My name is Fatima, I have been working with RBAC for the past two years now. I am blessed to be a part of this family. They are not just coworkers, this is a place that has people who I can go to and lean to. It is a family that can support and uplift me. RBAC really has the key to mobilize youth. I feel that RBAC really gave me an opportunity to mobilize my own power and grow my ability to speak my truth. Sometimes I can keep some things to myself or not speak up, but some of the things that I keep in are the things that need to be heard. RBAC really helped me to vocalize and speak up and really be the leader that I am today.
Growth in RBAC
The biggest impact for me has been facilitating for Gabbie. Doing such a big role for someone as young as I am– has been a blessing. Seeing people’s reactions when I tell people that I do that role, I want to appreciate RBAC allowing me to do that role. It could have been very easy for them to say that I wasn’t mature enough… I truly appreciate Mr. Davis for letting me step up to that role. Leadership was one of the biggest growth impacts at RBAC. At RBAC, they don’t treat you just as a youth, they treat you as a leader. They just open up and let you in as a person. They allow you to be involved in projects, planning meetings, that some adults just will not let you do.
YATTA Rising
YATTA Rising really let me find my voice. It really allowed me to find myself as a person. I tend to not speak what is on my mind. I worry about what others may think or how others may react. Those things though are sometimes the things that people need to hear. Another thing that I would say is that just learning about my history. Sometimes I learn more at YATTA rising than I learn in school. I learn about my black history, culture, how to be financially stable, social justice. I really learned about myself and learned about other people. I love when someone educates me on a topic that I don’t know about without making me feel dumb. I just really appreciate that. Once again I am just blessed to be a part of that. Even though we don’t ever know what the future holds, I really do see myself being here for the long term.