Turning dreams into reality
Sanya Weston, founder of Young People Travel, inspires and walks the walk of giving back while opening doors for minority and underserved youth.
In this episode of The Kindling Project, Sanya gets vulnerable with Melissa and Amy in the conversation before the conversion, sharing how she was able to finally start grieving the loss of her father at a recent conference with six other female travel executives for support. We discuss the importance of having women who support other women in our circles.
Sanya walks us through barriers and challenges she has faced while creating her dream and opportunity for others. Opportunity is key when talking with Sanya as she opens up. We explore the determination it takes to travel with young people around the world, from passports to etiquette, the non-profit she founded provides international travel opportunities to minority and underserved youth.
Sanya’s servant heart comes naturally to her from her mother, who taught her the importance of giving to those we know, and those we do not know. Learn more about Sanya’s mission at: https://yptglobaledge.org/. Book your next dream vacation with her at her 3rd generation black-owned travel agency: https://yourpremiertravelservice.com/.
Learn more about The Kindling Project at our website: https://www.thekindlingproject.com/ and join our Facebook group for women looking for that extra kindling to start their next big fire! The Kindling Project - Ignite. The Kindling Project is sponsored by Memora, an experience design agency that creates memorable brand experiences. Memora is offering our listeners a FREE 30-minute brand consultation. Schedule yours now.
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Melissa: Welcome to the Kindling Project podcast. This is Melissa and I just wanted to let you know that when we were editing our wonderful interview with Sanya Tyson Weston our friend and fabulous business woman, founder of Y P T global edge and my fellow Goldman Sachs alumni, we listened to this pre-roll, this 15 minutes of conversation and thought this really is what the podcast is about. It's about vulnerability. It's about realness and rawness and Sanya shares her recent loss of her father and being able to finally grieve some of that and Amy and I just talk about how that kind of openness between women and that kind of space is really what we're here creating. So. There's a conversation before the conversation and we hope you enjoy it
Amy: There we got you.
Sanya: Oh my God. I love your glasses. I need those big thicker glasses like that. I love those.
Amy: Thank you. They're they're Warby Parkers.
Sanya: Yeah. I, um, a friend of mine has those and they're like a, um, dark blue color. Are yours black or blue?
Amy: They're black.
Sanya: Okay. Yeah. Um, alright. I'm so should I be higher? Let me look. I'm sitting in the office here.
Melissa: Well, and we are not doing any video. It's just so we can see us girls. This is just. Recordings only.
Sanya: Oh, okay. Oh, okay. So it's no video?
Melissa: No video. So don't you worry. Like, just so we can see each other.
Amy: We should have told you before you got all gussied up.
Sanya: I still did in 10 minutes. Let me tell you.
Amy: You did well. Then I can, I can totally, um, can talk, but I'm gonna grab some water. One second ladies.
Melissa: Okay. Okay. Perfect. Perfect.
Sanya: I should be able to split the screen. Let's see here. My daughter has been teaching me how to use, okay, wham. Okay. So you guys can see me. Okay, please. I'm doing it. I got two screens on mine.
Amy: You are. I got two screens, too, which is nothing short of a miracle.
Sanya: I know. Okay. Trust me, you're, you're dealing with very, un- savvy women over here. So. All right. You're talking to one right here. So the sound is good?
Amy: Sounds really good. Okay. Fantastic. So I didn't know that you guys only did audio, so that's that's cool. Well, yeah, we'll just do audio. Yeah. To be honest with you, you are our second guest and eventually we probably will do, we will do. Um, with the camera. I, I mean, it's, it's nice. Hey, if we're putting on lipstick, we might as well, you know, show our face, right?
Sanya: Yeah. Right, right.
Amy: So, because it's just a miracle in itself that we're setting up the zoom and editing our podcast, we'll introduce the camera at some point. So then we'll have you back for something like that.
Melissa: We've kind of been experimenting like with the online group and hoping in there and doing some Facebook lives and just kind of getting used to video. It's a little scary.
Sanya: Mm-hmm
Melissa: I mean, I don't know how much video you've done, but I feel like in person that I'm pretty confident, but something about having that video on you, like, I just turn into a hostage. I feel so uncomfortable and get so weird.
Sanya: Right. I know I did. Um, I did an audio on the radio for like travel tips with, um, Frankie Darcel on 92.3 mm-hmm and what was so cool about it? I mean, she was literally like talking, and then we would stop, if she needed to erase something, she would fast forward it or rewind it and fix it right then and there . So, you know, this pretty, it makes it a little easy, I guess, you know? Yeah.
Amy: Yeah. I think once we get the hang of it, we're gonna, we're gonna be wizzes but it's just, it's just kind of going forward a little bit with caution. So.
Melissa: Well, and just learning all the software. I mean, there's a lot to learn and I'm sure other people are faster at it, but Amy and I have been, we recorded about four or five of them by ourselves and just, you know, taking it slow, I guess.
Amy: Yeah, definitely.
Sanya: Well, and, um, Melissa really quickly, you looked amazing at whatever event you was at last...
Amy: I know didn't she look so amazing?
Sanya: I was just like, go Melissa, go Melissa.
Melissa: Thank you. Thank you. Oh my gosh, Amy and I have this mutual friend, Sue Sterling. She was a makeup artist for 20 years in Chicago. Like she did Oprah Winfrey show guests.
Sanya: Oh, wow.
Melissa: And worked for Mac cosmetics. And she did my makeup and seriously, I felt like she just sprinkled pixie dust on me. I went and looked in the mirror and I was like, Sue, what kind of magician are you?
Sanya: I know you, but you know what? You, you know, your husband and you look so amazing. I was just like, I loved everything. I think I was in Mexico and I'm looking at the pictures like. Melissa looks good. I was very, you just look really pretty. That's all I wanna say.
Melissa: Oh, thank, thank you so much. Yeah. I felt really pretty. And how often do you get to go to like an adult prom? Like never.
Sanya: Was it actually an adult prom?
Melissa: No, it wasn't, it was just sort of like a formal event, but just to get that dressed up, I never, I never get my hair and makeup done. I, I mean, never. So it was fun.
I just thought I would introduce us. And then, um, you know, we would ask Sanya about her kindling project, which I'm assuming that her kindling project is starting Y P T, which is obviously the nonprofit and have her tell us about that. She can kind of backtrack a little bit and tell us about her background and going through Goldman Sachs and, um, and then what it takes to open a nonprofit.
The kind of things that you might wanna think about is like, you know, What it took to get Y P T going, how long were you thinking about it? Who supported you? You know, the challenges, what still are the challenges, you know, that kind of stuff. So I'm sure you've been talking about this, for a couple years now and dreaming about it forever so, and you're a pro.
Sanya: I hear you. I hear you. I'm just gonna go with it.
Melissa: Just like we were having coffee.
Sanya: Exactly. That's. I mean, that's how I'm gonna have to do it.
Amy: Yeah. That's and this is, this is really how we roll. And Sanya, I just wanna say that I'm so honored to meet you. I've heard so much about you truly, and I've really admired you from afar. And I wanna say thank you so much for. Taking the time to meet with us. I know you, um, like Melissa said, you have a lot of things going on and I do wanna extend my condolences to you regarding your, your father. I'm so sorry. It's pretty devastating to lose a parent and I know we're, I know we're gonna be getting started, so I, I don't wanna I know it's always with you, but I just wanna acknowledge your dad. And, um, just say thank you so much for meeting with us and, and helping us, um, build our, our kindling melissa's told me a lot about you, so I'm really, I'm really glad to finally meet you. So I just wanted you to know that.
Sanya: Thank you so much. You are just like, wow. I don't know who you're talking about, talking about that person. That's just so amazing. But, um, but thank you so much, you know, um, I, I think people gravitate around people that are just like themselves. So you ladies are just as amazing as people like to say I am. I'm just excited that you guys are, moving forward with a new project and, I'm gonna make myself available more so that I can assist you.
Melissa: Oh, thank that. You so much, like you definitely like were in my top five, like when Amy and I were talking this last year, what is the kindling project? Like you and Linda were my top five, because like over COVID we had all this extra time, right, and I was just thinking about all these women I know who have just this untapped resource of like dreams and passions and we all have these projects and these pursuits and some people like you make 'em happen. And then there's a lot of people that just aren't able to make 'em happen.
Sanya: You know, that is very true, you know? Um, I always say the strong survive. That's all I say.
Melissa: Right.
Sanya: Cause it's not easy at all.
Melissa: It's not, it's not easy and Amy and I felt like, what's our kindling project? Like what is it that we wanna do? And even though Amy is a successful therapist, she's getting her PhD at 50, even though I'm a successful business owner and I've had an agency for 12 years. So it isn't like we don't have our kindling projects cuz we have families and we have businesses, but we just felt like we had this other project of, we wanted to help women tap into their passion projects and create a space for them to realize 'em.
Amy: Mm-hmm
Melissa: Not everybody can go to Goldman Sachs and not everybody has a best friend and not everybody has a resource. Some people, all they have is like five minutes on Facebook, or all they have is like 30 minutes in their car to listen to a podcast. So we were like, let's create a little space somewhere for this, for women. And also sometimes all the stuff out there is, so man- centered. It's like, so dude- centered.
Sanya: I know, you know, I just got back from, Mexico, we were, in Anada and it's with the top women in travel. So there's 60 of us now and it's such a safe place. And I told you I had not grieved for my dad. And he passed in March. I literally had an opportunity to grieve for him. So I cried and it was crazy because I felt safe. There's a lot of women that are leaders in travel, the, um, CEO of fun jet vacation and globe us tours and all those women, we were together. We all had similar stories where, we work really hard in our industry, which is a male dominant industry, the travel business is, and for us to be able to come together and feel comfortable with letting our weaknesses or, our feelings get in the way it was such a great, it was just great. Last week was just really a great opportunity.
Amy: You were, you were probably really doing some healing and if I may, it's not weakness to, to feel your feelings and to grieve and things like that. But you know, in a male dominated field, this isn't something that you're gonna do. You're not gonna say, I need to take five minutes and go in the bathroom and cry. Okay. Right. So you felt safe and, and really healing takes a lot of courage, you know, grief and loss is it will just take you to your knees. We can stay busy. We can stay focused with our day to day, but it sounds like you had finally, given yourself some permission to say, you know what, this is, this is it. This is it's here. I can't put it off any longer, might as well do it on the beach and here we are. But the thing is too, is that it's, it's an ongoing process too, not to be a Debbie downer, but there's a lot of, of layers to grieving. Keep honoring that, keep honoring that.
Sanya: Yeah, it was, it was great. You know, and you know, another thing is I was able to ask, I asked for help and I don't ask for help ever. Just it's not in my DNA. Correct. And everyone in that group, all six year of those women think Sanya is amazing. They think Sanya knows how to do it, or she has a way of doing things to get the message, you know, they all depend on me and I literally told them, I need you guys to be a Sanya right now.
Amy: Yes.
Sanya: And I have never done that. Oh my God. I'm getting emotional because when I did that, They all just said, we did not know. We did not know Sonya we're here for you. And, and I needed that because I was so always, so in control, everything's a business deal.
Amy: Yes.
Sanya: Everything is a meeting, you know, and I'm just like, okay, I can't do it anymore. I'm done.
Amy: Right. Absolutely. Absolutely. To me when I've been in a space, of extreme vulnerability, because as women, we don't wanna feel vulnerable somewhere along the lines, we were taught vulnerability is a weakness and it's something that's looked down upon, but what I've learned over the years through really tough trials and tribulations in my life personally and professionally, that my vulnerability is a superpower.
Sanya: Mm-hmm
Amy: That is something as a leader, I've learned that, that I have a responsibility to other women to say, it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to say no, it's okay to say I need help in this situation or around this project or whatever it is. And that's one of the vibes I really want to create with the kindling project, because there are so many successful women and if we give ourselves permission to say that I'm feeling vulnerable right now. It really can turn into a superpower. This is one of my, this is one of my mantras and it is hard to do, and I have a feeling the more you practice it.
Sanya: Mm-hmm
Amy: The better you will get at it and you will just, you will keep your people close and know that now I can just say, guys, this is what's going on, because part of it is letting people in, too, to ask for help, and that is hard to do cause we're not conditioned that way.
Exactly.
Melissa: Well, and also we all really do wanna show up for each other.
Sanya: We do, we do. We do good point.
Melissa: I think it's I think it's actually something that is really rewarding. We wanna show up for each other. We do.
Sanya: Yeah. Yeah, we do. And you know, those who don't, you know, that's a whole nother circle and you need to weed those weeds out of here.
Melissa: It's kinda like they take themselves out.
Sanya: Yeah, exactly.
Melissa: They really do even like, even in your business, I kind of have come to realize they take themselves out. You don't even have to get rid of them.
Sanya: I totally agree. Well I sound like we're on The View. Let's do it.
Melissa: I just kinda have this sense about the kindling project that if we create the kind of space that I'm envisioning, that there's just a lot of untapped energy and, and untapped potential that we can help realize.
Amy: Mm-hmm
Melissa: That's what I think. Yeah. I mean, that's, there's like a desire for it. There's a need for it. Like, I cannot believe we've been doing this for six weeks and there's 1200 people in the online community. Dozens of people have asked me, can I be on the podcast? Can we do an event? How can I help? Like I like just out of the woodwork, like there's, there really is like a hunger for, well, I think after COVID too, people are just get me out of my house.
Sanya: They're looking for a way out, right. yeah, exactly.
Melissa: Yeah. Yeah.
Amy: But it's also connecting. There was a, you know, like our, our other guests, Monica has mentioned, we really had, were forced to put ourselves in a timeout and reprioritize mm-hmm and realize, Hey, what is important, is it all this other stuff that, you know, these smoke screens. You know, Sanya, I just wanna say you were just vulnerable with us, what you shared, so thank you for that.
Sanya: Oh, you're welcome. I just, yeah, it was just, I know other people are dealing with similar situations and as business women, we need to share because there's a lot people that are not even at the level that we are at, they need to know that it's going to be tough and you have to prepare, and it's going to be emotional, but you still could be successful and succeed. And it's okay. And you know, like my superpower, I think is transparency. You know, I, I like to assist people and tell them my story based on, this is what's gonna happen. Something that happened really recently is one of the ladies in the travel industry applied for Goldman Sachs, she's in like an Oklahoma or something but she said, the reason she applied is because when I was telling them about the program, I let them know that when I first walked in the door, I didn't know what a profit and loss statement was. I was successful. Don't get me wrong, but I didn't have a profit and loss statement that I knew anything about. And it was when, as I told my story, she said that it was her, she felt the same way. She's she's successful, but she needed help in areas in accounting and the financial side. But then I also told her, after Goldman Sachs, I'm able to press a button and there's my finances right there. So it was a learned behavior and until she heard that, she said she didn't think it was anyone else out there like herself. And I know Melissa can definitely relate to this.
Melissa: I know. I know. Even now. And I went through Goldman Sachs and I learned a lot. My bookkeeper sends me every month on the 15th. She sends me a P and L and she sends me a balance sheet, and Sanya, I do not open those emails.
Sanya: You just don't want to.
Melissa: I just, I just, I just trust.
Sanya: Listen. I totally understand. So let's get started. I know we, let's get started.
Amy: I feel like after that was the podcast right there.
Melissa: Well, we already got it going.
Melissa: Welcome to the Kindling project podcast. I'm Melissa Halpin and I co-host with my dear friend and partner in crime, Amy Parravano Drummond. And today we are joined by the fabulous Sanya Tyson Weston. She's a travel industry leader for 30 years. She's the CEO of your premier travel service. The oldest African American owned travel agency in Michigan.
She's a third generation business owner, entrepreneur community leader. She's the founder of young people travel and black girl diplomacy. She's a mother, a grandmother, a friend, and she's just all around inspiring. She's a woman's woman say hello ladies.
Sanya: Good morning. Hello. Hello.
Amy: Good morning. Good morning.
Melissa: I just wanna say thank you so much for being here, Sonya. I'm so honored to have you here. You have quite a resume and and life experiences. So I'm so glad that you're here and truly honored.
Amy: As we've been talking, one of the one of the goals that we, why we wanna have guests here is because we want to talk about kindling projects and that is where from our vision that's where that tiny spark or that passion.
That is still somewhere, whether it's in your head or it's in your heart, it's still in there and it's not flamed out, and we know that so many of us have them. It doesn't have to be writing a book or, creating all of these really big things. They can be smaller things as well. And we are really wanting to know from you and explore from you about your kindling project.
Obviously you've had several but we really wanna know from you what your thoughts are what you can give us from your experience. Very similar to what we were talking about earlier. And that's really what we wanna explore.
Sanya: I'm excited, first of all, Melissa and Amy, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak with you.
I'm so excited of your growth in such a short amount of time. And I know that you have impacted so many women and probably some men as well. Congratulations
Amy: thank you.
Melissa: Well Sanya and I, we know each other from a program called Goldman Sachs, 10,000 small businesses. I personally think of Sanya's kindling project as the nonprofit that she started. I know a lot of women have come to me and their dream or their kindling project is to start a nonprofit so I think Sanya, could you could tell us how that project went or, how did that happen for you? Where did that dream come from and how did you make it a reality?
Sanya: It was definitely a dream from the beginning and, my background is in the travel and tourism industry, which, as. As a child growing up, my mentor was my mom. And she was a business woman and I watched her balance being an owner of a travel agency and also giving back to the community at the same time. And then of course raising myself and my siblings and it didn't look like a beautiful situation all the time, but she definitely made it happen. And she included us that experience. And it just has always been in my heart that I wanted to do the same thing. So when I had an opportunity to, take over the business with her blessing I was not complete until I just, A community outreach program, but I didn't know which type to, to even start, you think of community service and there's so many areas that need our attention.
Amy: Yes.
Sanya: But, I had to of course go in the area of children because when I think about it, my mom always had a special space for children. And I didn't realize a lot of those gifts that she gave me until I was an adult. I can remember one time and I must share this, she would, I think I was 12 and at 12, 13, it's all about you and your brain. Right? I would, travel to work with my mom on the weekends and she would always make the stop and drop off gifts at this house that was in a neighborhood that wasn't, nice, for a 12 year old to reflect on. And I was always impatient. Like, why do we have to go here? We don't even know these people. I was always, in my mind and one day my mom invited me to go. And I'm looking like I'm not going into that house. I'm still that 12 year old. But then when I went inside, there was a young girl that was the same age as myself and she didn't, she was bald and I was like, okay, what 12 year old in the world is bald?
I didn't understand. And my mom was really nice to her and she introduced me and. The young lady had alopecia, but at that time, I didn't know what it was. But my mom was bringing her gifts and bringing her clothing and we didn't know her. I'd never seen this girl in my life. And so we get in the car after this and I was quiet during the entire process.
And I'm like, mom, why are you doing this? And we don't even know this girl. And she said, The gifts that you can give people that you don't know are always the best gifts, but the gifts that you open yourself up to know that person is even a better gift. And so I think that stuck with me until I turned, in my thirties and my forties.
So when I decided to do a nonprofit, I wanted to make sure that I gave gifts to people that I knew and people that I didn't know. And that lesson that I learned at 12 was evolving in me as an adult. So I'll never forget that. In fact, I wish I could find that young lady cuz she's the same age as me and and just let her know that experience was so impactful in my life and hopefully in hers.
Melissa: Your mom sounds like a wonderful person.
Sanya: I like to say she was amazing. And in, in her passing, she left so many jewels and me and a lot of other women, because she was a girl scout leader. So she, left a lot of jewels with other women that are doing great things in the city as well. So that was the beginning of the thought, right?
Melissa: I'm curious. Did you have like formative opportunities to travel because your mom had a travel agency?
Sanya: Yes, I did. So it was just normal to us to take family vacations to go on cruises. And my teens, I thought that was the norm for everyone, we grew up in a pretty moderate Side of the trade.
And we weren't rich, we weren't poor. I didn't really think that we were lacking anything. We just had a, I had a really great childhood and a really great neighborhood but there were challenges, but I still thought that everyone traveled because it was never made out to be a big thing in our household.
Melissa: Because I also, I will share that I had the opportunity to work on some of your digital and brand work for young people travel through my design agency. And I learned statistically some of the numbers of how few minority youth have the opportunity to travel when we did that work and the profound impact that travel does have on youth.
Like throughout the course of their life and their earning impact. And those statistics were really surprising to me. I, myself had the luxury of being a what was called a foreign exchange student when I was in high school. I understand that, some of that terminology evolved over time, but that's really relatively rare for minority students.
And I think it would be interesting for our audience, if you could share the impact that you're having by giving those opportunities to underserved populations.
Sanya: Absolutely. And you are correct. And thank you for even just thinking twice about that because the percentages is really eye opening, not, it was, not only do a lot of students or, children in the inner city, they don't get a chance to travel.
A lot of them don't even leave their city and
Melissa: or their block.
Sanya: I know, so that, and that's, the gifts of having organizations like mine allows, allow children to have a view of the world. First of all, just the conversation and then the impact of them actually getting on an aircraft and flying somewhere makes it even, more of a gift to them.
And it's, it is not only a, just a temporary gift, but it's a gift for the rest of their lives. Like you said, you did an exchange program, it's 5% of African Americans will participate in a exchange program or, people to people program or even, traveling when they're in college.
It's a very low percentage because it's not something that is the norm for them. The organization that I, designed, I wanted to be a normal situation. I wanted. Kids to say the word passport, just like they say the word, take the chip, I want it to just be a household name. And that's what we do.
And we don't want it to be something that is hard to do. So we start in the home, we educate the parents first by teaching them how to prepare for their student to get a passport, that is half of the problem with some inner city students. A lot of them are one parent homes. So when it comes to get a passport, you have to have two parents to agree that you're allowing your child to get a document that allows them to travel the world. So when you're dealing with a single family one parent home, that's a problem it's not easy to do. So we educate the parents so that they can prepare. So that their student can have a passport to least give them the key to the world.
Once we get over those challenges, then we educate the student on, what have you dreamed about what books have you picked up that educated you on a destination or an experience that you would like to have. And once we start to talk about that, we got surprised that, they have Africa, some people even said Russia.
They said, the Caribbean, some people even said like California, and they didn't know it was not a part, it's part of the United States, but I could appreciate that they still wanted to travel, but we start to virtually expose them to international opportunities. And then it gets even better than that because, we set them up to travel the world and, we've had kids to go to the least to Dubai Mexico, and it's getting bigger and bigger because our students have bigger visions now.
So they let us know. Where they would like to go. We educate them before they take on those those travel opportunities. But we also wanna make sure that it's impactful in their lives. So we focus on a couple of areas. Make sure education is an option for them. So they know that they could travel abroad.
They could, do some study in abroad and they can actually work abroad. So we make sure that they know about careers that they can take on. And then, cultural immersion is really the key to me to a happy world because you need to understand how other people live. So we focus on that and then we wanna make it fun so we also focus on sports, so can you imagine a local basketball player playing basketball with someone in Kenya? We make sure that they have that kind of a, that exposure and also that they know that kids in Kenya play basketball, So we focus on that as well. And then of course we have to focus on entrepreneurship because that's a gift that I know that I can give to them as well, so that their mindset is is thinking about the future and how they can impact the world with ideas that they come up with.
Melissa: I think that's like something that I spent recently at an event of yours talking to some of the Some of the teens that had been to Dubai. That really struck me about how futuristic it is, how expansive the thinking got. And it isn't just about a vacation. It isn't just about travel. I think the word travel doesn't really quite fully hit the right chord of how much it expands their minds into thinking about the world and their future and what they can do with travel.
Sanya: No, that is right. I think when one of the things that. I guess I noticed when the students went to Dubai in February of this year, They were in a place where it was the cleanest place. They had the tallest buildings, the fastest cars. Everything was above normal that,
Melissa: yes.
Sanya: And they were so amazed. Even the fastest rollercoaster, they got an opportunity to see what that feels like. And they knew that as wonderful as the United States is, and it's great to them.
Melissa: They traveled to the future or they travel traveled to a new world. Like it was so expansive for them in a way that it wasn't about problems.
It was about some kind of other solutions. And I really saw that impact on them. And yes, it was. I got it. I really got it in a way that I-
Sanya: Excellent.
Melissa: And, and I know you, and I believe in you and I worked on your website and then I got it in another way, just seeing the impact that it had on these girls.
I really did.
Sanya: I'm so glad that it was able to shine out because they are, those students were amazing. They made the trip amazing.
Amy: Yeah. And kids are exposed to so much more really at their fingertips. They can look up Dubai. They don't have to go to the local travel agency and look on a map and see where it is they might be going or traveling.
Everything is so much more accessible in terms of technology. Sanya, one question I have for you is regarding the vetting process with the applicants that you get, do you, because you obviously wear a lot of hat. What do you do? Do you have somebody working with you that actually vets these young women to become part of the, I don't know what they're called participants or students or what you call them, but I'm curious if you could share some of that with us please.
Sanya: Yes. So our youth ambassadors we call them youth ambassadors. They are selected. So the program is open to students between the ages of 12 and 17. Those are our travelers. Once they apply we make sure that the application process is a lot like applying for any type of scholarship, because we want them to get used to giving information, thinking ahead of the game, because we do have a small area where they tell us about them and why they should be chosen, but we're pretty much open to everyone. We then take that information and we have our board members who are amazing entrepreneurs and some influencers within our community to go through and see how we will match them together. Cause one of the things that we do is not only are they a part of the program, but we want to match them with a mentor and then we teach them to be mentees as well. That makes it we just wanna pair 'em together and make a perfect fit. We do not, we have not declined anyone from being a part of the program. We just wanna make sure. That the parents is in the game and that the students know the responsibility and from there we just decide on the roadmap for them. So if whatever the profession that they would like to focus on and what sports they may wanna play what place that they wanna be in their leadership role, we just make sure that we offer them exactly what is needed to support what they're doing.
Amy: Okay. Thank you.
Melissa: So it's, so obviously young people travel as an inspiration and it's a success and I'm so proud of you. And honored to just be a little part of it, but so for somebody else who might have a kindling project that is a nonprofit organization, a community organization, But it's in its infancy.
And how, what advice do you have? How, what are the first steps for getting it going?
Sanya: I think the first thing is to follow your passion. This space, this nonprofit space is actually as tough as an entrepreneurial space. It's a very tough space. So you definitely want to follow your passion so that, that helps to drive you because there's some bad days, there's a lot of grants out there and you may not get one.
And there's a lot of people doing the same thing that you're doing, and it may discourage you, Prepare yourself for some of the let downs, but expect amazing things to happen at the same time. So once you find your passion, minds would actually travel and our youth you then want to, I hired people to expedite things.
We can all apply for our own 5 0 1 C three and set things up. There's people in place that can do that for you. So that is not as stressful as it could be. So I decided to go that route and just let the professionals do the setup. And one thing. When you pick your board members, make sure you're picking impactful people, not your friends, not your family, people with talents that can assist you in.
Evolving this dream that you have and, into what you want it to be is very important people. They underestimate the power of a board. And until I learned that, through being selected to be in particular programs, that gave me knowledge on that. I didn't know. So I'm telling everyone your board members.
Is what's going to move your organization and you really want to invest a lot in making those decisions on who's a part of your board. With our organization, I feel like I'm picking the next generation of, global citizens or leaders. And I wanna make sure that I'm setting them up for success by getting people around me that will help them as well. So-
Melissa: you have, oh, go ahead, Amy. .
Amy: Okay. Just, I just wanna say Sanya that just to deconstruct it even a few steps, a board can doesn't have to be a board. It could be the people around you. That is one that's. One of our mantras is to one of my mantras is to surround myself.
With women who are smarter than me, so we can, they can bring to the table what I'm not able to bring to the table.
Sanya: Exactly.
Amy: And so whether, people have a real board or the, you can look at your people around you as a board. Are they gonna help you evolve? Are they gonna be a part of your vision?
And people don't realize that those people around them that are. They're energy takers, they're not energy givers. So just to keep that real, that it's important who we surround ourselves with.
Melissa: Oh you're saying before you even get to a formal board, you need your board of director, friends to be the right people.
Sanya: Yeah. And we need a board director for life.
Melissa: Yes.
Sanya: I talk a lot about one of my best friends. Think she's like my undercover social worker or counselor or whatever you want to call her, but she's there when I need someone to talk to. And then I have someone else that I can talk to about finances.
They're not my accountant, but at least we can have a conversation where they can lead me in the right direction. If I'm thinking about something, you put people in place, like you said, To assist you all the time. You wanna have this mindset, every action that you take in life, you wanna make sure you have supporters, people around you that will support you honestly.
And then also people around you that you can learn from. And, a lot of people I was told by my sister actually, who's older than I, she used to always tell me as a teenager, you need a new circle. And I'm like, I have good friends. She's no, you need a new circle because you are at the.
Of all of your friends and it's okay for them to be your friends, but who are you learning from? So find another circle where you're able to learn something because you can't be a blessing to other people if you are not learning more things.
Melissa: Yeah.
Amy: Smart big sister.
Melissa: Yeah you have a smart big sister, for sure.
Sanya: Yeah, she's great. Yeah. I didn't like to hear that, but now I totally.
Amy: You don't like to hear much what your sister has to say when you're younger, but older. That's a different story.
Sanya: Exactly.
Melissa: So what's next for you Sanya?
Sanya: Well growth, our organization Our program is in Detroit. We are now expanding. So we will for fall session, we'll be in New Jersey, Boston and Alabama. So we're excited about that. So we have students that will be actually doing face to face programming in those particular states and then just continuing to grow. I know we have just partnered with an organization that will do all of our sports activities.
So we are taking hockey players to Kenya in March of next year and also lacrosse players. So they will be interacting with. Some students there in Kenya, and then we're going to South Africa to do some some other entrepreneur activities. And then next year, of course we are going back to south America and every year we continue to add on to our experiences.
Sports is something that we are, like I said, it's one of our pillars that we are extremely excited about. So we just wanna impact as many students based on their interests. So sports, if that's it, we are looking for students who would like to impact the world through sports and with our partnership with global ties, that makes it really easy to expose our students, to people from all over the world through mentorship.
So just continuing those partnerships. And touching as many students as possible that we can,
Melissa: it's a logical global connection too. For all people.
Sanya: Oh, absolutely oh, absolutely. I know this summer, in Detroit with global ties and that partnership, they bring a lot of mentors from all over the world and we are so fortunate to be able to collaborate with them and have our students learn from.
The mentors, but also have the mentors learn from our students because they're all in leadership roles in their country. And now they'll be able to say that they interacted with some amazing students that have, an international vision.
Amy: Yeah. Yeah. I really admire that you integrated a mentorship program because that is what it's all about at the end of the day is being able to give back and to be able to share and teach and mentor. So I'm really excited to hear that's a large component of your program so-
Sanya: Yes it is.
Melissa: Thanks for coming. Thanks for coming. Thanks for sharing. I know so many people are gonna be inspired by your story and feel free to join us. In the ignite group, I know you're there. People may have questions for you and come back anytime and give us an update on what's going on with Y P T and yourself and we just couldn't be happier for your success.
Sanya: Thank you so much. I'm so proud of you, ladies. I must continue to say that this is a great platform and it's definitely needed, so I thank you for for designing this and allowing women to just, speak freely on their passions and if I could be of support to anyone I am here to to support you and just be a cheerleader. So I look forward to all the different relationships that will will come because of this opportunity. So thank you. Thank you again.
Melissa: Okay.
Amy: Thank you so much. Thank you. It was so great to talk to you and spend some time with you this morning.
Melissa: Have a great day.
Sanya: All right. Have a great day ladies
Amy: You as well. Thank you, Sanya.
Melissa: Bye Sanya
Sanya: Byebye.