May 14, 2025 • 24 mins
What happens when personal trauma transforms into community healing? June Hill's story offers a powerful blueprint for turning pain into purpose.
June Hill never planned to become a behavioral health advocate. But after surviving domestic violence and founding A Dream Foundation Center in 2018, she discovered layers of generational patterns in her own life that needed addressing – from alcoholism recovery to breaking the cycle of teen pregnancy. This realization shaped her organization's holistic approach to healing, which now serves diverse communities with trauma-informed care.
"We help people become whole in whatever way they see fit," June explains, describing how her foundation bridges the gap between mental wellness and real-life resilience. Through clinical counseling, life coaching, support groups, and entrepreneurial mentorship, A Dream Foundation Center creates judgment-free spaces where clients can be vulnerable about their challenges, whether they're high-earning professionals battling anxiety or individuals rebuilding after trauma.
Breaking generational cycles emerges as the conversation's most powerful theme. June candidly shares how sometimes this means losing relationships with people who don't support your vision for change – something she experienced firsthand while maintaining her sobriety and guiding her daughter toward different choices than she had available. "It's okay if you would like to live your life like that, but I would like to live my life another way," she reflects on standing firm in her boundaries.
What makes June's approach unique is how she prioritizes cultural competence through bilingual services, diverse staff, and an authentic understanding of community needs. The foundation particularly focuses on supporting BIPOC communities, women navigating mental health challenges, and entrepreneurs seeking stability. Success stories abound – from business owners who've tripled their income to parents returning to school and creating better futures for their families.
Ready to be part of this transformative work? Visit adreemfoundationcenter.org to volunteer, donate, or attend upcoming events. Every story matters, every voice deserves to be heard, and healing becomes possible when we connect and collaborate.
Connect with June Hill
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/may.hill.77
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adreamfound
Phone: 470-282-1301
website: https://adreamfoundationcenter.wpcomstaging.com/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
This is where ideas spark,connections grow and
collaborations fuse success.
Tune in for inspiring stories,expert insights and
game-changing conversations.
Let's build, connect and thrivetogether.
Remember collaboration is thekey to success.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome.
Welcome to the Ready SetCollaborate podcast, where we
have another inspired episode ofthe Ready Set Collaborate.
I'm your host, wanda Pearson,and today we're diving into a
conversation that speaks to theheart of healing purpose and
community impact.
My guest, june Hill, programCare Manager at a Dream
Foundation Center Let me makesure I got that right June A
(00:51):
Dream Foundation Center.
June is a true leader inbehavioral health advocacy and
trauma-informed care.
With over 20 years ofexperience serving marginalized
and underserved communities.
She's leading a movement thatbrings mental wellness with real
life resilience, empoweringindividuals to break
generational cycles and rewritetheir stories.
(01:12):
I love this, june, because alot of times we get stuck in
that generational curse and wewant to get out of that
generation of curse.
June, welcome to the show andI'm so honored to have you.
Oh, it's a pleasure being here.
Yes, so honored to have you.
Pleasure being here.
Yes, it is, and I thank you forcoming.
But I'm going to read your biobefore we dive into some of the
questions I want to ask you.
Okay, june Hill, program CareManager and Behavioral Health
(01:36):
Advocate, community EmpowermentLeader.
She's a Program Care Manager ata DREAM Foundation Center, a
nonprofit organization dedicatedto trauma, to trauma-informed
behavior, health services andempowerment programs.
With over two decades ofexperience serving marginalized
and underserved communities, sheleads with compassion, strategy
(01:59):
and deep commitment to healingand transformation.
To healing and transformation.
At Adrian Foundation Center.
I'm trying to do it in a thirdparty.
They focus on bridging the gapbetween mental wellness and real
life resilience.
To oversee holistic servicedelivery, including clinical
counseling, life coaching,support groups, wellness
(02:21):
retreats and entrepreneurialempowerment.
To ensure every client I'mgoing to be tongue-tied here
every client receives cultural,competent care tailored to their
unique journey.
Her passion lies in helpingindividuals break generational
cycles, rebuild their lives andrediscover their voice.
I'm especially focused onadvocating for BIPOC.
(02:41):
Now what does that mean BIPOC?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
It's the Indigenous community, so Black, Indian,
Native Americans, theunderserved and the marginalized
community.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Okay, so diverse.
Yeah, so diverse communities,right, and women navigating
mental health challenges, traumaor systematic barriers.
Let's connect if you'reinterested in partnerships,
behavior, health and innovationand culture, creating
sustainable change in the livesof others.
I love that, june, and I thinkthat's why I introduced you to
Coco, who is going to be a gueston my show as well.
I think what you do is actuallygreat.
(03:17):
It's very inspiring of what youdo, and I give you that props
for it because I tell you I wasactually I was, I am a social
worker.
When I got back into thecommunity, well, I mentored
middle school girls and adultsor whatever.
So it's so needed these days,right as far as what's going on
with the mental health witheverybody, and it really is.
It's really phenomenal that youdo this, to be out in the
(03:40):
community, and I know God isblessing you to do what you got
to do.
So thank you, I in thecommunity, and I know God is
blessing you to do what you gotto do, so thank you, I want to
tell you thank you, so so.
June.
Can you tell us about what ledyou to the world of behavioral
health and community care?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So what led me to the world of behavioral health and
community care was the community.
So, over time, when we aregrowing up, we had we
experienced childhood trauma.
So, over time, when we'regrowing up, we experience
childhood trauma and then, as anadult, we may not be able to
(04:15):
navigate those situations oreven picking up things that we
see our family members doing,and I had different instances of
this throughout my life.
It didn't come to a point whereI felt like I had to do
something about it until Iexperienced domestic violence
and started my organization in2018.
While starting my organization,I thought that I was catering
to domestic violence survivorsand then it transitioned into
(04:35):
things.
It made me look at other thingsin my life that contribute to
me picking the wrong person tobe in a relationship with and
that's why we havetrauma-informed care and doing
the domestic violence experienceand having a brain injury and
then not having to have thatspace where I could take off for
(04:55):
work.
So I had to work on myself,keep a job, have a creative
outlet and help other people,all while I was helping myself.
And while I was doing that, Inoticed different things about
myself.
I noticed like after college, Inoticed I had became an
alcoholic in college.
(05:16):
After college I stoppeddrinking and then I go to my
20th year reunion and I foundout, hey, that's good you did
that, it's some people that isnot able to do that.
So I'm like I thought it wasjust the domestic violence thing
but really I had a whole cycleof breaking generational curse
with alcoholics in my family,overcoming having my child in
(05:38):
high school being a teen mom andmy daughter not being a teen
mom, breaking that cycle.
So it started when a domesticviolence situation arise and I
created my nonprofitorganization and I'm trying to
niche down to my demographic.
It went into.
Okay, you also have anxietyfrom just running a business
running a high, a successfulbusiness.
(05:59):
A lot of people don'tunderstand that business owners
are three times more likely tohave anxiety and chronic illness
and things of that nature justby having a high stress job.
So you have a lot of.
It was a lot of different layersI had to overcome after I
started my nonprofitorganization, looking at myself
(06:19):
and I'm like, okay, I'm all ofthese things, I'm the recovering
addict to alcohol.
I'm all of these things, I'mthe recovering addict to alcohol
.
I am the single mom that had achild in high school.
I am the business owner.
That is stressed out.
So I couldn't contribute all ofthose experiences to the one
domestic violence thing and Istill wanted to be able to help
(06:40):
people in my nonprofit.
So that's when we went into thebehavior health and I started
understanding more stuff aboutmyself and I said, hey, this
will be nice for other people.
So I started catering to mytribe, which was single parents,
domestic violence survivors,people struggling with addiction
, people having parents, ofhaving parents that are
(07:01):
struggling with addiction.
So it just turned intosomething that was going to help
me and I'm able to help otherpeople.
So that's how a dreamfoundation grew into what it is
today.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That's awesome because actually that was the
next question I was going toanswer, but I'm actually, but
you just answered it.
But I love that because, I God,it seemed like we have a lot in
common.
My mother was her last year ofhigh school when she got
pregnant with me First timehaving sex.
She had me and she married myfather, who they both loved each
other, but she married mystepfather and that's when the
domestic violence and alcoholcame into play.
(07:35):
So I really love what you'redoing because it's so needed.
Out here today we may not saythat we have problems, but at
the same time, what we grew upto be, but we want to do
something better, especially forother people.
So thank you for saying that.
I appreciate it.
So tell us a little bit moreabout your mission of a Dream
(07:57):
Foundation Center and the typesof services you provide.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Okay.
So at Dream Foundation, ourmission is just to help.
We don't have.
Our mission is not to just helppeople with low income, because
we service everyone people withno income and people with
income but our mission is tohelp people become whole in
whatever way they see fit,because a couple of sessions may
(08:20):
not be able to heal everythingin your life, but if you're a
struggling business owner andmaybe you just need some coping
mechanisms on how to or build upyour confidence so you can get
paid more money and you're notas stressed out when you're able
to go into those boardrooms oryou don't feel unworthy in those
boardrooms so you're able tocharge whatever you you desire.
(08:45):
So we work on confidence, wework on behavior, health.
So we have life coaches, wehave mental, we have virtual
support groups.
So our virtual support groupsgo over budgeting, anxiety, high
stress.
We try to check everything offof the list and we have it once
a month, usually the thirdSaturday in the month at seven
(09:06):
o'clock.
So we go that's more of thelife skills every day.
We have mental healthcounselors, we have life coaches
, and then we also have a skillsevery day.
We have mental health counselors, we have life coaches and then
we also have a business cohort.
So we have a business cohort.
It's called building yourbusiness with confidence and in
this cohort we're able to helpyou manage your money and kind
of help you talk, help you learnmore about the tier two in
(09:31):
business.
Like you already make yourmoney.
Now how are you going tosurvive?
Do you have short-termdisability?
Do you have life insurance,those types of things, cpas how
to manage your money.
After you've been making yourmoney, we take the stress away
in the cohort.
So that's like you come to us,maybe you have counseling, maybe
you want to start a business,so now we help you with managing
(09:52):
your money in your business andcoming up with a retirement
plan and or something emergencyfunds, something that can keep
you safe when you go throughthose.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, I get it.
I tell you it's funny becausewe the mentoring I do at the
middle school we actually had acommunity for you last week and
this is middle school kids.
So we actually had a communityfor you last week and this is
middle school kids.
So we actually did a simulationof what kind of job you want,
how much college education youhad, and so they got a budget to
go down how much they will makeand you know how much you would
(10:26):
spend like for housing, fortransportation, for if you have
children, how many children youhave, and so on.
But it actually was reallyamazing to see these.
And this is middle school now,so we're preparing them for the
eighth graders, preparing themfor high school.
So I wish we had this when wewere growing up.
They didn't have this kind ofthing, right.
So having that budget and beingable to go through the
(10:47):
different things and stickingwith it.
But what was funny was that Ihad this section about clothes,
buying clothes for you and yourbaby and food.
So it was funny because thekids came there and they had two
kids and I said, okay, there'sgoing to be 100 for each kid,
and I was telling the young lady.
I said you have diapers.
Diapers for $75.
I said this is not even, it'smore than that, but clothes for
(11:09):
the kid.
But you forgot about theformula.
A lot of people may notbreastfeed so you got to buy
formula for that.
So it's funny because the kidssay they were saying I'm getting
a divorce, I'm not going to getmarried, I'm not going to have
kids.
So it really teaches them tomaybe break that generational
curse.
So I appreciate you saying that, but that's awesome.
That is awesome.
So how do you approach caredifferently for underserved and
(11:31):
BIPOC communities?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Oh yeah, just being personable with them, everyone,
everybody that comes to us.
You're either referred or wemeet on a personable basis.
So just making a comfortableenvironment, because it has to
be a no judgmental zone in orderfor people to feel safe.
In order for people to feelsafe, I mean, in order for, even
if you are making money, yougot to feel safe to say, hey,
(11:56):
I'm not budgeting my money orhey, I need help.
I look good, I'm buttoned up, Ineed help with stuff that you
can't see.
So we want people to feelwelcome and just coming to us.
So just being personable.
We have a website, we are onsocial media and then also we
attend community events.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
So if you see us out in the community, feel free to
come up and tell us we are safeand confidential exactly, and
that really makes a lot of senseto do that and I love that
because, like you say, it's nojudgment zone, because a lot of
people are afraid to even tellyou about their problems because
they may be embarrassed.
Right, do you get that?
Problems because they may beembarrassed right.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Do you get that?
Yeah, yeah, they may beembarrassed or we have an image
that we put out to the world,even as a single mom, even to
our children.
Sometimes we can't, it's hardfor us to say we can't provide
for them or we can't show up inways that they need us, and
sometimes we need help too.
So I think being a mom, being adad, auntie, uncle, or whatever
(12:56):
title you have at your job ishard to ask for help when you
need help.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, it really does.
It really does.
So what does it mean to offerculturally competent and trauma
informed support in today'sworld?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Oh, just so, we have our therapies are bilingual in
today's world.
Oh, just so, we have, ourtherapies are bilingual.
We have people that we havelanguage interpreters that help
Creole Spanish, so we check allthe boxes off the list.
And then also we have lifecoaches, because some people are
not as relatable to therapistsas they are with everyday people
.
So we have as well, andcommunity leaders that help out
(13:33):
to make sure that we're not,we're not talking over their
heads or we're not relatable tothem.
We hire people with secondchances.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
We hire everyday, traditional people if that makes
sense, that makes a lot ofsense.
And actually I was going to askthe next question.
As far as well.
You speak about breakinggenerational cycles, right?
What are some of the biggestobstacles people face in doing
that?
Because sometimes it's hard tobreak generational cycles.
(14:03):
It's if they're willing, right.
So how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
For me.
I felt when I was breaking agenerational curse by helping my
daughter navigating her throughlife so that she wouldn't be
pregnant in high school.
I found me personally.
I found that it was hardbecause I had to lose friends
and family members because theydidn't see the vision that I
seen for my daughter and they,oh, it's okay if she don't go to
(14:26):
college and whatever reason why.
They felt like those standardswasn't acceptable.
I just had to say, hey, it'sokay if you would like to live
your life like that, but I wouldlike to live my life another
way.
So I think, just going againstthe grain, going against the
grain being your authentic selfand knowing what you want, you
(14:47):
want better for yourself.
And even when I did it formyself and I go to environments
where I'm not drinking and someof my relatives don't invite me
to things because I don't drinkand it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yeah, yeah.
It's a shame that they do thatbecause they say, oh, she don't
drink, so I want to invite.
But you stand your ground andI'm so happy that you do that
because you have a daughter.
How old is your daughter now?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
A 22.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
OK, so 22.
So you have a 22-year-olddaughter.
You want to be an example ofwhat's out there.
So that is very I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I love what you're doing there, and it's for
standing your ground and sayit's okay, that's fine, yeah you
learn different things, whereyou learn how to spend time
doing other things, hobbies andthings of that nature, because
your life is not consumed aboutwith addiction.
If people put things in yourface, you're going to always go
to that, but if you findsomewhere else to tailor your
(15:40):
energy, you can pick upsomething else and you won't
even look for that.
Reading a book, going to theart museum it's so much more
than going to a bar and drinkingabsolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
That's why I taught our girls as far as diversity,
well, we love plays, we love togo out to dinner, we love movies
.
So I've been doing that sincethey were younger.
I have two daughters and now Ihave four granddaughters, so we
want to teach the same thingthat this is what you can have.
And even I was talking to mydaughter and she has two
daughters.
She said mommy, I remember whenI used to go out to dinner with
(16:13):
you and Dad, I said yeah, youused to go out on dates with us.
You used to break our dateshere, but it taught her that
this is what you should expect.
You know what I mean.
And having a man that wouldtake you out to dinner Not to
McDonald's, but something thatyou're worth it there yeah, that
is great.
I'm glad you do that.
So how do you, how do you like?
(16:33):
Coaching and entrepreneurialempowerment programs help
clients rediscover their voiceand rebuild it.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Oh, yes, most definitely so, sometimes,
depending on what their need is.
We help them find jobs, we helpthem transition their business,
we help them just show up intheir everyday relationships, we
help build their confidence.
So that's pretty much.
We help them with stuff thatthey're, we help them with their
weakness just to make them abetter person and then when they
(17:02):
show up for their self in abetter way, they're successful
in every aspect in your life.
Sometimes people just need tohave somebody say you can do it.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yes, yes Affirmations .
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yep, affirmations and accountability.
Sometimes they just needaccountability too.
Just somebody to say hey, youdidn't do what you said you was
gonna do, and why didn't you doit?
And then they come back and sayX, y, z, and then we work on
that reason why they didn't doit and walk it back from there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
That's awesome.
I tell you, I really like thatwhat you're doing there, because
the accountability it reallymeans a lot.
So they know they got to dowhat they said they were going
to do.
That's really important becausethat way they learn and they
especially if they have kids youwant to teach your kids the
same thing.
They got to be accountable,held accountable for what they
do and I think that over time westopped showing up.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
We don't realize it because we help so many other
people.
So once you bring theaccountability portion, I think
that makes them self-reflect onhow they wasn't showing for
themselves and usually most ofthe time there they will change.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, exactly, and because they have somebody that
they can trust, like you, whatyou do as far as your coaches
and stuff, it makes a bigdifference.
So can you share a moment orstory that deeply impacted you
doing your work in the community?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, I have a lot of stories.
Sometimes I have people thatcome and they are maybe
struggling to keep theirbusiness afloat.
We're able to help them intheir business.
Sometimes it's like, hey, jumpon a job for six months and then
six months later we see them ontheir job and running their
their business.
Sometimes it's like, hey, jumpon a job for six months and then
six months later we see them ontheir job and running their
(18:42):
successful business and it'slike their income has tripled or
doubled and we're like, hey,this, all we wanted you to do
was make more money so youwouldn't stress out.
I think that seeing storieslike that, or seeing moms
transition into school orgetting their degrees, or
helping their household bypicking up that second income I
(19:03):
have a few stories, but all inall, I'm just thankful that
they're able to transition theirlives and help me because, you
know, I didn't know I could dothis Kind of something.
That happened out of trauma, soI'm just thankful that I'm able
to help people.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
I love that.
I love it because I actually,when I graduated from college, I
worked at Mercedes Benz.
But then I want to get intowhat I went to school for social
work.
So I worked at Job Corps.
And Job Corps is like you heardof Job Corps, right?
Yeah.
So girls who got in trouble,that they wanted to get a
profession.
So one of the girls girls Itold God.
I said if I can just getthrough two of these girls, I'll
be happy.
(19:43):
Well, I end up getting throughthe two toughest girls.
And it so happened that I was inthe mall with my husband at the
time and she called me.
She said my name was Abrams.
I don't know who she's talkingabout then, but it was Miss
Abrams.
I said I can't believe it.
So she was one of those.
She actually became a dentalassistant and she was getting
married.
She had a kid.
That just helped.
I was just like, wow, I didsomething to help somebody else.
(20:05):
So, just like you, right to seewhat you have have done and
that's all we want to do.
We want to just make an impacton the community and helping
people that need help and peoplewho say they want to do more.
So I love what you do here, solet me ask you something now.
So your vision?
What partnerships of supportdoes your organization need most
(20:25):
right now to expand your impact?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Oh, most definitely Okay.
So we would love to have otherentrepreneurs volunteer.
We'd love to have.
If you have a business thathave a job, send us your job
listing.
If you work at an area and somejobs are available, send us
some job listings.
If you would like to stop byand volunteer some time.
We have events all the time atthe office.
(20:51):
Click on the website volunteertime, donate to us if you would
like to donate.
We would love to partner withother behavioral health
businesses.
We'll love to partner with anycorporate sponsors okay and that
, yeah, that, that's needed anyschools the poli-dol program at
the school.
(21:12):
Any colleges the poli-dolprogram at the colleges okay,
okay, that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
So, for listeners who want to get involved, what's
the best way they can supportthe work you're doing?
I think you already mentionedthat, but there is something
else that they can support youin doing.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
You can volunteer, donate or come to our events.
That iswwwadreemfoundationcenterorg.
Or you can, you can.
You can sign up to volunteer.
We have a mental healthawareness event May the 31st
from 10 to 2.
You can stop by the office inLawrenceville and it's 259
(21:48):
Langley Drive, suite A inLawrenceville, georgia, so you
can do all of the above.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Okay, good, and you're going to send that to me
so I can put it in the shownotes so people can see exactly
where to get into contact withyou.
So, yeah, this is, this isawesome and I really, I really
honor you what you're doing here, because there's really much
needed, especially in thiscommunity.
A lot of stuff going on as faras people losing their jobs and
a lot of mental health,depression, anxiety, all of
(22:15):
those things that actually playsa fact of what we go through
when we and then they could goforward, all of those things
that actually plays a part ofwhat we go through when we, and
then they conform to doing otherthings that not good for them.
So, thank you, june, Iappreciate you, but thank you so
much for sharing your heart,your vision and your wisdom and
the incredible work you're doingthrough A Dream Foundation
Center.
You reminded us how healing isnot just personal.
(22:38):
It's a cultural and communalenvironment.
So, to our listeners, if you'vebeen moved by today's
conversation, I encourage you toreach out to june and I'm going
to put the show notes in there.
We can reach out to it, supportthe mission and consider how
you can be part of the solution.
Every story matters, everyvoice deserves to be heard, and
(23:00):
healing is possible when we cometogether.
June, would you like to saysome ending words here?
Speaker 3 (23:05):
No, I thank you for everything.
Oh, just don't forget to reachout to us.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yes, definitely, I'm going to put the information in
the show notes.
So make sure you this is agreat foundation that she's
doing and how she built it, andwhat I love about it is from
your experience, how you want tohelp others, from your
experience.
But thank you so much, so untilnext time, stay inspired, stay
connected and always Ready Set,collaborate.
Make sure you follow, like andsubscribe.
We're also on YouTube as well,so thanks again, jill, for being
(23:33):
my guest on this show.
All right, thank you Bye.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
That wraps up another episode of All right, thank you
, bye.
Welcome to Ready Set.
Collaborate with Wanda Pearson.
This is where ideas spark,connections grow and
collaborations fuse success.
Tune in for inspiring stories,expert insights and
game-changing conversations.
Let's build, connect and thrivetogether.
Remember collaboration is thekey to success.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Welcome.
Welcome to the Ready SetCollaborate podcast, where we
have another inspired episode ofthe Ready Set Collaborate.
I'm your host, wanda Pearson,and today we're diving into a
conversation that speaks to theheart of healing purpose and
community impact.
My guest, june Hill, programCare Manager at a Dream
Foundation Center Let me makesure I got that right June A
(00:51):
Dream Foundation Center.
June is a true leader inbehavioral health advocacy and
trauma-informed care.
With over 20 years ofexperience serving marginalized
and underserved communities.
She's leading a movement thatbrings mental wellness with real
life resilience, empoweringindividuals to break
generational cycles and rewritetheir stories.
(01:12):
I love this, june, because alot of times we get stuck in
that generational curse and wewant to get out of that
generation of curse.
June, welcome to the show andI'm so honored to have you.
Oh, it's a pleasure being here.
Yes, so honored to have you.
Pleasure being here.
Yes, it is, and I thank you forcoming.
But I'm going to read your biobefore we dive into some of the
questions I want to ask you.
Okay, june Hill, program CareManager and Behavioral Health
(01:36):
Advocate, community EmpowermentLeader.
She's a Program Care Manager ata DREAM Foundation Center, a
nonprofit organization dedicatedto trauma, to trauma-informed
behavior, health services andempowerment programs.
With over two decades ofexperience serving marginalized
and underserved communities, sheleads with compassion, strategy
(01:59):
and deep commitment to healingand transformation.
To healing and transformation.
At Adrian Foundation Center.
I'm trying to do it in a thirdparty.
They focus on bridging the gapbetween mental wellness and real
life resilience.
To oversee holistic servicedelivery, including clinical
counseling, life coaching,support groups, wellness
(02:21):
retreats and entrepreneurialempowerment.
To ensure every client I'mgoing to be tongue-tied here
every client receives cultural,competent care tailored to their
unique journey.
Her passion lies in helpingindividuals break generational
cycles, rebuild their lives andrediscover their voice.
I'm especially focused onadvocating for BIPOC.
(02:41):
Now what does that mean BIPOC?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
It's the Indigenous community, so Black, Indian,
Native Americans, theunderserved and the marginalized
community.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Okay, so diverse.
Yeah, so diverse communities,right, and women navigating
mental health challenges, traumaor systematic barriers.
Let's connect if you'reinterested in partnerships,
behavior, health and innovationand culture, creating
sustainable change in the livesof others.
I love that, june, and I thinkthat's why I introduced you to
Coco, who is going to be a gueston my show as well.
I think what you do is actuallygreat.
(03:17):
It's very inspiring of what youdo, and I give you that props
for it because I tell you I wasactually I was, I am a social
worker.
When I got back into thecommunity, well, I mentored
middle school girls and adultsor whatever.
So it's so needed these days,right as far as what's going on
with the mental health witheverybody, and it really is.
It's really phenomenal that youdo this, to be out in the
(03:40):
community, and I know God isblessing you to do what you got
to do.
So thank you, I in thecommunity, and I know God is
blessing you to do what you gotto do, so thank you, I want to
tell you thank you, so so.
June.
Can you tell us about what ledyou to the world of behavioral
health and community care?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So what led me to the world of behavioral health and
community care was the community.
So, over time, when we aregrowing up, we had we
experienced childhood trauma.
So, over time, when we'regrowing up, we experience
childhood trauma and then, as anadult, we may not be able to
(04:15):
navigate those situations oreven picking up things that we
see our family members doing,and I had different instances of
this throughout my life.
It didn't come to a point whereI felt like I had to do
something about it until Iexperienced domestic violence
and started my organization in2018.
While starting my organization,I thought that I was catering
to domestic violence survivorsand then it transitioned into
(04:35):
things.
It made me look at other thingsin my life that contribute to
me picking the wrong person tobe in a relationship with and
that's why we havetrauma-informed care and doing
the domestic violence experienceand having a brain injury and
then not having to have thatspace where I could take off for
(04:55):
work.
So I had to work on myself,keep a job, have a creative
outlet and help other people,all while I was helping myself.
And while I was doing that, Inoticed different things about
myself.
I noticed like after college, Inoticed I had became an
alcoholic in college.
(05:16):
After college I stoppeddrinking and then I go to my
20th year reunion and I foundout, hey, that's good you did
that, it's some people that isnot able to do that.
So I'm like I thought it wasjust the domestic violence thing
but really I had a whole cycleof breaking generational curse
with alcoholics in my family,overcoming having my child in
(05:38):
high school being a teen mom andmy daughter not being a teen
mom, breaking that cycle.
So it started when a domesticviolence situation arise and I
created my nonprofitorganization and I'm trying to
niche down to my demographic.
It went into.
Okay, you also have anxietyfrom just running a business
running a high, a successfulbusiness.
(05:59):
A lot of people don'tunderstand that business owners
are three times more likely tohave anxiety and chronic illness
and things of that nature justby having a high stress job.
So you have a lot of.
It was a lot of different layersI had to overcome after I
started my nonprofitorganization, looking at myself
(06:19):
and I'm like, okay, I'm all ofthese things, I'm the recovering
addict to alcohol.
I'm all of these things, I'mthe recovering addict to alcohol
.
I am the single mom that had achild in high school.
I am the business owner.
That is stressed out.
So I couldn't contribute all ofthose experiences to the one
domestic violence thing and Istill wanted to be able to help
(06:40):
people in my nonprofit.
So that's when we went into thebehavior health and I started
understanding more stuff aboutmyself and I said, hey, this
will be nice for other people.
So I started catering to mytribe, which was single parents,
domestic violence survivors,people struggling with addiction
, people having parents, ofhaving parents that are
(07:01):
struggling with addiction.
So it just turned intosomething that was going to help
me and I'm able to help otherpeople.
So that's how a dreamfoundation grew into what it is
today.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That's awesome because actually that was the
next question I was going toanswer, but I'm actually, but
you just answered it.
But I love that because, I God,it seemed like we have a lot in
common.
My mother was her last year ofhigh school when she got
pregnant with me First timehaving sex.
She had me and she married myfather, who they both loved each
other, but she married mystepfather and that's when the
domestic violence and alcoholcame into play.
(07:35):
So I really love what you'redoing because it's so needed.
Out here today we may not saythat we have problems, but at
the same time, what we grew upto be, but we want to do
something better, especially forother people.
So thank you for saying that.
I appreciate it.
So tell us a little bit moreabout your mission of a Dream
(07:57):
Foundation Center and the typesof services you provide.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Okay.
So at Dream Foundation, ourmission is just to help.
We don't have.
Our mission is not to just helppeople with low income, because
we service everyone people withno income and people with
income but our mission is tohelp people become whole in
whatever way they see fit,because a couple of sessions may
(08:20):
not be able to heal everythingin your life, but if you're a
struggling business owner andmaybe you just need some coping
mechanisms on how to or build upyour confidence so you can get
paid more money and you're notas stressed out when you're able
to go into those boardrooms oryou don't feel unworthy in those
boardrooms so you're able tocharge whatever you you desire.
(08:45):
So we work on confidence, wework on behavior, health.
So we have life coaches, wehave mental, we have virtual
support groups.
So our virtual support groupsgo over budgeting, anxiety, high
stress.
We try to check everything offof the list and we have it once
a month, usually the thirdSaturday in the month at seven
(09:06):
o'clock.
So we go that's more of thelife skills every day.
We have mental healthcounselors, we have life coaches
, and then we also have a skillsevery day.
We have mental health counselors, we have life coaches and then
we also have a business cohort.
So we have a business cohort.
It's called building yourbusiness with confidence and in
this cohort we're able to helpyou manage your money and kind
of help you talk, help you learnmore about the tier two in
(09:31):
business.
Like you already make yourmoney.
Now how are you going tosurvive?
Do you have short-termdisability?
Do you have life insurance,those types of things, cpas how
to manage your money.
After you've been making yourmoney, we take the stress away
in the cohort.
So that's like you come to us,maybe you have counseling, maybe
you want to start a business,so now we help you with managing
(09:52):
your money in your business andcoming up with a retirement
plan and or something emergencyfunds, something that can keep
you safe when you go throughthose.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, I get it.
I tell you it's funny becausewe the mentoring I do at the
middle school we actually had acommunity for you last week and
this is middle school kids.
So we actually had a communityfor you last week and this is
middle school kids.
So we actually did a simulationof what kind of job you want,
how much college education youhad, and so they got a budget to
go down how much they will makeand you know how much you would
(10:26):
spend like for housing, fortransportation, for if you have
children, how many children youhave, and so on.
But it actually was reallyamazing to see these.
And this is middle school now,so we're preparing them for the
eighth graders, preparing themfor high school.
So I wish we had this when wewere growing up.
They didn't have this kind ofthing, right.
So having that budget and beingable to go through the
(10:47):
different things and stickingwith it.
But what was funny was that Ihad this section about clothes,
buying clothes for you and yourbaby and food.
So it was funny because thekids came there and they had two
kids and I said, okay, there'sgoing to be 100 for each kid,
and I was telling the young lady.
I said you have diapers.
Diapers for $75.
I said this is not even, it'smore than that, but clothes for
(11:09):
the kid.
But you forgot about theformula.
A lot of people may notbreastfeed so you got to buy
formula for that.
So it's funny because the kidssay they were saying I'm getting
a divorce, I'm not going to getmarried, I'm not going to have
kids.
So it really teaches them tomaybe break that generational
curse.
So I appreciate you saying that, but that's awesome.
That is awesome.
So how do you approach caredifferently for underserved and
(11:31):
BIPOC communities?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Oh yeah, just being personable with them, everyone,
everybody that comes to us.
You're either referred or wemeet on a personable basis.
So just making a comfortableenvironment, because it has to
be a no judgmental zone in orderfor people to feel safe.
In order for people to feelsafe, I mean, in order for, even
if you are making money, yougot to feel safe to say, hey,
(11:56):
I'm not budgeting my money orhey, I need help.
I look good, I'm buttoned up, Ineed help with stuff that you
can't see.
So we want people to feelwelcome and just coming to us.
So just being personable.
We have a website, we are onsocial media and then also we
attend community events.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
So if you see us out in the community, feel free to
come up and tell us we are safeand confidential exactly, and
that really makes a lot of senseto do that and I love that
because, like you say, it's nojudgment zone, because a lot of
people are afraid to even tellyou about their problems because
they may be embarrassed.
Right, do you get that?
Problems because they may beembarrassed right.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Do you get that?
Yeah, yeah, they may beembarrassed or we have an image
that we put out to the world,even as a single mom, even to
our children.
Sometimes we can't, it's hardfor us to say we can't provide
for them or we can't show up inways that they need us, and
sometimes we need help too.
So I think being a mom, being adad, auntie, uncle, or whatever
(12:56):
title you have at your job ishard to ask for help when you
need help.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, it really does.
It really does.
So what does it mean to offerculturally competent and trauma
informed support in today'sworld?
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Oh, just so, we have our therapies are bilingual in
today's world.
Oh, just so, we have, ourtherapies are bilingual.
We have people that we havelanguage interpreters that help
Creole Spanish, so we check allthe boxes off the list.
And then also we have lifecoaches, because some people are
not as relatable to therapistsas they are with everyday people
.
So we have as well, andcommunity leaders that help out
(13:33):
to make sure that we're not,we're not talking over their
heads or we're not relatable tothem.
We hire people with secondchances.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
We hire everyday, traditional people if that makes
sense, that makes a lot ofsense.
And actually I was going to askthe next question.
As far as well.
You speak about breakinggenerational cycles, right?
What are some of the biggestobstacles people face in doing
that?
Because sometimes it's hard tobreak generational cycles.
(14:03):
It's if they're willing, right.
So how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (14:06):
For me.
I felt when I was breaking agenerational curse by helping my
daughter navigating her throughlife so that she wouldn't be
pregnant in high school.
I found me personally.
I found that it was hardbecause I had to lose friends
and family members because theydidn't see the vision that I
seen for my daughter and they,oh, it's okay if she don't go to
(14:26):
college and whatever reason why.
They felt like those standardswasn't acceptable.
I just had to say, hey, it'sokay if you would like to live
your life like that, but I wouldlike to live my life another
way.
So I think, just going againstthe grain, going against the
grain being your authentic selfand knowing what you want, you
(14:47):
want better for yourself.
And even when I did it formyself and I go to environments
where I'm not drinking and someof my relatives don't invite me
to things because I don't drinkand it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yeah, yeah.
It's a shame that they do thatbecause they say, oh, she don't
drink, so I want to invite.
But you stand your ground andI'm so happy that you do that
because you have a daughter.
How old is your daughter now?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
A 22.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
OK, so 22.
So you have a 22-year-olddaughter.
You want to be an example ofwhat's out there.
So that is very I love it.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I love what you're doing there, and it's for
standing your ground and sayit's okay, that's fine, yeah you
learn different things, whereyou learn how to spend time
doing other things, hobbies andthings of that nature, because
your life is not consumed aboutwith addiction.
If people put things in yourface, you're going to always go
to that, but if you findsomewhere else to tailor your
(15:40):
energy, you can pick upsomething else and you won't
even look for that.
Reading a book, going to theart museum it's so much more
than going to a bar and drinkingabsolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
That's why I taught our girls as far as diversity,
well, we love plays, we love togo out to dinner, we love movies
.
So I've been doing that sincethey were younger.
I have two daughters and now Ihave four granddaughters, so we
want to teach the same thingthat this is what you can have.
And even I was talking to mydaughter and she has two
daughters.
She said mommy, I remember whenI used to go out to dinner with
(16:13):
you and Dad, I said yeah, youused to go out on dates with us.
You used to break our dateshere, but it taught her that
this is what you should expect.
You know what I mean.
And having a man that wouldtake you out to dinner Not to
McDonald's, but something thatyou're worth it there yeah, that
is great.
I'm glad you do that.
So how do you, how do you like?
(16:33):
Coaching and entrepreneurialempowerment programs help
clients rediscover their voiceand rebuild it.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Oh, yes, most definitely so, sometimes,
depending on what their need is.
We help them find jobs, we helpthem transition their business,
we help them just show up intheir everyday relationships, we
help build their confidence.
So that's pretty much.
We help them with stuff thatthey're, we help them with their
weakness just to make them abetter person and then when they
(17:02):
show up for their self in abetter way, they're successful
in every aspect in your life.
Sometimes people just need tohave somebody say you can do it.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yes, yes Affirmations .
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yep, affirmations and accountability.
Sometimes they just needaccountability too.
Just somebody to say hey, youdidn't do what you said you was
gonna do, and why didn't you doit?
And then they come back and sayX, y, z, and then we work on
that reason why they didn't doit and walk it back from there.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
That's awesome.
I tell you, I really like thatwhat you're doing there, because
the accountability it reallymeans a lot.
So they know they got to dowhat they said they were going
to do.
That's really important becausethat way they learn and they
especially if they have kids youwant to teach your kids the
same thing.
They got to be accountable,held accountable for what they
do and I think that over time westopped showing up.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
We don't realize it because we help so many other
people.
So once you bring theaccountability portion, I think
that makes them self-reflect onhow they wasn't showing for
themselves and usually most ofthe time there they will change.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Yeah, exactly, and because they have somebody that
they can trust, like you, whatyou do as far as your coaches
and stuff, it makes a bigdifference.
So can you share a moment orstory that deeply impacted you
doing your work in the community?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, I have a lot of stories.
Sometimes I have people thatcome and they are maybe
struggling to keep theirbusiness afloat.
We're able to help them intheir business.
Sometimes it's like, hey, jumpon a job for six months and then
six months later we see them ontheir job and running their
their business.
Sometimes it's like, hey, jumpon a job for six months and then
six months later we see them ontheir job and running their
(18:42):
successful business and it'slike their income has tripled or
doubled and we're like, hey,this, all we wanted you to do
was make more money so youwouldn't stress out.
I think that seeing storieslike that, or seeing moms
transition into school orgetting their degrees, or
helping their household bypicking up that second income I
(19:03):
have a few stories, but all inall, I'm just thankful that
they're able to transition theirlives and help me because, you
know, I didn't know I could dothis Kind of something.
That happened out of trauma, soI'm just thankful that I'm able
to help people.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
I love that.
I love it because I actually,when I graduated from college, I
worked at Mercedes Benz.
But then I want to get intowhat I went to school for social
work.
So I worked at Job Corps.
And Job Corps is like you heardof Job Corps, right?
Yeah.
So girls who got in trouble,that they wanted to get a
profession.
So one of the girls girls Itold God.
I said if I can just getthrough two of these girls, I'll
be happy.
(19:43):
Well, I end up getting throughthe two toughest girls.
And it so happened that I was inthe mall with my husband at the
time and she called me.
She said my name was Abrams.
I don't know who she's talkingabout then, but it was Miss
Abrams.
I said I can't believe it.
So she was one of those.
She actually became a dentalassistant and she was getting
married.
She had a kid.
That just helped.
I was just like, wow, I didsomething to help somebody else.
(20:05):
So, just like you, right to seewhat you have have done and
that's all we want to do.
We want to just make an impacton the community and helping
people that need help and peoplewho say they want to do more.
So I love what you do here, solet me ask you something now.
So your vision?
What partnerships of supportdoes your organization need most
(20:25):
right now to expand your impact?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Oh, most definitely Okay.
So we would love to have otherentrepreneurs volunteer.
We'd love to have.
If you have a business thathave a job, send us your job
listing.
If you work at an area and somejobs are available, send us
some job listings.
If you would like to stop byand volunteer some time.
We have events all the time atthe office.
(20:51):
Click on the website volunteertime, donate to us if you would
like to donate.
We would love to partner withother behavioral health
businesses.
We'll love to partner with anycorporate sponsors okay and that
, yeah, that, that's needed anyschools the poli-dol program at
the school.
(21:12):
Any colleges the poli-dolprogram at the colleges okay,
okay, that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
So, for listeners who want to get involved, what's
the best way they can supportthe work you're doing?
I think you already mentionedthat, but there is something
else that they can support youin doing.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
You can volunteer, donate or come to our events.
That iswwwadreemfoundationcenterorg.
Or you can, you can.
You can sign up to volunteer.
We have a mental healthawareness event May the 31st
from 10 to 2.
You can stop by the office inLawrenceville and it's 259
(21:48):
Langley Drive, suite A inLawrenceville, georgia, so you
can do all of the above.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Okay, good, and you're going to send that to me
so I can put it in the shownotes so people can see exactly
where to get into contact withyou.
So, yeah, this is, this isawesome and I really, I really
honor you what you're doing here, because there's really much
needed, especially in thiscommunity.
A lot of stuff going on as faras people losing their jobs and
a lot of mental health,depression, anxiety, all of
(22:15):
those things that actually playsa fact of what we go through
when we and then they could goforward, all of those things
that actually plays a part ofwhat we go through when we, and
then they conform to doing otherthings that not good for them.
So, thank you, june, Iappreciate you, but thank you so
much for sharing your heart,your vision and your wisdom and
the incredible work you're doingthrough A Dream Foundation
Center.
You reminded us how healing isnot just personal.
(22:38):
It's a cultural and communalenvironment.
So, to our listeners, if you'vebeen moved by today's
conversation, I encourage you toreach out to june and I'm going
to put the show notes in there.
We can reach out to it, supportthe mission and consider how
you can be part of the solution.
Every story matters, everyvoice deserves to be heard, and
(23:00):
healing is possible when we cometogether.
June, would you like to saysome ending words here?
Speaker 3 (23:05):
No, I thank you for everything.
Oh, just don't forget to reachout to us.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Yes, definitely, I'm going to put the information in
the show notes.
So make sure you this is agreat foundation that she's
doing and how she built it, andwhat I love about it is from
your experience, how you want tohelp others, from your
experience.
But thank you so much, so untilnext time, stay inspired, stay
connected and always Ready Set,collaborate.
Make sure you follow, like andsubscribe.
We're also on YouTube as well,so thanks again, jill, for being
(23:33):
my guest on this show.
All right, thank you Bye.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
That wraps up another episode of All right, thank you
, bye.
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