August 16, 2024 • 20 mins
What does it take to truly empower underserved communities and create lasting change? Join us as we uncover the inspiring journey of Sedrick Page, the Chief Operating Officer for the Black Men Coalition Foundation. Cedric opens up about the foundation's groundbreaking $25 million employment housing project in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and the innovative employment services designed to provide holistic support for job seekers. We delve into transformative initiatives like the free youth baseball program and the eCornell certificate program, which offers college-level courses to community members earning under $70,000 a year. You'll gain valuable insights into how these efforts are building stronger communities, creating sustainable housing, and opening doors to new opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals.
In addition to these powerful community initiatives, Sedrick also emphasizes the benefits of pursuing multiple certifications, even for those with advanced degrees. Imagine upgrading your skills in diversity, equity, inclusion, project management, and law with just a five-hour weekly commitment over eight weeks. Sedrick sheds light on the supportive resources available that make these programs accessible to all, including laptops, Wi-Fi, and in-person instruction. We wrap up with a heartfelt message of positivity and gratitude, thanking Sedrick for his invaluable contributions and expressing our anticipation for his future endeavors. Tune in for an episode filled with actionable ideas, inspiration, and a vision for a better tomorrow!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up everybody.
This is your host D-Star herewith.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Cedric Page Cedric.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Page how you doing man.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm doing real good, brother, real good.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Man, it's always a treat to have you here and
bestow upon us the game, thekeys.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
You know, I like my keys.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Absolutely For the people that don't know you.
Can you tell us a little bitabout yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
My name is Cedric Page.
I am the current chiefoperating officer for Black Men
Coalition UW-Madison graduate,st Mary's University graduate
school.
I have three children Jaden,olivia and Kiera.
I'm a Rotary Club member ofdowntown Madison and always
(00:43):
seeking to be an impactfulperson in the community.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Since the last time you've been on the show.
Can you kind of catch us up?
What, what you been up to?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Again working with industrial and commercial
manufacturers in the automation,robotics and electric motor
space managing us myself teamthere, space managing my sales
team there and just recentlymade the transition over to
Chief Operations Officer forBlack Men Coalition Foundation,
which is a nonprofit here in theMadison area working with
(01:17):
underserved communities,formerly incarcerated people.
Our initiative was to helpBlack men of color ie the name,
but Black Men CoalitionFoundation I want to say it's
for everyone Black, red, puertoRican, haitian, caucasian.
We're here to help thecommunity and be impactful in
the community.
We're hoping to build a $25million employment housing out
(01:42):
here in the Sun Prairie area,which will transform this
community.
We're not interested in the SunPrairie area, which will
transform this community.
We're not interested in doingit the old way, like low income
housing.
That's really nothing we'reinterested in.
We're interested in creatingcommunity, creating support and
creating a pathway for peoplethat are low income and
underserved to become homeownersand to become taxpayers out
(02:05):
here in the Sun Prairiecommunity, which again lowers
crime, which has complete impacthere.
Also, through Black MenCoalition Foundation, we have
employment services and we'renot your typical employment
service company because once wetrain the applicants that come
to us, if you're not familiarwith interviewing.
(02:27):
We help you If you don't have aresume done.
We help you If you don't haveclothing.
We have suits, ties, shirts.
We have dress for you.
We go over etiquette.
We make sure that we put you insituations where you can win,
and the employers that we workwith guarantee a wage of $20 at
minimum and up.
So, again, creating spaceswhere you can have a livable
(02:50):
wage.
But what we also do is supportyou for a year.
If your car breaks down, wepick you up and get you to work.
If you're having issues withmanagement, we go in and we
advocate for you on both ends.
We want to make sure thatyou're successful.
We want to make sure thatyou're successful.
We want to make sure that youshow up and we want to make sure
that we create a space whereyou can be the person that you
(03:12):
want to be in terms of earningwhat you want and being able to
take care of your family.
We're currently coming to theend of our youth baseball, which
is the only free youth baseballprogram here in the state of
Wisconsin, if I'm not mistaken,in the Midwest.
So this is something that we'reseeking to promote all over the
(03:32):
US.
But we got to take care of homefirst.
So we want to extend this outto Milwaukee, extend this out to
Chicago.
We're definitely going to belooking for donors and sponsors
of youth baseball for next year.
We can get your logos out, butagain, we're definitely going to
be looking for donors andsponsors of youth baseball for
next year.
We can get your logos out.
But again, we provide everythingfor free, including food.
There's hot dogs, there's chips, there's water.
(03:54):
That's free for all theparticipants and their parents.
All the uniforms, the gloves,the hats, the helmets all of
those things are free.
So this is a 100% free servicethat was put together by our CEO
, mr Corey Marino, and I want togive a shout out to Corey for
being an impactful person herein this community, who had some
(04:17):
setbacks coming up, made somebad decisions, and is out here
in the community redefininghimself as an impactful person
and as a leader and as a CEO,and I feel blessed and
privileged to be a partner ofhis and to be working with him
to push the organization to thenext level.
Very happy to be here Again.
(04:38):
The main reason we're here isbecause of the eCornell free
certificate program that MrCorey Marino is collaborating
with Cornell University, whichis an Ivy League college on the
East Coast on the same level asa Harvard, to offer college
level courses and certificationsto underserved community
(05:01):
members here in the Madison areathat earn under $70,000 a year.
So these are free courses.
I'm going to state again freecourses that anyone in the
community that fits thatparameter can apply to.
You just have to be 17 atminimum, you have to have a GED,
you have to be able to write,read, do mathematics at minimum.
(05:26):
We do ask that you write aimpact statement stating why you
want to be a part of theprogram.
We send out a test just to makesure that you can do what you
say you're going to do.
But again, we support you andI'm sure we'll get into that a
little bit in the conversation,but very happy to be here and
talking about this eCornellinitiative.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
This eCornell initiative, I feel, will really
change the trajectory of theformerly incarcerated community,
which impacts the community asa whole.
Some of the certificates thatthey offer is data and science,
analytics, diversity, inclusion,finance and business
(06:11):
performance, hospitality andfood service, maintenance, human
services, law, leadership andstrategic management, marketing,
project leadership and servicedesign, real estate and
technology.
It's really a game changer whenyou think about someone that's
formerly incarcerated cominghome and trying to find their
(06:35):
way and to have an option to geta certificate from a Ivy League
school on their resume.
A slight time, I'm sorry, I'mjust getting really emotional
about this because I just thinkthere's so many people that it's
going to help and impact.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
You know, I wish that some of my friends and family
that's been impacted had thisopportunity.
I know so many people that Iknow so many people, man, that
has so much potential yeah andthey went to prison for drugs
and they went to prison forvarious reasons, but I always
(07:18):
just told my man you know, thisperson could sell a ketchup
popsicle to a woman in whitegloves yeah they're just selling
the wrong product.
But they could sell anything.
You could sell that.
You could sell anything.
If you had one of thesecertificates and you you had the
right product to sell to getyour foot in the door, you could
(07:40):
be very, very successful.
You never have to do that again.
You know what the Black manCoalition has done with this.
Partnership with Cornell isjust simply amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Thank you and let me state that you know we recommend
you take one certificateprogram at a time, but you can
take as many as you like.
So I'm going to get certified.
I already have my undergrad, Ialready have a graduate degree,
but I'm still adding keys, quote, unquote to my tool belt.
So I'm taking a certificationclass now in diversity, equity
(08:12):
and inclusion.
I'm also going to be taking aproject management course.
I'm also going to be take thelegal course, the law course
that you and I discussed earlier.
So again, you can take multiple, get multiple certifications.
It takes about In total eightweeks to get that certification
(08:32):
and it amounts to about fivehours a week in work.
So once you register let's saydiversity, equity and inclusion
there's four different classesunderneath that title that I
have to take and each one ofthose classes are two weeks each
.
That's where the eight weeks ortwo months come from.
Are two weeks each.
(08:53):
That's where the eight weeks ortwo months come from.
So you're going to have to putthe time in, but I work during
the day.
I'll come home in the evening,let's say at nine o'clock, and
I'll do the work.
I'll put my hour into it.
Right On the weekends, onSaturday or Sunday.
I'll put two hours in Saturdaymorning.
I'll put another two hours inon Sunday.
That gives me enough time tocomplete the coursework, to
(09:15):
participate, to make sure thatI'm finishing and moving forward
.
Now, let's say, life isn't exact.
There's things that may happen,so we can actually put a class
on hold for you.
If there's something thathappens where you can't complete
it, you just have tocommunicate with us and we can
make those adjustments for you.
Again, you can take this classat home if you have a laptop and
(09:39):
a computer.
But let's say you don't, right.
Let's say you're, you'rehomeless, you just got out, you
don't have any money, you don'thave all these things.
Then you can come down to onepicnic street, which is right
next to the BMC offices, whichis at 5 Pinney, and you can come
into the classroom.
We provide free Wi-Fi, weprovide the laptops, we provide
(10:02):
the headphones and we alsoprovide the instruction.
So if you need someone to pushyou along, answer questions for
you, to make sure that you'resuccessful as you take these
classes, we're available to youand the times that we're
available to you are from 9 amto 8 pm, monday through Thursday
(10:23):
, and we're available on Fridaysfrom 9 to 5.
So again, there's no reason whysomeone that wants to move
forward in a job, why someonewho just recently graduated from
high school but doesn't havethe money to go to college Right
, but still wants to be educated, wants to get a key, that
(10:47):
person can still take thiscertificate program and give
themselves a skill that willhelp them earn great money.
Keyword a livable wage that youcan take care of your family.
If you're already working,you're a recent college graduate
or you've been working in yourfield for a number of years, you
want to move up, right, youwant that HR job.
(11:09):
You want that accountingposition where there's
accounting classes, certificateprograms that you can take to
help you move forward in yourcurrent position.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, you know, it really hits home Every single
time I hear about this.
Even when I first heard aboutit, I said, wow, man, that is so
impactful and it is somethingthat it just came out of left
field that you wouldn't eventhink about like doing that type
of partnership.
Because, you know, the firstthing that you would think about
(11:39):
on a partnership like that, itwould be like UW, but this is
like 10 steps ahead of the UW.
No, no, no disrespect to UW,but you know, because it's a
great school on Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I'm a graduate Right.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
But this is a different level.
You know what I mean.
Like you can go anywhere in thecountry and say, hey, I have
the certificate from CornellUniversity and it's respected.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
And let me stress, because I got this question in a
class what's the value?
The value is the certification.
The certification is not adegree, but it's a valuable
certification that says you'vetaken the time, you've taken
this class and you're certifiedin this particular discipline.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
A lot of people don't understand that before you get
a degree, you have to takecertifications within that
degree.
So you know, somebody might goto college and be like I'll take
myself.
For example, I have a degree inaudio engineering but there are
(12:43):
certifications within thatdegree that I had to take so I
can complete that, right, butyou're circumventing the actual
degree and getting thecertification.
So it's just as good as sayingit, understand it, and you've
done the same work and you're onthe same level to get that
(13:04):
certification.
So why?
Even you know what I mean.
Like I'm not saying I'm not.
You know I'm not saying thatdon't go to college, right?
I'm not advocating for that,but I'm saying that if college
is not for you, if you don'thave the capacity right now to
spend two, three, four years togo to college, why not get the
(13:26):
certification?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I agree, totally Like for me.
I just got an associate's fromMadison College because I wanted
it in STEM, science, technology, engineering, math.
Well, guess what you can get acertification in through E
Cornell STEM, science,technology, engineering and math
is available for you Alsofinishing another
(13:51):
post-bachelorette certificationat Madison College.
Again, that's going to cost meabout $5,000 when it's all said
and done to finish right, butthis is a certification after
I've gotten my undergraduatedegree.
Well, guess what's on the samelevel as that post-bachelorette
(14:12):
certification?
The E Cornell certificationsthat I get through the E Cornell
Collaboration with Black MenCoalition Foundation.
It's the same thing.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
So how do I sign up?
Speaker 2 (14:24):
How do you sign up?
What I will tell the audience?
To go to the Black MenCoalition website.
When you go to the website, youclick on what's the website?
Wwwbmcorg.
Make sure you go there.
When you go there You'll see adropdown.
You click the dropdown.
You'll see programs.
Once you click on programs,you'll see eCornell has its own
(14:48):
link.
So if you click on eCornell,it'll explain the program to you
.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
It'll say we're working with Cornell to help you
develop the skills you need toexcel.
And then you just scroll downand then you'll see explore
certifications and then it has alist of all the certifications
right now that's available.
You click on that and explore.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
If you don't see anything there that you think is
of value to you, that doesn'tmean it's not necessarily
offered.
What I would do is reach out tous at Black Men Coalition so we
can sit down and have theconversation.
Go on your phone.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yeah, just give them a call and it's 608-590-9525.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yes, please give us a call, or you can feel
comfortable sending Laura anemail at laura at bmcdcorg, or
you can feel comfortable sendingme an email to cedric
S-E-D-R-I-C-K at bmcdcorg aswell.
(15:59):
Laura is over the program, so Iwould ask that you email her
directly and she can answer anyquestions that you may have
about the program.
But if you're on our websiteand you find something that you
like or that you see, scroll allthe way down to the bottom and
you'll see a link that saysregister now.
(16:19):
Click on that.
That'll take you to theeCornell portal.
Once you get on that portal,you'll see drop downs for all
the classes.
I recommend that you click onsomething that you're interested
in and you look at the classesunderneath it that go into those
classes and I guarantee you'llfind something of interest to
you.
(16:39):
Now here's the caveat to thecertification program.
Like for me, right?
I'm taking diversity, equityand inclusion, so I have four
classes that I'm currentlytaking.
So now, at the end, what theportal will also do is tell you
other programs that the classesthat I'm taking qualify for.
(17:00):
So again, you can get certifiedin multiple disciplines.
So now, once I finish thiscertification program, there may
be another one or twocertifications I can get and I
don't have to take these fourclasses anymore.
Now all I have to take is twoclasses in order to finish the
certification, because I'vealready taken the classes on the
(17:24):
previous one.
So again, it builds on top ofeach other.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Absolutely, and before we get out of here, can't
go any further without yougiving us some keys.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Keys are certifications, things of value,
knowledge, degrees, jobs,skills that you can add to your
skill set, your resume, to yourlife, that you can put on, call
it, put it on your tool belt.
That opens doors for you.
That opens doors for moreearning.
That opens doors for elevationin your job.
(17:57):
That opens doors forintellectual elevation,
elevation as a parent.
Keys, keys to success.
I would leave you with this Ifyou're going through any kind of
struggle, any kind of strain,remember that out of struggle
comes great reward, out ofstruggle becomes enlightenment.
So you're only in a placetemporarily.
(18:20):
All I ask you to do is focus onyourself.
Keep pushing forward, nevergive up.
Take advantage of theopportunities that are laid out
in front of you, like the ECornell Certificate Program,
like working with Black MenCoalition Foundation to help you
get a job.
Never think that yourcircumstance or your past
(18:43):
decisions define your future.
They don't define your future.
You decide who you are, youdecide who you become, but you
have to make a commitment tothat change.
It can't be borderline.
You can't say I want to betterfor myself, but you're drinking
every day and you're blowing andyou're coming into an interview
(19:05):
like that that tells me youdon't, your actions aren't
matching what you say that youwant.
So we want serious minded peopleto come in for the help and
make sure you're ready to getthere.
If you're not, guess what wecan help you with that we can
help get you there.
So there's not a place whereyou're at that we can't assist
(19:27):
you.
And one thing I love that CoreyMarino says all the time is
sometimes we have to meet peoplewhere they are and we're
willing to meet you where youare to help you reach your
dreams.
So that's my key right now, andthe other key is going to be E
Cornell Take advantage of thisfree I stress free program and
(19:50):
take advantage of Black MenCoalition Foundation to help you
be successful for housing, foremployment, for youth services,
for your kids through our youthbaseball program or just through
mentorship, coming up having aconversation with any of us in
the office to help push youforward.
I send all of you blessings, Isend all of you love and I send
(20:12):
all of you success.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Well, Cedric, thank you so much.
We really appreciate you havingyou on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Thank you.
Always, my pleasure to be hereand look forward to my next
invitation.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Absolutely.
I'm D-Star Until next time,guys.
What's up everybody.
This is your host D-Star herewith.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Cedric Page Cedric.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Page how you doing man.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I'm doing real good, brother, real good.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Man, it's always a treat to have you here and
bestow upon us the game, thekeys.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
You know, I like my keys.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Absolutely For the people that don't know you.
Can you tell us a little bitabout yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
My name is Cedric Page.
I am the current chiefoperating officer for Black Men
Coalition UW-Madison graduate,st Mary's University graduate
school.
I have three children Jaden,olivia and Kiera.
I'm a Rotary Club member ofdowntown Madison and always
(00:43):
seeking to be an impactfulperson in the community.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Since the last time you've been on the show.
Can you kind of catch us up?
What, what you been up to?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Again working with industrial and commercial
manufacturers in the automation,robotics and electric motor
space managing us myself teamthere, space managing my sales
team there and just recentlymade the transition over to
Chief Operations Officer forBlack Men Coalition Foundation,
which is a nonprofit here in theMadison area working with
(01:17):
underserved communities,formerly incarcerated people.
Our initiative was to helpBlack men of color ie the name,
but Black Men CoalitionFoundation I want to say it's
for everyone Black, red, puertoRican, haitian, caucasian.
We're here to help thecommunity and be impactful in
the community.
We're hoping to build a $25million employment housing out
(01:42):
here in the Sun Prairie area,which will transform this
community.
We're not interested in the SunPrairie area, which will
transform this community.
We're not interested in doingit the old way, like low income
housing.
That's really nothing we'reinterested in.
We're interested in creatingcommunity, creating support and
creating a pathway for peoplethat are low income and
underserved to become homeownersand to become taxpayers out
(02:05):
here in the Sun Prairiecommunity, which again lowers
crime, which has complete impacthere.
Also, through Black MenCoalition Foundation, we have
employment services and we'renot your typical employment
service company because once wetrain the applicants that come
to us, if you're not familiarwith interviewing.
(02:27):
We help you If you don't have aresume done.
We help you If you don't haveclothing.
We have suits, ties, shirts.
We have dress for you.
We go over etiquette.
We make sure that we put you insituations where you can win,
and the employers that we workwith guarantee a wage of $20 at
minimum and up.
So, again, creating spaceswhere you can have a livable
(02:50):
wage.
But what we also do is supportyou for a year.
If your car breaks down, wepick you up and get you to work.
If you're having issues withmanagement, we go in and we
advocate for you on both ends.
We want to make sure thatyou're successful.
We want to make sure thatyou're successful.
We want to make sure that youshow up and we want to make sure
that we create a space whereyou can be the person that you
(03:12):
want to be in terms of earningwhat you want and being able to
take care of your family.
We're currently coming to theend of our youth baseball, which
is the only free youth baseballprogram here in the state of
Wisconsin, if I'm not mistaken,in the Midwest.
So this is something that we'reseeking to promote all over the
(03:32):
US.
But we got to take care of homefirst.
So we want to extend this outto Milwaukee, extend this out to
Chicago.
We're definitely going to belooking for donors and sponsors
of youth baseball for next year.
We can get your logos out, butagain, we're definitely going to
be looking for donors andsponsors of youth baseball for
next year.
We can get your logos out.
But again, we provide everythingfor free, including food.
There's hot dogs, there's chips, there's water.
(03:54):
That's free for all theparticipants and their parents.
All the uniforms, the gloves,the hats, the helmets all of
those things are free.
So this is a 100% free servicethat was put together by our CEO
, mr Corey Marino, and I want togive a shout out to Corey for
being an impactful person herein this community, who had some
(04:17):
setbacks coming up, made somebad decisions, and is out here
in the community redefininghimself as an impactful person
and as a leader and as a CEO,and I feel blessed and
privileged to be a partner ofhis and to be working with him
to push the organization to thenext level.
Very happy to be here Again.
(04:38):
The main reason we're here isbecause of the eCornell free
certificate program that MrCorey Marino is collaborating
with Cornell University, whichis an Ivy League college on the
East Coast on the same level asa Harvard, to offer college
level courses and certificationsto underserved community
(05:01):
members here in the Madison areathat earn under $70,000 a year.
So these are free courses.
I'm going to state again freecourses that anyone in the
community that fits thatparameter can apply to.
You just have to be 17 atminimum, you have to have a GED,
you have to be able to write,read, do mathematics at minimum.
(05:26):
We do ask that you write aimpact statement stating why you
want to be a part of theprogram.
We send out a test just to makesure that you can do what you
say you're going to do.
But again, we support you andI'm sure we'll get into that a
little bit in the conversation,but very happy to be here and
talking about this eCornellinitiative.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
This eCornell initiative, I feel, will really
change the trajectory of theformerly incarcerated community,
which impacts the community asa whole.
Some of the certificates thatthey offer is data and science,
analytics, diversity, inclusion,finance and business
(06:11):
performance, hospitality andfood service, maintenance, human
services, law, leadership andstrategic management, marketing,
project leadership and servicedesign, real estate and
technology.
It's really a game changer whenyou think about someone that's
formerly incarcerated cominghome and trying to find their
(06:35):
way and to have an option to geta certificate from a Ivy League
school on their resume.
A slight time, I'm sorry, I'mjust getting really emotional
about this because I just thinkthere's so many people that it's
going to help and impact.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
You know, I wish that some of my friends and family
that's been impacted had thisopportunity.
I know so many people that Iknow so many people, man, that
has so much potential yeah andthey went to prison for drugs
and they went to prison forvarious reasons, but I always
(07:18):
just told my man you know, thisperson could sell a ketchup
popsicle to a woman in whitegloves yeah they're just selling
the wrong product.
But they could sell anything.
You could sell that.
You could sell anything.
If you had one of thesecertificates and you you had the
right product to sell to getyour foot in the door, you could
(07:40):
be very, very successful.
You never have to do that again.
You know what the Black manCoalition has done with this.
Partnership with Cornell isjust simply amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Thank you and let me state that you know we recommend
you take one certificateprogram at a time, but you can
take as many as you like.
So I'm going to get certified.
I already have my undergrad, Ialready have a graduate degree,
but I'm still adding keys, quote, unquote to my tool belt.
So I'm taking a certificationclass now in diversity, equity
(08:12):
and inclusion.
I'm also going to be taking aproject management course.
I'm also going to be take thelegal course, the law course
that you and I discussed earlier.
So again, you can take multiple, get multiple certifications.
It takes about In total eightweeks to get that certification
(08:32):
and it amounts to about fivehours a week in work.
So once you register let's saydiversity, equity and inclusion
there's four different classesunderneath that title that I
have to take and each one ofthose classes are two weeks each
.
That's where the eight weeks ortwo months come from.
Are two weeks each.
(08:53):
That's where the eight weeks ortwo months come from.
So you're going to have to putthe time in, but I work during
the day.
I'll come home in the evening,let's say at nine o'clock, and
I'll do the work.
I'll put my hour into it.
Right On the weekends, onSaturday or Sunday.
I'll put two hours in Saturdaymorning.
I'll put another two hours inon Sunday.
That gives me enough time tocomplete the coursework, to
(09:15):
participate, to make sure thatI'm finishing and moving forward
.
Now, let's say, life isn't exact.
There's things that may happen,so we can actually put a class
on hold for you.
If there's something thathappens where you can't complete
it, you just have tocommunicate with us and we can
make those adjustments for you.
Again, you can take this classat home if you have a laptop and
(09:39):
a computer.
But let's say you don't, right.
Let's say you're, you'rehomeless, you just got out, you
don't have any money, you don'thave all these things.
Then you can come down to onepicnic street, which is right
next to the BMC offices, whichis at 5 Pinney, and you can come
into the classroom.
We provide free Wi-Fi, weprovide the laptops, we provide
(10:02):
the headphones and we alsoprovide the instruction.
So if you need someone to pushyou along, answer questions for
you, to make sure that you'resuccessful as you take these
classes, we're available to youand the times that we're
available to you are from 9 amto 8 pm, monday through Thursday
(10:23):
, and we're available on Fridaysfrom 9 to 5.
So again, there's no reason whysomeone that wants to move
forward in a job, why someonewho just recently graduated from
high school but doesn't havethe money to go to college Right
, but still wants to be educated, wants to get a key, that
(10:47):
person can still take thiscertificate program and give
themselves a skill that willhelp them earn great money.
Keyword a livable wage that youcan take care of your family.
If you're already working,you're a recent college graduate
or you've been working in yourfield for a number of years, you
want to move up, right, youwant that HR job.
(11:09):
You want that accountingposition where there's
accounting classes, certificateprograms that you can take to
help you move forward in yourcurrent position.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, you know, it really hits home Every single
time I hear about this.
Even when I first heard aboutit, I said, wow, man, that is so
impactful and it is somethingthat it just came out of left
field that you wouldn't eventhink about like doing that type
of partnership.
Because, you know, the firstthing that you would think about
(11:39):
on a partnership like that, itwould be like UW, but this is
like 10 steps ahead of the UW.
No, no, no disrespect to UW,but you know, because it's a
great school on Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I'm a graduate Right.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
But this is a different level.
You know what I mean.
Like you can go anywhere in thecountry and say, hey, I have
the certificate from CornellUniversity and it's respected.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
And let me stress, because I got this question in a
class what's the value?
The value is the certification.
The certification is not adegree, but it's a valuable
certification that says you'vetaken the time, you've taken
this class and you're certifiedin this particular discipline.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
A lot of people don't understand that before you get
a degree, you have to takecertifications within that
degree.
So you know, somebody might goto college and be like I'll take
myself.
For example, I have a degree inaudio engineering but there are
(12:43):
certifications within thatdegree that I had to take so I
can complete that, right, butyou're circumventing the actual
degree and getting thecertification.
So it's just as good as sayingit, understand it, and you've
done the same work and you're onthe same level to get that
(13:04):
certification.
So why?
Even you know what I mean.
Like I'm not saying I'm not.
You know I'm not saying thatdon't go to college, right?
I'm not advocating for that,but I'm saying that if college
is not for you, if you don'thave the capacity right now to
spend two, three, four years togo to college, why not get the
(13:26):
certification?
Speaker 2 (13:28):
I agree, totally Like for me.
I just got an associate's fromMadison College because I wanted
it in STEM, science, technology, engineering, math.
Well, guess what you can get acertification in through E
Cornell STEM, science,technology, engineering and math
is available for you Alsofinishing another
(13:51):
post-bachelorette certificationat Madison College.
Again, that's going to cost meabout $5,000 when it's all said
and done to finish right, butthis is a certification after
I've gotten my undergraduatedegree.
Well, guess what's on the samelevel as that post-bachelorette
(14:12):
certification?
The E Cornell certificationsthat I get through the E Cornell
Collaboration with Black MenCoalition Foundation.
It's the same thing.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
So how do I sign up?
Speaker 2 (14:24):
How do you sign up?
What I will tell the audience?
To go to the Black MenCoalition website.
When you go to the website, youclick on what's the website?
Wwwbmcorg.
Make sure you go there.
When you go there You'll see adropdown.
You click the dropdown.
You'll see programs.
Once you click on programs,you'll see eCornell has its own
(14:48):
link.
So if you click on eCornell,it'll explain the program to you
.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
It'll say we're working with Cornell to help you
develop the skills you need toexcel.
And then you just scroll downand then you'll see explore
certifications and then it has alist of all the certifications
right now that's available.
You click on that and explore.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
If you don't see anything there that you think is
of value to you, that doesn'tmean it's not necessarily
offered.
What I would do is reach out tous at Black Men Coalition so we
can sit down and have theconversation.
Go on your phone.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yeah, just give them a call and it's 608-590-9525.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yes, please give us a call, or you can feel
comfortable sending Laura anemail at laura at bmcdcorg, or
you can feel comfortable sendingme an email to cedric
S-E-D-R-I-C-K at bmcdcorg aswell.
(15:59):
Laura is over the program, so Iwould ask that you email her
directly and she can answer anyquestions that you may have
about the program.
But if you're on our websiteand you find something that you
like or that you see, scroll allthe way down to the bottom and
you'll see a link that saysregister now.
(16:19):
Click on that.
That'll take you to theeCornell portal.
Once you get on that portal,you'll see drop downs for all
the classes.
I recommend that you click onsomething that you're interested
in and you look at the classesunderneath it that go into those
classes and I guarantee you'llfind something of interest to
you.
(16:39):
Now here's the caveat to thecertification program.
Like for me, right?
I'm taking diversity, equityand inclusion, so I have four
classes that I'm currentlytaking.
So now, at the end, what theportal will also do is tell you
other programs that the classesthat I'm taking qualify for.
(17:00):
So again, you can get certifiedin multiple disciplines.
So now, once I finish thiscertification program, there may
be another one or twocertifications I can get and I
don't have to take these fourclasses anymore.
Now all I have to take is twoclasses in order to finish the
certification, because I'vealready taken the classes on the
(17:24):
previous one.
So again, it builds on top ofeach other.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Absolutely, and before we get out of here, can't
go any further without yougiving us some keys.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Keys are certifications, things of value,
knowledge, degrees, jobs,skills that you can add to your
skill set, your resume, to yourlife, that you can put on, call
it, put it on your tool belt.
That opens doors for you.
That opens doors for moreearning.
That opens doors for elevationin your job.
(17:57):
That opens doors forintellectual elevation,
elevation as a parent.
Keys, keys to success.
I would leave you with this Ifyou're going through any kind of
struggle, any kind of strain,remember that out of struggle
comes great reward, out ofstruggle becomes enlightenment.
So you're only in a placetemporarily.
(18:20):
All I ask you to do is focus onyourself.
Keep pushing forward, nevergive up.
Take advantage of theopportunities that are laid out
in front of you, like the ECornell Certificate Program,
like working with Black MenCoalition Foundation to help you
get a job.
Never think that yourcircumstance or your past
(18:43):
decisions define your future.
They don't define your future.
You decide who you are, youdecide who you become, but you
have to make a commitment tothat change.
It can't be borderline.
You can't say I want to betterfor myself, but you're drinking
every day and you're blowing andyou're coming into an interview
(19:05):
like that that tells me youdon't, your actions aren't
matching what you say that youwant.
So we want serious minded peopleto come in for the help and
make sure you're ready to getthere.
If you're not, guess what wecan help you with that we can
help get you there.
So there's not a place whereyou're at that we can't assist
(19:27):
you.
And one thing I love that CoreyMarino says all the time is
sometimes we have to meet peoplewhere they are and we're
willing to meet you where youare to help you reach your
dreams.
So that's my key right now, andthe other key is going to be E
Cornell Take advantage of thisfree I stress free program and
(19:50):
take advantage of Black MenCoalition Foundation to help you
be successful for housing, foremployment, for youth services,
for your kids through our youthbaseball program or just through
mentorship, coming up having aconversation with any of us in
the office to help push youforward.
I send all of you blessings, Isend all of you love and I send
(20:12):
all of you success.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
Well, Cedric, thank you so much.
We really appreciate you havingyou on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Thank you.
Always, my pleasure to be hereand look forward to my next
invitation.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Absolutely.
I'm D-Star Until next time,guys.
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