Shoes that Fit
Building up the hope, confidence and success of children is not a cookie cutter business. Teachers know that. Parents know that.
Faye Blake knows that. A former banker, she is the founder and director of Pathways to Success, a Georgetown-based organization serving hundreds of young people in at-risk communities – from 9th to 12th grades – with mentoring, educational services, counseling, and frankly whatever is needed. Fifteen years into the program, and the success stories are far and wide. Their youth graduate from high school at a 98% rate. And 96% leave their program for college, the military of full-time employment.
In this week’s podcast, Blake describes how the work is about opportunity; it’s about equity; it’s really about hope for the future, for everybody. Faye and her team help these young people get support where they need it. Quoting Dr. Naheed Dasani, Faye says, “Equality is giving everybody a shoe. Equity is giving everyone a shoe that fits.” And her program is about shoes that fit.
The program is simply inspiring. It’s the kind of hard, ground-level, do whatever-it-takes program that we can all support. (Indeed, there are volunteer opportunities on her website.)
Check out the podcast here.