 Aisha Al-MuslimAlum 2003 HarlemLIVE, My Second Home I am currently a student at Lehman College, but I have been with HarlemLIVE since February, 2003. I first began as a writer covering events, writing profiles and feature stories. I continued to be only a writer until Richard Calton, the director of HarlemLIVE, saw my documentary on stereotypes and asked me to join the video team. At the time, I wasn't sure if I was interested in video, but Richard urged me to join. I became heavily involved with the video team, but I still continued to write. I covered different stories, interviewed people on the street, learned how to shoot and edit with Final Cut Pro. In August 2003, I was named Video Editor after Al-Amir Jordan became an Alumni. Although I am an alumna now, I am still heavily involved with HarlemLIVE. I am currently working with the video team to create a thirty-minutes news show which is going to air on the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN). We have created video stories and segments for the show. I am in charge of setting up meetings and making sure that the stories are completed. I believe in what HarlemLIVE stands for. At HarlemLIVE, you get to choose the stories you covered so it gives you the freedom to explore stories that you have interest in. The best thing about HarlemLIVE is that you are not censored and you do not have to worry about people putting you or your stories down. With HarlemLIVE there is always an opportunity to travel. I have went to Washington, D.C. and Middlebury, Vermont. In D.C., I was part of the HarlemLIVE panel discussing what HarlemLIVE does and my experiences there. At Vermont, I met students from the former Soviet Union, where I helped them with their project ideas, gave advice and spoke to them about HarlemLIVE. Those students were so impressed by HarlemLIVE that some still keep in contact with me to find out what is happening at HarlemLIVE. At HarlemLIVE, I have met wonderful journalists who volunteer their time. Some of these journalists became my mentors like Tony Olivo, who worked for Bloomberg and is currently working at the Chicago Tribune. Another person who has been very supportive of my work is Chris Glorioso, a reporter for the WB11. He helps me on my video projects and guides to reach my goals as a journalist. I love HarlemLIVE and I consider it my second home. HarlemLIVE is not only a place of work, it is also a place where you can create lifetime relationships. From the beginning I felt welcomed at HarlemLIVE and during my first months were very helpful. The people I have met here have become some of my closest friends. We have went out on trips to Chinatown, to Times Square, to events at the Apollo, parties sponsored by Bloomberg Media, among others. If I didn't have HarlemLIVE, I wouldn't have the experience that I have as a journalist. Although I still have not graduated from college, I already considered myself a journalist because HarlemLIVE has shaped me into one. I am comfortable interviewing, speaking in front of a crowd, reporting on camera and editing video footage. All these skills are essential for my career goal, which is to become a news reporter or anchor. To this day I still thank Richard because if it he had not been for him pushing me to join the video team, I wouldn't be interested in Broadcast Journalism like I am now. Without HarlemLIVE, I probably wouldn't be sure what I would want to do and I wouldn't have the experience that so many people admire. Many journalists admit they wish they had the opportunity that I have when they were younger. I know I am truly blessed for being part of an organization like this and for this reason, I do not wish to leave HarlemLIVE, not now or never. I will always be involved with HarlemLIVE in some way because it is my second home. Chaundra Brown
Adult Volunteer Richard, below please find below the first page of a draft of my testimonalial that will be a part to the letter to send to funders. May all Gods children have technology...
August 12th, 1996 the lives of my family and other was tragically and drastically changed forever. On the morning of the day that he was to live with his father Oscar Brown III, our son Oscar Brown IV woke up fatherless.
The phone rang, we thought it was my sister calling from the lobby to say “come downstairs”, she was going to pick us up and take us to the airport. Instead, the caller was my Sister In Law from Chicago to tell us that Oscar’s father was the victim of a head on collision by a drunk driver.
Oscar’s bags were packed and by the door. We told him his father had been a terrible accident and to pray. “When we arrived in Chicago, Oscar looked for his father. He thought he would see him in a wheel chair, but he never came. “
Oscar was completely devastated. We all were. It would take years of counseling, grieving and healing to recover. For years Oscar impression of the shock of losing his father was profoundly articulated in essays that he would write. Finally, after 10 years that day is not focused. Instead Oscar articulates his own urban experience and translates his live mission to be of service to others.
I am a proud parent and grateful that we have overcome incredible obstacles. Looking back brings tears thinking about all the pain we had to overcome. I remember one day my son Oscar IV came home from school and he said he felt empty. Hearing those words from my 12 year old son put fear and fire in my in my heart. I know what happens to an empty child. An empty child turns into an empty adult who turns into an addict…and I was not going to allow that to happen. I had no choice in losing my husband; I do have a choice in the protection and development of my son. I vowed to “fix Oscar and put him back together” since I could not rescerreate the dead.
At the top of the list of all the youth organizations that I sought and Oscar engaged himself is still the most valuable. In fact I can say that Harlemlive.org the youth on line Internet magazine may have played a role in saving his life as well as shaping it.  Danya Steele
Alum 2001 It all happens in hindsight. It hits you, all at once, though in little pieces, too. HarlemLIVE has most significantly impacted my life through its way of permeating me as an individual -- my choices, options, initiative. My experience at the award-winning non-profit has affirmed and perpetuated my "Each One, Teach One" maxim, which rings true now, more than ever. My international travel has been enriched by the experience, exposure, and insight provided by HarlemLIVE. I am currently in South Africa after having studied abroad at the University of Cape Town, and it is now, when I am teaching students who've never heard of email or touched the internet, where gender inquities are very pungent, where job skills and job creation are desperately needed, where opportunities are determined by skills and, in turn, skills are often preset by access to opportunity largely dictated by an apartheid past, that I've come to value many of the skills provided by HL. These are BASIC skills -- the art of communication, innovation, discipline, deadlines, and breaking barriers -- that are in fact, not so basic, to a large number of people throughout the world. Not only in Harlem. Not only in New York. And definitely not only in America. I'm learning this more as the days go by.
It is profound. The need to understand and face the gender, digital, economic, and digitial divide is more potent -- now, more than ever. The fact is that by in large there are huge numbers of young people inadequately prepared for the world before them -- both an intensely sad and infuriating reality -- and, as an organization which serves a diverse group of high school students, many of whom come from low-income families throughout the metropolitian area, HarlemLIVE is a major conduit of change. The students who come through HL's doors are not just students who learn a thing or two about interviewing or publishing stories, and their learning experience is certainly not limited to Harlem. HarlemLIVE specializes in character development; it builds social capital that moves as far and wide as the universe allows.
I could, and have, written pages upon pages about HarlemLIVE, though it is simple, really. An unbelievably powerful yet unbelievably overlooked organization in Harlem influences me in just about any place, state, country, or continent I go. It has happened in the United States. It has happened here in South Africa. It will happen in Oxford, England, where I'll be studying as of January 2004. It will happen anywhere -- always, I think, when I least expect it. You know...all at once, though in little pieces, too.  Kerly SuffrenAlum 2004 Morehouse University I've been a member at HL for about 5 years. HL is important to me because it provided me with a safe, fun and informative place to spend my spare time, To Often, all of my time. Hl played a key role in developing my personality as well as my self-esteem. It gave me the confidence i needed to not be intimidated by computers. I credit HL for exposing me to many places, careers and individuals that i would otherwise not have the opportunity of being exposed to. Working as a reporter for HL allowed me to learn how to deal with different individuals and their personalities. As a member i also gain an appreciation for education and the media. HL provided me with a first hand look at the important role the media play in our society and it also empower me with the knowledge and courage to expose the world to Harlem in a positive light.
HL is an incredible program that not only educated me, but it gave me the foundation that I needed to be successful in college. From learning how to deal with teachers to roommates Hl instill in the leadership characteristics I needed to become a true Morehouse man. With all that said, most importantly Hl made learning all of these important life lessons fun. To conclude HL is an incredible program, and I credit Hl for making me the well-rounded individual that I am today  Katerina VorotovaAlum 2004 Columbia University Working at HL was a practical way for me to gain the skills people take years to learn in schools. Being a recent Russian immigrant, my writing has improved tremendously while at HL, and eventually I climbed the ladder from Staff Writer to Associate Editor-in-Chief. At HL, I was introduced to management, event organizing, web design, video production and public speaking. I have talked on behalf of HL to funders, schools, and other teen organizations. HL consistently was helping me grow into an informed, empowered and mature individual. I was awarded the New York Times scholarship and I now attend Columbia University, where I contribute to Columbia's Spectator and other literary publications. I have worked at New York Times and Bloomberg L.P., both of which exposed me to the professional media world.  Jonathon KuiAlum The audience we write to makes HarlemLIVE what it is--not only important, but enriching. HarlemLIVE is as much about the people, and primarily the teens of New York City, as it is about the informative stories and the breath-taking images. When we feel we have done a good job in informing the public, we feel we have made HarlemLIVE important. Knowing that our website is important, is to know that we have instilled someone, somewhere, with a higher level of conciousness. Maybe a better question to ask, is how do young participants of HarlemLIVE not benefit. HarlemLIVE offers a world of knowledge, a professional work environment, up to date tools, and an abundance of resources. HarlemLIVE members are also prepared for a world upon which they will soon embark upon. In evolving as a journalist for the present, HarlemLIVE staff also evolves into prepared and knowledgeable individuals for the future.
Ismael AlvarezAlum Many times young adults like myself have so much capability, so much to give and so much to say. As a young person, I feel the need to be heard and the need to express myself. Many young people like myself feel that way. All they need is a chance, and once that chance is given to them, they excel beyond limits they never thought they could. HarlemLive provides that chance. It provides young adults a chance to excel. It provides experiences and opportunities that could not be found anywhere else.
I like Harlem Live because it gives me the opportunity to improve my writing skills and it also teaches me a little bit about web designing, photography, video, public speaking and other skills that are involved in media. Everyone at HarlemLive is into helping each other. The atmosphere is as though it’s one big family. In Harlemlive, when we come to work, there is no way to get bored there. There's always something to do. If you’re not working on a story you’re preparing for one. If you’re not doing one of those two you’re out on a report, doing web design, editing, etc. What I'm getting out of HarlemLive is a great experience, and lots of opportunities. HarlemLive helps me to build my writing skills and it broadens my thinking when it comes to the media. Working at HarlemLive helps me to deal with real life issues. It gets me out into the real world, introduces me to people who can contribute to my learning experiences.
Working at Harlem Live will be a great place to work for anyone who is into the different branches of media. It’s a fun, exciting and great learning experience. I would recommend this internship to anyone.  Ebony MeyersAlum I am currently a Secondary Education major with a concentration in History and a minor in Sociology. I am in my fourth and last year at the University of Vermont with plans on attending graduate school for counselor Education. I joined Harlemlive as a Freshman from Washington Irving High School. I was a young girl from the projects seeking an activity outside of the school environment. Yes, there were other things I could have chosen to participate in, in such a place like NYC, such as; basketball, dance, step, Exploreres, or even other news publications. However my attention was drawn to HarlemLive. I wanted to be in a place where I was given the opportunity to "be me and do me". In this I mean Harlemlive gave me the freedom to create and explore various aspects of life and education. The year was 1997 when I didn't have access to the internet within my household. I didn't know about Imac's, web design, Internet Explorer, or even email. I was indeed one of the millions of people stuck in the digital divide. When I read about an online news publication created by teens I was hooked. I had to convince my mom to let me ride and stay late hours 40 minutes away from my home in the Bronx, in a neighborhood that was unfamiliar to her. However, the contributions I made to harlemlive and the benefits I received far outweighed the numerous times I had to call home and say "mom, i'm coming home late". I met/interviewed fascinating people who looked like me (Toni Morrison, City Boys, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, etc). I learned about my African American culture just by roaming the streets of Harlem searching for participants for "Man on the Street/Pulse of the People". Being able to research and write a story was something I never would have even attempted to do. Learning about journalism and computers was training I would not have recieved through my typical high school experience. It was more about math, science, and english. Harlemlive provided me with hands on experience. As well as receiving computer and writing skills I've developed a sense of character and professionalism. By meeting others that were in places I wanted to be, I had to step up and be able to present myself as well as the organization. I had to work on communication skills and appearance. These skills that I've aquired through Harlemlive has instilled confidence within me that I can take throughout life. When applying to college I always felt I was one step ahead of the gang by having been a member of Harlemlive just because I learned so much there. Needless to say, I also considered HL to be a family. I met some exceptional people there that I still keep in contact with today. Having been through similar experiences and having the ability to express it through poetry or articles has connected us on a different level. The best part of Harlemlive was Rich and many of our other advisors. They left the development of the site up to the students. They encouraged our ideas and creativity in a manner that excluded theirs. Rarely did they say "NO" or "DON't DO THAT". I always felt that my work and ideas were valued and encouraged, thanks to the laxity of the adults. I also developed leadership skills by managiing meetings, HW sessions, and workshops for other students. It would be an endless process for me to to sit and type how much HL has impacted my life. All I know is that it did and that HL is one of the reasons I decided to continue my education. I can't wait to the day that I am able to give back to the organization in the same manner I've benefitted from it.
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