April 6, 2025 • 16 mins
Almira Léonché, CEO of 2nd Chance Fashions. Almira is hosting a festival this year serving orphans in Sierra Leone with needed supplies and personal care items in May! Connect with Almira to see how you can support…
Interviewed by RudeBoyArtist and MrsMelaninReigns
www.speaklifetour.org
Interviewed by RudeBoyArtist and MrsMelaninReigns
www.speaklifetour.org
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to SLT to Talk. I'm co host Roubot Artists.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Alongside missus Lynnon Rains and we are here today with
marri Le.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Nice to meet you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Yes, So, tell a little bit about yourself, like how
did you get into some of the works that you're doing.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
So, I'm CEO of an organization called Second Chance Fashion
and most of our work at the moment is being
done in Sierily On, West Africa, and so we work
with orphans for now. Every year we creates a fundraiser
event that basically creates collects packs, hygiene packets and all
(00:39):
the games and activities needed for a big field day.
Last year we did three hundred orphans. This year's five
hundred orphans and they come from all over the city.
And with that, we just want to make sure that
you know it's my family's homeland.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
It's my way of giving back. I wasn't there. I
was born in Washington, d C.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
But at times I'm going to my accent. I will
make sure that's the afrigat and it comes out so
people know me very very will. But other than that,
I want to stay.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
True to who I am.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
And I was like what better, not a way to
just give back to children, because those are the ones
that are going to eventually to over the country.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Okay, so my question too is like you kind of
touched on it, but what really inspired you? It was
the defining moment and then overall what inspired you. I
have a love for children period.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I have four kids on my own, and whenever I
see their needs, they all have their own unique personalities
and there should be someone there that will help them
develop their talents. So besides just doing a festival, I
also want to be there to help them dig in
to what God created them be. When I was growing up,
(01:50):
I didn't feel like people really took time to understand
that I have to give some talents, but you know,
how to help it to evolve. So with them, they
really don't have resources to make that blossom. Me going
back and forth over the years, I just seen that,
oh my gosh, they don't have a complete piano to play,
even if they wanted to just learn piano. I don't
(02:11):
have a coach that will teach them how to sing.
Just the creative arts field in general is where I
want to touch more. So I guess it started out
with me when I was younger and feeling like I
was a little bit neglected in that area, and I said, well,
how can I give back because I see my kids,
let me see how I can raise them up in
their gifts and talents, and now let's take it overseas.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So doing your whole complete journey, what would you say
have been the most challenging part for you?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Oh, having people actually believe in the dream and raising
funds for it.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
You know, you end up taking a couple of classes
here and there to understand how to really get deep
into fundraising. But at first it's just okay, it's going
to go from your paycheck and whatever you can grab
and whatever friend.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Kind of believe in it. And my thing is starting
small was just not a thing for me.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
It's like there's so many of them, you know, when
you drive down the street, they're all in your face, like, hey, hey,
you're from America.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
What's going on? So you don't want to leave anyone out.
So for me, it's like, I just can't start small.
I'm just going to do it big. It was a
straight away for the first way, but it happened. It happened.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Now just like to hear God saying go ahead and
higher because you've already gotten you already finished the first one.
Now see what's what doors were open for the second one? O.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You touched on something that I know a lot of
entrepreneurs and artists and different people in the community face,
which is the lack of belief and lack of support
at times.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Well, what do you think really kept driving you?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Was there ever a moment first and foremost that you
were like can I really do this? Or were you
like really driven by I know I can do this?
Or was it a mix of both? Because a mix
of both, because you know, when you especially when you're
I mean, it does help to have funders, but for
my own belief, how I push myself if nobody's there?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And it was just okay, I just see the.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Smile on their faces. And when when you come by,
just like aunt team, everyone calls you Auntie, Auntie. Oh
my gosh, Auntie, you're back. What are we gonna do?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Oh? We love it. You just made our day. Blah
blah blah.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And that right itself was like, oh no, I don't
even have a choice.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I'm just happy with whether I'm crying or not. I'm
just gonna make sure it happens. Of course, great because
it's not all by my strength.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
But I think that that was that's that was the
driving four behind everything. Just seeing their faces and knowing
that you're in a difference in their life. It's changed everything.
Different type of vibe, yeah, different type of vibe.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Earlier, you said that you're a mother of four. So
if you've been a mother of four, how do you
find that balance and connect that balance to the work
that you're doing overall?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Ooh, thinking as they're older. The oldest one is twenty,
the youngest one is thirteen.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
And they're okay with it. They're they're the most love children,
so they're they're no longer in diapers. They're all making
good grades in school. By the way, it can it can.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Be a challenge, but when it comes time for at
the time of the year.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
To get up and go and stay in Africa for
three weeks, their father got them, so it's good, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
One of the things that I also want to ask
you is during that time period, was there any specific
thing that you saw on your journey that made you
feel like I have to keep going with this because
I know you said, you know, you had to mix
it both of those feelings. But was there anything specific,
(05:46):
like when you got to sier Leone, like or in
the beginning phases that made you really feel like I
have to keep going with this.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You know, when you're listening to the news and you're
hearing other fluencers back home talking about the needs of
the country, and you know a lot of them will say,
we just got out of college, we just got out
of school, and there's no work for us. And you know,
for me, I'm taking care of two group of kids.
You got the ones who are babies, the ones they're toddlers,
(06:18):
and those that just want to have fun. We would
call an elementary middle school group. But the high schoolers
going into college, it was like, I need something that's
gonna be I would just say, activities that will.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Help them to progress. So so thurs Day that mark
and this is what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
It's just because those became the people that would help
me volunteer to take care of the little ones.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
How would I.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Say, what was the driving force? What was the driving
force to actually see them go past their limit? When
you're seeing them graduate, they have no work and they're
on the streets hawking. That's what I was trying to
get because I had the image when you were talking,
and don't matter what age you are, they were sitting
there at seven years old. They had like buckets on
(07:04):
their heads selling bold eggs in the middle of the
hot sun. It feels like the equator and I'm like,
oh my gosh, they could do something better with that.
You have people who are artists that they paint the
mess out. I mean, you have by African Picassa. You
would be like what and they have no place to
sell it. So it's like, Okay, what can I do?
What's about doors can I open? And I myself have
(07:24):
my own fashion line out of all the other types
of businesses I have and not selling on Etsy.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
You know, you sell on.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Pinterest or at least show your work on Pinterest. So
it could be something that leads them back to your website,
like wow. If you could just help to mold their talents,
get them to create products, and that product could be
sell on behalf of them in the States where they
can make state money, not make third real country money,
and then it comes back and pays for their one
(07:52):
hundred dollars.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
School fees. Like, oh my gosh, that's what we have
to do for y'all. Okay, this is good. So I
think that was the force of I want to see
it not just be something that's so fun.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yes, we have the carnival that happens every year, but
as I get older, what else can they do with
what we've taught.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Them or what we've instilled in them. I don't know
if that makes sense. I felt like I was around
so you do a lot of work home, right, so
what ways?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I mean just wants you to if you already said it,
this kind of redirectul focus on how the gap between
what you got going on there and uh in general?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Okay, so.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
For now I'm working with the African student associations and
the different high schools.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
So that's uh.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
It was a great segue from my kids to oldest
joined the dance team. They joined the team, but they
were just more than just a dance team. They did
community service and other things of that nature. So I
was like, hmm, how could I get it where I
can help them with the community service hours? You know
how they have requirements before they graduate.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I was like, okay, this is Africa.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Helping Africa is it's over here in the United States
doing it, and there's so many groups. It's not just
high schoolers, but there's college groups also who want to
give back Africa some kind of way.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So let me be the door.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Let it be a chance where I'll say, this year
we got sponsored by such and such, I'm going to
take a group of thirty students to Si Leon like
I heard they used to do the way back of
the day. I never want to one of those trips
when my parents were too afraid. But but other than that,
I was like, they already loved their country because they
grew up in their households knowing about Africa. They're the
(09:41):
second generation first checking my first or second generation African
Americans and.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
They're like, well, where is that door?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Not even that just to have them communicate with the
kids online, we're trying to do a pen path thing
and that's still in development because I'm trying to create
an app allow them to talk back and forth, you know,
and you know, have a parental you know, supervision, so
they know not talking to some adults or some craziness online.
(10:09):
But I think for now it will be when we're
getting ready for the festival, the high schools can help us.
They can help package the backpacks, the hiding packets and
everything else.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
And then.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
The end we can develop something where they're teaching each other.
So you have the kids in Africa teaching the kids
in America how to do certain things, and then vice versa.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Your journey, your story, everything you're doing. It shows that
purpose is not a destination, It is really a journey
where because it's so big already, and I want to
commend you, and you're looking forward to all the connections
that we will make with you, what what do you
see for it?
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Because it can only grow, it only grows, and it's
so large.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Now, what more do you want to see from what
I kind of feel like it's on a small scale,
you know, the for now only because we do the.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Festival just so we can get them to trust us.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Because there's a lot of people who go overseas who
have big intendents and all they're doing is taking pictures
of the kids and saying, this is what we're doing,
we're raising money for this, and then they don't put
the money towards it.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Now I'm in, I'm diving in my big initiative.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
At first, before we even create some vocational campus and university.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I'll be waiting for the future, but maybe not the way.
Let me not say that. No, I'm sorry, because you
never know. In the meantime, those who.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Are out of the streets actually have natural talents, like
I said, artists or musicians, glass blowers or people who
break hair, cut hair or whatever. I'm wanting to actually
do a rotation to go to each orphanice home and
actually train them how to do the same crafts that
they do, and then in return, we're teaching them how
(11:59):
to become teachers. Because those who are toots, they're like, Okay,
I know how to.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Make a rug, but you want me to change a child.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
How to do that you have to have patience. So
it's like I guess a complete circle, yeah, passing and
all join the wisdom. Yes.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So I have one final question. I just want to
know where has been the biggest challenge, Uh for the
for the youth or the children in their facing. Uh,
just the kind of chime.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
But we always get this like stereotype of what's going
on in our countries.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So from your perspective, because you're there accurately live, what
has been the biggest challenge.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Hm hmm.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
I mean I'm trying to how to talk outside of
the expertise that I'm in. I think the biggest challenge
is being there for them for their families and then
being there for themselves.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
So two sides.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Most African parents would be like, I need you to
be a lawyer or doctor, because that's all we can
really claim as good work. You know that you've made
a journey, you're making the family name stand out. And
then you have the other side that's probably more understond.
You have the poor class, which is a good amount.
They're hawking again on the streets and they're trying to
(13:13):
they're not really putting effort into what God has called
them to be or something that can actually make them money.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
They just don't know it. And now they're just howking
all their life.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Like literally they're let me say that there were these
grads who they graduated and all they were doing was
washing cars, and they actually did a whole article on
them and they said, wow, seventy five percent of the
numbers priacely changed by now oft of youth are are jobless.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
What are we going to do?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
How's president going to flip it around? How's how's these
university are going to give back to the community for
those who can't attend school, you know? And I think
right now is like the hunger is crazy. The hunger
just feed their families, is there? But then they their
own love for whatever they have to do in life.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
If I'm not saying that right, it dies, it goes
to the side. So all you say is a lot.
I mean they're professional. I always say, man, y'all are
professional businessmen because the way they can sell stuff. I
mean you can say here like are theybody selling brooms
on their head walking down the middle of the aisle
the what's it called the traffic? What's that thing called now?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
The one that's in the middle of the traffic anyway,
So they're walking down, they'll have that, They'll have bullet
tssue on their hair. You've ever seen those pictures where
they have the bowls and it goes up really high
in the air.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Whatever material they're holding, I mean, it's anything. It's a
toilet tree, things that you sell to make your toilet bowl, blue.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Brooms, can goods, anything. It's like, how first of all,
how do they even put that on their head? But
how are they actually selling it. And it's more so
the tourists that will come in that they may not
even bit, but they'll just buy it. But that's like
their whole focus is on just for how am I
going to make that dollar? How am I going to survive?
I'm gonna take care of my family? And then it's
like no outlets to really make more than a dollar
(15:09):
a day right now.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And I think that's where it goes hand in hand
and the balances fine because to me, that's the Spell's
entrepreneurship all the way around. So you know, they chance
to come over in America and had that same potential
as being an entrepreneur. You know, that's where doors began
to completely open up.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
So big time, big time, thank you so much for
joining us same letting people know where they can find you.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
I had.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
My website is ww if you got second Chance Fashion
dot org and second you spell all the way out
because if you spell it with just to indeed, it's
going to take you to a ballet sie. So that's
not mine, but second Chance Fashion dot org you get
to at least see what I did last year and
how you can donate to this year's festival, which is
(15:52):
going to be in May, so we have stuff on Amazon.
If you're not feeling comfortable with giving cash donations, then
you or sending the.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Nations to PayPal or whatever. Then you can go on
Amazon and look at our wishlists.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's why I think y'all guys will turn it in again.
I am a colds rhuboy artist. Alongside This is Melanie
Rings and welcome to the top podcast talk show
Welcome to SLT to Talk. I'm co host Roubot Artists.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Alongside missus Lynnon Rains and we are here today with
marri Le.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Nice to meet you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Yes, So, tell a little bit about yourself, like how
did you get into some of the works that you're doing.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
So, I'm CEO of an organization called Second Chance Fashion
and most of our work at the moment is being
done in Sierily On, West Africa, and so we work
with orphans for now. Every year we creates a fundraiser
event that basically creates collects packs, hygiene packets and all
(00:39):
the games and activities needed for a big field day.
Last year we did three hundred orphans. This year's five
hundred orphans and they come from all over the city.
And with that, we just want to make sure that
you know it's my family's homeland.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
It's my way of giving back. I wasn't there. I
was born in Washington, d C.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
But at times I'm going to my accent. I will
make sure that's the afrigat and it comes out so
people know me very very will. But other than that,
I want to stay.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
True to who I am.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
And I was like what better, not a way to
just give back to children, because those are the ones
that are going to eventually to over the country.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Okay, so my question too is like you kind of
touched on it, but what really inspired you? It was
the defining moment and then overall what inspired you. I
have a love for children period.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
I have four kids on my own, and whenever I
see their needs, they all have their own unique personalities
and there should be someone there that will help them
develop their talents. So besides just doing a festival, I
also want to be there to help them dig in
to what God created them be. When I was growing up,
(01:50):
I didn't feel like people really took time to understand
that I have to give some talents, but you know,
how to help it to evolve. So with them, they
really don't have resources to make that blossom. Me going
back and forth over the years, I just seen that,
oh my gosh, they don't have a complete piano to play,
even if they wanted to just learn piano. I don't
(02:11):
have a coach that will teach them how to sing.
Just the creative arts field in general is where I
want to touch more. So I guess it started out
with me when I was younger and feeling like I
was a little bit neglected in that area, and I said, well,
how can I give back because I see my kids,
let me see how I can raise them up in
their gifts and talents, and now let's take it overseas.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
So doing your whole complete journey, what would you say
have been the most challenging part for you?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Oh, having people actually believe in the dream and raising
funds for it.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
You know, you end up taking a couple of classes
here and there to understand how to really get deep
into fundraising. But at first it's just okay, it's going
to go from your paycheck and whatever you can grab
and whatever friend.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Kind of believe in it. And my thing is starting
small was just not a thing for me.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
It's like there's so many of them, you know, when
you drive down the street, they're all in your face, like, hey, hey,
you're from America.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
What's going on? So you don't want to leave anyone out.
So for me, it's like, I just can't start small.
I'm just going to do it big. It was a
straight away for the first way, but it happened. It happened.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Now just like to hear God saying go ahead and
higher because you've already gotten you already finished the first one.
Now see what's what doors were open for the second one? O.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You touched on something that I know a lot of
entrepreneurs and artists and different people in the community face,
which is the lack of belief and lack of support
at times.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Well, what do you think really kept driving you?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Was there ever a moment first and foremost that you
were like can I really do this? Or were you
like really driven by I know I can do this?
Or was it a mix of both? Because a mix
of both, because you know, when you especially when you're
I mean, it does help to have funders, but for
my own belief, how I push myself if nobody's there?
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And it was just okay, I just see the.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Smile on their faces. And when when you come by,
just like aunt team, everyone calls you Auntie, Auntie. Oh
my gosh, Auntie, you're back. What are we gonna do?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Oh? We love it. You just made our day. Blah
blah blah.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And that right itself was like, oh no, I don't
even have a choice.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
I'm just happy with whether I'm crying or not. I'm
just gonna make sure it happens. Of course, great because
it's not all by my strength.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
But I think that that was that's that was the
driving four behind everything. Just seeing their faces and knowing
that you're in a difference in their life. It's changed everything.
Different type of vibe, yeah, different type of vibe.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Earlier, you said that you're a mother of four. So
if you've been a mother of four, how do you
find that balance and connect that balance to the work
that you're doing overall?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Ooh, thinking as they're older. The oldest one is twenty,
the youngest one is thirteen.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
And they're okay with it. They're they're the most love children,
so they're they're no longer in diapers. They're all making
good grades in school. By the way, it can it can.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Be a challenge, but when it comes time for at
the time of the year.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
To get up and go and stay in Africa for
three weeks, their father got them, so it's good, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
One of the things that I also want to ask
you is during that time period, was there any specific
thing that you saw on your journey that made you
feel like I have to keep going with this because
I know you said, you know, you had to mix
it both of those feelings. But was there anything specific,
(05:46):
like when you got to sier Leone, like or in
the beginning phases that made you really feel like I
have to keep going with this.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You know, when you're listening to the news and you're
hearing other fluencers back home talking about the needs of
the country, and you know a lot of them will say,
we just got out of college, we just got out
of school, and there's no work for us. And you know,
for me, I'm taking care of two group of kids.
You got the ones who are babies, the ones they're toddlers,
(06:18):
and those that just want to have fun. We would
call an elementary middle school group. But the high schoolers
going into college, it was like, I need something that's
gonna be I would just say, activities that will.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Help them to progress. So so thurs Day that mark
and this is what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
It's just because those became the people that would help
me volunteer to take care of the little ones.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
How would I.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
Say, what was the driving force? What was the driving
force to actually see them go past their limit? When
you're seeing them graduate, they have no work and they're
on the streets hawking. That's what I was trying to
get because I had the image when you were talking,
and don't matter what age you are, they were sitting
there at seven years old. They had like buckets on
(07:04):
their heads selling bold eggs in the middle of the
hot sun. It feels like the equator and I'm like,
oh my gosh, they could do something better with that.
You have people who are artists that they paint the
mess out. I mean, you have by African Picassa. You
would be like what and they have no place to
sell it. So it's like, Okay, what can I do?
What's about doors can I open? And I myself have
(07:24):
my own fashion line out of all the other types
of businesses I have and not selling on Etsy.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
You know, you sell on.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Pinterest or at least show your work on Pinterest. So
it could be something that leads them back to your website,
like wow. If you could just help to mold their talents,
get them to create products, and that product could be
sell on behalf of them in the States where they
can make state money, not make third real country money,
and then it comes back and pays for their one
(07:52):
hundred dollars.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
School fees. Like, oh my gosh, that's what we have
to do for y'all. Okay, this is good. So I
think that was the force of I want to see
it not just be something that's so fun.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yes, we have the carnival that happens every year, but
as I get older, what else can they do with
what we've taught.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Them or what we've instilled in them. I don't know
if that makes sense. I felt like I was around
so you do a lot of work home, right, so
what ways?
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I mean just wants you to if you already said it,
this kind of redirectul focus on how the gap between
what you got going on there and uh in general?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Okay, so.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
For now I'm working with the African student associations and
the different high schools.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
So that's uh.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
It was a great segue from my kids to oldest
joined the dance team. They joined the team, but they
were just more than just a dance team. They did
community service and other things of that nature. So I
was like, hmm, how could I get it where I
can help them with the community service hours? You know
how they have requirements before they graduate.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I was like, okay, this is Africa.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Helping Africa is it's over here in the United States
doing it, and there's so many groups. It's not just
high schoolers, but there's college groups also who want to
give back Africa some kind of way.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So let me be the door.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Let it be a chance where I'll say, this year
we got sponsored by such and such, I'm going to
take a group of thirty students to Si Leon like
I heard they used to do the way back of
the day. I never want to one of those trips
when my parents were too afraid. But but other than that,
I was like, they already loved their country because they
grew up in their households knowing about Africa. They're the
(09:41):
second generation first checking my first or second generation African
Americans and.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
They're like, well, where is that door?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Not even that just to have them communicate with the
kids online, we're trying to do a pen path thing
and that's still in development because I'm trying to create
an app allow them to talk back and forth, you know,
and you know, have a parental you know, supervision, so
they know not talking to some adults or some craziness online.
(10:09):
But I think for now it will be when we're
getting ready for the festival, the high schools can help us.
They can help package the backpacks, the hiding packets and
everything else.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
And then.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
The end we can develop something where they're teaching each other.
So you have the kids in Africa teaching the kids
in America how to do certain things, and then vice versa.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Your journey, your story, everything you're doing. It shows that
purpose is not a destination, It is really a journey
where because it's so big already, and I want to
commend you, and you're looking forward to all the connections
that we will make with you, what what do you
see for it?
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Because it can only grow, it only grows, and it's
so large.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Now, what more do you want to see from what
I kind of feel like it's on a small scale,
you know, the for now only because we do the.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Festival just so we can get them to trust us.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Because there's a lot of people who go overseas who
have big intendents and all they're doing is taking pictures
of the kids and saying, this is what we're doing,
we're raising money for this, and then they don't put
the money towards it.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Now I'm in, I'm diving in my big initiative.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
At first, before we even create some vocational campus and university.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I'll be waiting for the future, but maybe not the way.
Let me not say that. No, I'm sorry, because you
never know. In the meantime, those who.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Are out of the streets actually have natural talents, like
I said, artists or musicians, glass blowers or people who
break hair, cut hair or whatever. I'm wanting to actually
do a rotation to go to each orphanice home and
actually train them how to do the same crafts that
they do, and then in return, we're teaching them how
(11:59):
to become teachers. Because those who are toots, they're like, Okay,
I know how to.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Make a rug, but you want me to change a child.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
How to do that you have to have patience. So
it's like I guess a complete circle, yeah, passing and
all join the wisdom. Yes.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So I have one final question. I just want to
know where has been the biggest challenge, Uh for the
for the youth or the children in their facing. Uh,
just the kind of chime.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
But we always get this like stereotype of what's going
on in our countries.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
So from your perspective, because you're there accurately live, what
has been the biggest challenge.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Hm hmm.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
I mean I'm trying to how to talk outside of
the expertise that I'm in. I think the biggest challenge
is being there for them for their families and then
being there for themselves.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
So two sides.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Most African parents would be like, I need you to
be a lawyer or doctor, because that's all we can
really claim as good work. You know that you've made
a journey, you're making the family name stand out. And
then you have the other side that's probably more understond.
You have the poor class, which is a good amount.
They're hawking again on the streets and they're trying to
(13:13):
they're not really putting effort into what God has called
them to be or something that can actually make them money.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
They just don't know it. And now they're just howking
all their life.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Like literally they're let me say that there were these
grads who they graduated and all they were doing was
washing cars, and they actually did a whole article on
them and they said, wow, seventy five percent of the
numbers priacely changed by now oft of youth are are jobless.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
What are we going to do?
Speaker 4 (13:43):
How's president going to flip it around? How's how's these
university are going to give back to the community for
those who can't attend school, you know? And I think
right now is like the hunger is crazy. The hunger
just feed their families, is there? But then they their
own love for whatever they have to do in life.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
If I'm not saying that right, it dies, it goes
to the side. So all you say is a lot.
I mean they're professional. I always say, man, y'all are
professional businessmen because the way they can sell stuff. I
mean you can say here like are theybody selling brooms
on their head walking down the middle of the aisle
the what's it called the traffic? What's that thing called now?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
The one that's in the middle of the traffic anyway,
So they're walking down, they'll have that, They'll have bullet
tssue on their hair. You've ever seen those pictures where
they have the bowls and it goes up really high
in the air.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Whatever material they're holding, I mean, it's anything. It's a
toilet tree, things that you sell to make your toilet bowl, blue.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Brooms, can goods, anything. It's like, how first of all,
how do they even put that on their head? But
how are they actually selling it. And it's more so
the tourists that will come in that they may not
even bit, but they'll just buy it. But that's like
their whole focus is on just for how am I
going to make that dollar? How am I going to survive?
I'm gonna take care of my family? And then it's
like no outlets to really make more than a dollar
(15:09):
a day right now.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
And I think that's where it goes hand in hand
and the balances fine because to me, that's the Spell's
entrepreneurship all the way around. So you know, they chance
to come over in America and had that same potential
as being an entrepreneur. You know, that's where doors began
to completely open up.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
So big time, big time, thank you so much for
joining us same letting people know where they can find you.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
I had.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
My website is ww if you got second Chance Fashion
dot org and second you spell all the way out
because if you spell it with just to indeed, it's
going to take you to a ballet sie. So that's
not mine, but second Chance Fashion dot org you get
to at least see what I did last year and
how you can donate to this year's festival, which is
(15:52):
going to be in May, so we have stuff on Amazon.
If you're not feeling comfortable with giving cash donations, then
you or sending the.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Nations to PayPal or whatever. Then you can go on
Amazon and look at our wishlists.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's why I think y'all guys will turn it in again.
I am a colds rhuboy artist. Alongside This is Melanie
Rings and welcome to the top podcast talk show
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