Today we’d like to introduce you to DORIS DRAKE
Hi DORIS, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi Doris, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My name is Doris Drake. I am a South Carolina native. I received my Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina and my Master of Arts in Counseling from Columbia International University. After graduating from the University of South Carolina I worked for the City of Columbia as a 911 Dispatcher for over 15 years. While working in that position I noticed the call volume for youth between the ages of eight through eighteen escalated for behavioral issues, criminal activities, and suicide. I understand the youth are being prematurely exposed to things before they are mentally and emotionally prepared to respond in healthy and productive ways. Therefore, after receiving my Masters in Clinical Counseling I resigned from my position as a 911 Dispatcher to work towards creating solutions to the issues the youth are facing. I established the Rebirth Enterprise Youth Development Program.
Rebirth Enterprise is a youth development 501C (3) nonprofit organization built to provide social-emotional learning skills to the youth. Rebirth Enterprise is on a mission to help students focus, engage, overcome, and prosper by providing culturally relevant, creative, and inspirational artistic and spoken word programs that help them learn coping skills to deal with childhood trauma and adversities. The vision of Rebirth Enterprise is to renew, restore, and transform the lives of the youth.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My biggest supporter is my dad, Percy Jones. Leaving my job to walk in purpose to start my youth organization was a leap of faith. I did not have any other jobs lined up other than doing what I was called to do. I was a single mother of two kids, mortgage, car payments, and all the other adult responsibilities. My Dad never questioned me. He believed in me and my mission from the start. Without asking he made sure we never lacked the necessities we needed. Those times when I felt overwhelmed and questioned the decision I made, my dad would reassure me of who I am, affirm what I was called to do, and remind me, either through his actions or words, that he has my back. Having that type of support helped me withstand the trials and tribulations. I thank God for gifting me to have Percy Jones as my father.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rebirth Enterprise Youth Development Program?
As stated earlier, the Rebirth Enterprise Youth Development Program provides social-emotional learning programs. What sets my organization apart from other youth organizations is the effectiveness of the programs and the ability to engage and connect with the youth. The success of the programs is not only evident in the transformation of the youth mindset, the change of their perception of themselves, their behavior modifications, and better decision making but the success is also evident through their testimony. Here are a few testimonies from the cadets at South Carolina Youth Challenge who completed the program:
“I loved this program so much!!! It taught me to always stay positive and block out all the negativity that is going on. I have learned some ways to cope when I am feeling mad. Also, how to deal with things and situations in life. I learned how to never give up in life and how things in life will be a challenge, but you must keep pushing to achieve your goals in life. I believe the program should continue throughout the cycles!!!” ~Cadet McKie
“Social-emotional learning has helped me in so many ways such as my build-up anger. Ms. Drake held me accountable for my actions and helped me to look at both sides of a story. I learned the four different types of love. Now I know what I want to be when I leave SCYCA. I am going to finish high school, get my diploma, and go to Midlands Tech for dental hygienist. Then go into a 4-year college to finish my last two years. I really see Ms. Drake as a mentor. She was very open-handed and could relate to a lot of things I had been through or done. She made me open my eyes to treat my loved ones better. Ms. Drake helped me see that my mom only wanted what was best for me. I want to give a special thanks to Ms. Drake for coming every Thursday and pouring all her knowledge into us. I wish the social-emotional learning program was longer, but I cherish the time I had with Ms. Drake.” ~Cadet Simpson
“I like this program because it taught me life coping skills that I can use to avoid conflict. Since the SEL class, I have not been called to the multi-purpose room yet. I will apply this class to everyday life to achieve my goals and avoid conflict. I like this class because it helped me change and become a better me.” ~Cadet Thomas
“I like the social-emotional awareness program because it helped me with a lot like controlling my anger, helping others out, and respecting adults. It helped me learn how to deal with someone who makes me mad. The program also helped me think more about my future and think less about my past.” ~Cadet Griffin
In addition, we believe the youth perform better when they have hope and feel heard. Therefore, as an extension of our Rebirth Spoken Word Program, we put on an annual Rebirth Spoken Word Showcase at the Koger Center for the Arts. The event is free with no cost to the youth to participate. The purpose of the showcase is to provide a safe and supportive environment for the youth to showcase their spoken word talent to their families, communities, and school administrators. Instead of the youth suppressing their feelings and thoughts or acting out their feelings and thoughts in aggressive or unhealthy ways, Rebirth Spoken Word Showcase allows the youth to have an audience to express themselves productively and healthily. Also, in a world that tends to put so much emphasis and spotlight on the negative aspects of the youth, Rebirth Spoken Word Showcase highlights the positive aspects of the youth and shows if given the opportunity the youth are capable and gifted to speak words of life to themselves and their circumstances and speak words to heal the world. The idea is for the showcase to be covered by multiple streams of media so their talent and support can reach beyond the walls of the event.
What are your plans for the future?
Rebirth Enterprise Youth Developments plans to establish partnerships with schools, community centers, and other youth-serving organizations to reach a larger audience and ensure our programs are accessible to all. We also aim to continue to collaborate with experts in the field of social-emotional learning and mental health to ensure our programs are evidence-based and effective.
We hope to expand our services to include mentorship programs, job readiness training, and career development opportunities for youth in underserved communities. We also plan to provide ongoing support and resources for youth as they navigate the challenges of adolescence and transition into adulthood.
Overall, our long-term goal is to empower as many youth as possible to thrive emotionally, socially, and academically, and to break the cycle of trauma and adversity that many young people face. Through our continued dedication and commitment to the well-being of youth, we believe we can make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rebirthenterprise.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebirthenterprisey.d.p/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebirthenterprise
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxL7ZjMPpIFtaZmGVvDI8Q
