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'A Shift In The Atmosphere'

Sesame Flyers International
Bildersee Beacon Summer Camp
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Fearless Fridays
Poetry Competition at Sesame
Flyers Cultural Center

Step USA with the men of
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.




 

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Contact Information


Cultural Center / Saturday Program
3510 Church Avenue . Brooklyn . NY 11203
Phone: 718-693-0500 | Fax: 718-693-2007
Email Address:
info@sesameflyers.org

Winthrop Beacon III Community Center
905 Winthrop Street . Brooklyn . NY 11203
Phone: 718-221-8880 | Fax: 718-493-7163
Email Address:
info@winthropbeacon.org

Sesame Flyers International
Center Of Family Support

905 Winthrop Street . Brooklyn . NY 11203
Phone: 718-221-8881 | Fax: 718-493-7163
Email Address:
cfs@sesameflyers.org

Bildersee Beacon Community Center
956 East 82nd Street . Brooklyn . NY 11203
Phone: 718-241-3847 | Fax: 718-241-3849
Email Address:
info@bilderseebeacon.org

SONYC at I.S. 211
1001 East 100th Street.Brooklyn.11236
Phone: 718-251-2051

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Department Of Youth &
Community Development

 

Newsletter Issue # 29
January 2019

 
 
 

 


Our Dear Friend Angela Fenton

Angela was a bank manager for many years. When she joined Sesame Flyers, she demonstrated her love for finances as our first Financial Administrator. She provided a template of our financial reports for our multiple events, that was presented in a clear and detail manner for the organization. As a result she was able to hold that position for many years.

FULL STORY AVAILABLE BELOW
 

 
 


Executive Director's Message

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have had a happy and safe holiday season leading into a wonderful 2019. While every New Year we get a sense that we can let go of the past and start fresh, it pleases me to say that reflecting on 2018 was quite refreshing. We began the celebration of our 35th year of community service. We honored the Sesame Flyers legacy of excellence, our commitment to young people, and our unwavering efforts in preserving and promoting Caribbean culture.
Two massive accomplishments last year that I would like to note are Sesame Flyers being granted a “clean bill of health” by the Department of Investigations and the successful competition in securing Beacon Community Center Programs in East Flatbush and Canarsie for an additional 3 years. After reflecting on our tremendous growth and accomplishments, I feel confident that we will have a successful and productive 2019.

My vision for Sesame Flyers International for this year and the next 35 years and beyond is brighter than ever. We invite you to assist as we continue to build community by participating in our programs, our culture, and by providing leadership in safe and welcoming places. You can support Sesame Flyers by adding to our 35/35 campaign.

We are committed to building on the youth development work and community building we are known for while bringing more attention to national issues by aligning some of our Newsletter topics with National Awareness months. Also, we are forging new relationships with community organizations that will allow us to extend our reach.

We re-welcomed for the second year at Winthrop Beacon, Brock Harris of Step USA and bro Terrance Jenkins with the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. for their 13th Annual Brooklyn Borough Step Championship.

And, while I am proud of the future that is before us for 2019, it is with deep sorrow that I share the passing of one of our longest running members of Sesame Flyers, Ms. Angela Fenton. You will get a chance to learn more about her in this edition of the Newsletter. She touched many, many hearts in her years of service with Sesame Flyers International and she will be sorely missed. We send our love and heart felt condolences to her family who have been core contributors to this organization and its mission for many years.
 


Remembering Our Dear Friend Angela Fenton

…Again we are called to celebrate the LEGACY of our SESAME FLYERS member Angela Fenton.

Angela was a bank manager for many years. When she joined Sesame Flyers, she demonstrated her love for finances as our first Financial Administrator. She provided a template of our financial reports for our multiple events, that was presented in a clear and detail manner for the organization. As a result she was able to hold that position for many years.

At our 20th anniversary she avidly voiced her reflection on our organization. She expressed in glowing terms her enjoyment working with our children especially at our Saturday Program which is still in existence. She participated actively by teaching math to the young ones, an area where she was innately qualified. She explored her creativity with the children and established a relationship of love they dubbed her “Mama Fenton”, to date our children and grandchildren still refer to her as Mama Fenton.

Many years ago she retired and relocated to Trinidad to enjoy the warmth and relaxation. Her love for children endured her to open an international school with her sisters in Central Trinidad. Her love for Sesame FIyers and our children traveled and stayed with her.

One year Sesame Flyers sponsored a heritage tour to Trinidad for a dozen of our Saturday program children. Angela and the staff and students greeted them with open arms: She arranged a historical tour to the Largest Hindu temple and the famous temple built on water in the Caribbean.

She returned to New York for health reasons and continued to participate in all Sesame Flyers events with joy in her heart but a stickler for detail with our financial reports.  Despite the discomfort of her illness, she would be most present to “work the door” our famous Calypso on the Avenue Tent every Friday in the summer.

We offer condolences to you Joanna, her family and friends on behalf of our Sesame Family, from the Board of Directors, our Members, our Staff , our young people and our community at large.  “Mama Fenton”, latest project left, midway is a “Bric Brac” sale which we will hold this summer in her honor.

We will miss our Mama
 


Welcoming the New Year!

Sesame Flyers partnered with Jenée Ivi Whitehead, author of the Hashtag HERO Planner, to host a 2019 Vision Board Party. The Hashtag HERO Planner imparts positive psychology and creative productivity techniques to support people in achieving unique social impact goals. We welcomed the community to take a pause with us to reflect on 2018 and plan ahead for 2019. Those who attended the event departed feeling refreshed, renewed, and most importantly ready for 2019! 
 


Child Sex Trafficking
By India Ford, Case Planner - SFI Center for Family Support

January is Human Trafficking awareness month. Forbes Magazine states, “UNICEF estimates that there are around 21 million trafficked people around the world. This figure includes some 5.5 million children. Human trafficking is a crime that is gendered; the primary victims are women and girls. However, the number of trafficked men and boys is on the increase.”

Human trafficking, also known as modern day slavery, is more prevalent than one would think. Unfortunately, it’s happening right in our backyard. Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Both adults and children can become victims of sex trafficking. Anyone involved in commercial sex trade is considered as sex trafficked.

Children are extremely vulnerable when it comes to being trafficked. Often young girls who have run away from home and/or have had an abusive home life are targets for traffickers. Children can also be picked up or recruited at school, the mall or just hanging out with friends. Internet access also makes recruiting efficient and so much easier.

Traffickers lure emotionally naïve and vulnerable youth with false promises of money, love, food, and shelter. Traffickers use violence as well in order to prevent the victim from leaving.

Here are some signs that we should look out for if a child is involved in sex trafficking.

• Unexplained bruises, physical abuse
• Wearing expensive clothes, shoes, etc. they wouldn’t normally be able to afford
• Older boyfriend
• Inappropriately dressed
• Excessive unexplained absences from school
• Depressed, withdrawn

If you see something, say something!!! If you know a victim or suspect that someone you know may be a victim of traffickers, call 911 in an emergency. To learn more and how you can help, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888.
 


Employee Spotlight Justin Liburd

In 2018, Sesame Flyers celebrated the 35th anniversary of our groundbreaking introduction to the community of East Flatbush, which created the foundation for our rise. Every year since that first year, we have built on the success of the previous year, learning lessons and honing our strategy to achieve more for our youth, our people, and our communities.

Last year was no different. Together we broke records, servicing more young people than ever. There were certainly some bumps in the road, but amid it all, our staff worked tirelessly to maintain our unmatched standard of excellence, safety, and reliability to the youth of the communities that we serve. While it seemed outside elements continue to target Sesame, shamelessly copying our playbook in the hopes of catching up to us, the human touch that we provide our youth is unique, and it’s what continually sets us apart. Our cultural pride, dedication to positive youth development, and passion for supporting our communities and building a sustainable future is an advantage no one can match.

As I reflect on our accomplishments for the past year, I had to take a moment to look at my staff and reflect on how special it is to be part of this family. Few organizations share the values, culture and camaraderie that we have built together. That’s what keeps me going on those hectic days when it’s hard to catch my breath. This is a unique family, and I’m grateful to have Justin Liburd as part of it. Justin, God sent, came to Sesame’s COMPASS Program at IS 211 program in 2017 as a youth worker through DYCD’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

I usually do an orientation/meet and greet with new hires and for summer youth it’s no different. During the orientation participants do an ice breaker entitled “I am”, which allows people an opportunity (unbeknownst to them) to write a poem describing themselves in an effort for me to understand peoples unique personalities and passions so I know where they should be placed.

After receiving many duplicate and generic answers to some of the questions, Justin stood out to me when he said he was influenced by the teachings of the late Malcom X and the often controversial lyrics of the late Tupac. Justin, very much like Tupac and Malcom, was a true leader. Although quiet and somewhat of an introvert, whenever he did speak, he captured the attention and ears of whomever was in his presence.

Justin, now 20, is a middle child with three brothers and three sisters whom he loves dearly. He is a graduate of the High School for Service and Learning and is torn between a career in Law Enforcement and Business Administration.

Summer Youth only lasts six weeks and I knew after the first week that Justin’s energy was one the program needed and I had to hold on to. Coming to the end I offered him employment and he excitedly accepted and has been here shining ever since.

When I asked Justin to describe himself, he stated “I am self-aware, confident, self-disciplined, hardworking, organized, wise, trustworthy, creative, committed, friendly and humorous”. I concur! Justin has an effortless ability to connect with the young people he comes in contact with and they just gravitate toward him.

Justin, on behalf of your colleagues and the entire agency, I commend you and thank you for your passionate, dedicated service to the children of Sesame’s Out of School Time program at IS 211 and deem it an honor to lead the best team of youth workers ever assembled with you being a part of it.
 


Step USA

This month the Winthrop Beacon welcomed Step USA with the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. for the 13th Annual Brooklyn Borough Step Championship. This is our second year hosting this competition. Sesame Flyers has built a strong partnership with this organization and we look forward to continuing to support our young people by giving them a platform to shine.
 


Sesame Supports New Moms in the Community

As a great kick off to the year, Sesame Flyers hosted a Breast Feeding Workshop and Support Group in partnership with our neighbor Caribbean Women’s Health Association. New moms were provided the opportunity to learn about key tips and techniques in breast feeding and post-natal care.

Moms also received information on health and nutrition and had an opportunity to share their trials and well as triumphs as new moms. Moms also received new clothes, books and other essentials items for their babies.

We look forward to continuing our support of new moms and have two Community Baby Showers already planned for 2019. You will find information about those dates in our upcoming newsletters, so stay tuned!
 

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