APRIL 2022
Byline Bank Sponsors Financial Literacy Program
Byline Bank is providing financial literacy workshops for YEMBA’s Mentoring Empowerment Program (MEP) throughout the month of April. Judette Kurasz, vice president and financial literacy officer, is offering the one-hour sessions, once per week at both Julian and Brooks middle schools. Kurasz has more than 35 years of experience in banking.
“Several years ago, we were receiving a growing number of requests for information on money management from nonprofits and schools. In response, my goal was to create a community-based program on financial literacy. Byline Bank totally supported this initiative after management saw the need for it. I’m happy to share what I have learned over the past 35 years,” Kurasz said.
Kurasz will be offering YEMBA participants a four-week program covering their relationship and understanding of money, budgeting, credit and banking. The workshops also will be offered during our summer program.
“By starting early, young people can set goals and take control over their relationship with money so they aren’t so intimidated by the topic,” Kurasz said.
YEMBA’s relationship with Byline started when Executive Director Edward Redd met Susie Goldschmidt, Oak Park River Forest Market President, during a presentation to the Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest. We look forward to continuing and growing our relationship with Byline Bank, an institution that is deeply invested in supporting our community.
STARS During the Day
YEMBA is now offering the STARS (Students Taking Action Regarding Success) program during the school day at both Julian and Brooks middle schools. In the past, the program has been offered after school. We are excited about this new development because we think that it will help us reach more students, many of whom could not take advantage of after-school programming. We appreciate the schools for understanding the importance of the STARS program for at-risk youth.
The program, which is designed to boost the self-confidence and develop the leadership and advocacy skills of students of color, is offered in separate sessions for sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. Thus far, 31 Julian students and 15 Brooks students have participated in the program. Given our strong relationships with the schools, we plan to continue this model next year.
CMHB Awards YEMBA $85,000
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township has committed $85,000 in financial support to YEMBA’s Mentoring Empowerment Program (MEP) and Mentoring Empowerment Training (MET). The CMHB has been a major YEMBA donor for more than a decade.
“We are grateful for the Community Mental Health Board’s consistent support, which has allowed us to grow our capacity to serve more than 1,300 at-risk youth in our community and provide job training for 50 high school students over the past 14 years. They have allowed us to remain sustainable through a challenging time,” said Executive Director Edward Redd.
Introducing Ashley Steward
Ashley Steward is serving as YEMBA’s intern this year, helping with the STARS (Students Taking Action Regarding Success) program while pursuing a master’s degree in social work at the Jane Addams School of Social Work.
Ashley has had a life-long passion for children, beginning when she helped with her grandmother’s home day care service. Her first paying job, which she had at the age of 13, was\ with a City of Chicago summer day care/preschool program.
“I’ve always been interested in connecting people and figuring out ways to help them achieve their goals,” she said.
Ashley assists YEMBA’s STARS program at Julian Middle School on Tuesdays and at Brooks Middle School on Thursdays. She is a substitute teacher at a Chicago public school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The STARS program offers middle school students a safe space to share their concerns and challenges. Ashley is providing students with guidance on stress management, time management, and tips for making friends.
Ashley also is helping design YEMBA’s summer program for eighth grade students transitioning to high school. The six-week program will focus on social/emotional learning and financial literacy and will include tours of Oak Park River Forest High School, Oak Park Bank and local colleges.
In her spare time, which she admits is rare, Ashley loves to read—and claims she is never without a book. She is excited about her daughter’s acceptance to the dance conservatory of the Chicago’s High School for the Arts—just another example of Ashley’s desire to help young people fulfill their goals.
Full-Circle for Hasani Cannon
Hasani Cannon, a YEMBA graduate, will graduate next month from the University of Illinois-Springfield next month with a bachelor’s degree in visual arts and will be participating in a competitive senior capstone exhibition April 25 – May 14.
Hasani’s five pieces will explore his personal journey through self-portraits focusing on his hair—in particular, his signature locks. The multi-media pieces incorporate recycled materials, including brown paper bags, soda cans, bottle caps and fabric, to depict the different textures of his hair.
“I like working with discarded material and making something beautiful with it. It is symbolic of my own journey of understanding and accepting myself as someone worthy of love and care,” Hasani said.
After graduation, Hasani plans to continue his education at the graduate level. His goal is to open a community-based arts center with space to work on his own art and space to share with other artists, including musicians and dancers. He intends to open the space to youth, to provide mentorship and networking opportunities—just like those that were offered to him as a participant in YEMBA.
We are proud of Hasani and his trajectory since YEMBA—and we applaud his journey of self- acceptance to celebration of his many talents!
A Day in the Life
Check out YEMBA’s “A Day in the Life of YEMBA” video! The video features Ozell Seaton Jr., son of YEMBA board member Akeisha King, as he participates in YEMBA’s mentoring, tutoring and basketball sessions while pledging to do his best, to be a good student and team player, to respect his peers, mentors and coaches, and to improve himself. Ozell is now a student at Oak Park River Forest High School.
The video was created by Melissa Tassone, with background music by Alexceon Myers. It is also available on the YEMBA website.