that's self discovery changing lives, Yes, ma'am. Yes,
what we're doing mm.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Hmm, one young person at a time. Sam O'Brien's on
the show today from Bridges. You guys, if you don't
know about Bridges, maybe you need to go to their
website to see more about them Bridges USA dot or
I'm learning something. I was out years ago doing a
remote and y'all were out there at It was at
(23:08):
a Kroger years ago, and I was like, oh, bridge Builders,
that's where I first heard the name. Had no idea
what bridge Builders was or Bridges, but yeah, that was
my first introduction. But I'm glad to know today that
we're introducing Bridges and your programs to people that are
listening probably all over the country.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
And you know, and to that point, bridge Builders for
a lot of people, is that first introduction into the
work that we do. And so to your point when
we bring them in through bridge Builders, like, yes, it's
the introduction, but here's how we can walk this thing
through after you've come in at this level.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Is Bridges just in Memphis or is it a national organization?
Speaker 3 (23:52):
So we're primarily located in Memphis. We've done some i
would say some satellite location sort of work with a
location in Birmingham, and I think another location, I want
to say, it's Houston, Texas.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
So but it's it's all.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
So it's kind of like I'll say, those those locations
their satellite sort of spin offs, they're they're doing their things,
but primarily our work has been in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
That I think that's beautiful. It's like a Memphis treasure
that many of us didn't know anything about. Like Okay, Bridges,
Saint Jude, right, no, but but.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
But no, you're you're right, it's it's it's right along
that I would say that vein of you know, generosity,
their vein of what kind of makes Memphis special. And this,
in many ways, this is a this is a a
leadership cultivation effort, you know, because we want, we want
young people to to love Memphis and lead in Memphis
(24:51):
and and then you know, stick around and just make
this place, you know, fulfill this greatest promise.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
And we believe that Bridges helps does that.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, yeah, you know what, I think it's beautiful when
I think of what you do and what the Stax
Museum does with their kids. You know, they're teaching the Memphis,
the culture, the music, and then you're teaching them other
great things about Memphis. I just I think that's so beautiful.
I don't know a lot of cities that I've lived
in that they actually do that so much. And maybe
(25:20):
they did it and I just didn't know about it,
But I know from my hometown, we don't know nothing
about that place, nobody that lives there, you know what
I'm saying. So I think it's beautiful that you're teaching
young people about the history and the culture of the
of Memphis. Of course, because that's where it's going to
live on it's not I mean, you know, once we
are gone, they need to have all that so that
(25:42):
they can teach.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Right and you know, so of course that goes back
to we appreciate you bringing us on and know so
Storm like, I'm going to deputize you, so you're going
to have to just talk all the good stuff about
Bridges when you leave here. So when you're out in
the public and you know, somebody with young people and
they're like, oh, I need something for my kid to
be involved in. I know some folks at Bridges I
(26:06):
need I need. I'm deputizing you, okay, and you have
my permission. I accepted to go out there and pull in.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Help us pull in as many young people to participate.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Yeah, I think that's beautiful because we got to give
them options. And if they don't have options, you know
what I'm saying. I just think that a lot of
young folks they'll fall by the wayside if they don't
have options. We got to give them options things to do.
You know, they don't they don't know what they like
until they sometimes until they like it, you know, until
they'll get involved. And Bridges is here for your young folks.
(26:39):
So parents that are listening, grandparents that are listening, tell
your babies about Bridges. Go to bridges USA dot org
and tell them more. And Sam, do you talk to
a lot of the students when they come for the
conferences and all that.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
I try to stay out of their way, okay, And
you know, like so I'm around. They are so engaged
with our summer staff. Summer staff is they're facilitating conversations
and so I'm trying not to mess that up. So
we have folks that when we bring in the summer
staff to do this facilitation, they go through, you know,
weeks of intense training of like one, how do you
(27:16):
engage young people? How do you maintain their focus. How
do you maintain their attention when those facilitators are in
that space. I tend to step away.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Now.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Of course, when they're in the building, we're high five,
and we know we're recognizing swag. You know, I might
have on some cool shoes. They may have them some
cool shoes, and we can recognize that. But when they're
I would say in their element, I don't get in
the way of that.
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Yeah, that's that's tough, because how do you keep them engaged?
You know what I'm saying? How do you do that?
I have a hard time my grandson giving them engaged.
Teach me some techniques, please somebody, But anyway, I am stormy.
It is the pulse. We always keep our fingertips on
(28:02):
the pulse of our community. Sam O'Brien with bridges In today,
thank you for sharing this conversation with us, and tell
our listeners again how they can get involved in the program,
and you know some some things that you want them
to get involved with. I know you mentioned the summer program,
but you also you said something about something else you're
taking application or something.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Go ahead, Yeah, sure, So I would say the two
ways that we can we can bring folks in as
far as getting involved. Applications for the bridge Builder Summer
Conference is live. The application is open if you go
to our website bridges USA dot org. At the top
of the page, there's a link that says click here
to apply. Probably takes about ten minutes to complete. Young
(28:45):
people between the grades of I would say right now,
if you're in the sixth through the eleventh grade, please
apply and we would love to have you there.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
The other way that.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
People can participate and assist us in our mission reckon
that it is the end of the year and we
are a nonprofit organization, so we accept gifts of all sizes.
So you can go to our website and become a supporter.
You can you can give one time, you can sign
up to do a recurring gift where you give monthly,
(29:17):
and no gift is too small, no gift is too big.
We take all the support that that that you would
love to uh, you would love to give us so
and I would say that even an out at one
more thing. You know, we've also had people that say, well,
I want my gift to go towards something specific, and
so people will say, like I want to support three
(29:38):
or four bridge builders how can I do that by donating?
You can go to our website and you can specify
that I want this amount to cover the cost of
three or four bridge builders. So there are several different
ways to go and go to our website. Either apply
if you're a young person, or or donate.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Okay, I'm looking at at it right now. Yeah, you
got a lot of options on there. And thank you
for coming and sharing this with us, and hopefully now
Memphians know a whole lot more about bridges than I do,
or than I did, because I know a lot about
it now.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
Deputized, and I've been deputized, have been duly deputized.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Come on here right, I love it. Thank you Sam
for coming by again and being on the show. Appreciate you,
appreciate Bridges and all the work that you guys do
in our community. God bless you.
Speaker 2 (30:27):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
You're welcome. I'm Stormy. It's the Pulse. We'll see you
next week, same time, same station. God bless you. Have
a great week.
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