"I Want to Break the Cycle..."
In December, 830 guests of the Nutcracker Luncheon were introduced to Kyle, a Phoenix youth, whose passionate and honest speech about his life journey touched many hearts and opened many eyes.
Two years ago, Kyle's life looked very different than it does today. He was struggling to find affordable housing and earn a solid income while battling some of the difficulties he faced growing up. Today, Kyle is a strong and confident young father, exploring a variety of business opportunities while at the same time learning about the importance of helping others.
"I want to break the cycle of poverty and crime that was part of my past life," says Kyle. "I am now a father to a beautiful baby girl. I may have suffered and have made mistakes, but I want a different life for her. I want to take all the knowledge and wisdom I have gained and give it to her. I don’t want her to struggle like I did".
Kyle has been active in several Phoenix programs and, more recently, CEED's (Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development) Second Chance program. Phoenix strives to link youth to other important resources and opportunties in our community. These connections enable youth to meet essential business contacts, while broadening their experience and skills. In the Second Chance program, Kyle has been exploring many exciting options to boost his career and help youth like him succeed.
“My case manager at Phoenix told me about the Second Chance entrepreneurial program available through CEED,” explains Kyle. “The Phoenix staff helped me fill out an application and I was accepted into the one year program. This opportunity has jump-started my life. I am proud to say that, through the help of this program, a business partner and I have developed our own youth multi-cultural showcase event, the Four Nations Celebration of Talent.”
The Four Nations Celebration of Talent was a youth outreach event that combined over 30 youth performers and guest speakers. This government funded event also introduced its guests to a variety of international foods. The over 150 youth who attended this event enjoyed performances by DJ’s, break dancers, mural painters, a slam poet, singers and local hip hop artists. A compilation DVD of the event is set to be released featuring the performances. This was the beginning of their movement, inspiring youth to focus on an optimistic future and creating an avenue of positive self expression.
Phoenix believes in offering youth a chance to explore their dreams. Kyle is living proof that hope and support are sometimes all anyone needs to become a success. We wish Kyle success in his many endeavours and will keep our readers updated on his journey.
