The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

Unknown Speaker 0:00
You're listening to locally produced programming created in KU NBC Studios on public radio K, u and v 91.5.

Speaker 1 0:16
Good morning. And thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya Flynn. And again, I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me. Here on the scoop where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics, and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started.

Speaker 1 0:43
Good morning, and welcome to another edition of the scoop here on K u and v 91.5. Public Radio. Thank you for waking up early this Sunday morning. And joining me once again for what I hope you will think and agree is a great conversation. I'm delighted to welcome to the studio this morning a good friend who I love and is dear to me. Why Londa Dickerson she is a woman who wears many hats and is amazing, and has given so much back to the community while on the Good morning.

Unknown Speaker 1:11
Good morning.

Speaker 1 1:11
Thank you for being here. Thank you for waking up and getting your cup of coffee and sharing in this time with me. As I mentioned, I adore you. I've always thought you were amazing. And so I'm happy to have you on the show to tell a little bit of your life story. And all the things that you do you have an amazing nonprofit, Valley View community cares. And we've done some projects together over the years. But tell us a little bit about what Valley View community cares is and what your passion is on why you who you are why you do some of what you do.

Speaker 2 1:47
Thank you, Miss Tanya. So Valley View community cares is a nonprofit organization that I created 22 years ago, this organization is really a unique organization. It started in my community. And it's actually still in my community because I was blessed with a community center about three years ago, which is literally behind my house. So what better community center to operate in something that's actually in the community, and helping the people that you've grew up with and that are around you. And you see that the need is a huge need for that in the community. So what we do is we offer a lot of programs, we're really different from other nonprofits, we don't really have a criteria if you need help, and we have it and we can help you then we're there, we're available. So we provide a lot of services to different children, mostly youth who are, as they would say, extremely at risk, which I think that's a population of almost all of our children in some fashion of form. We work with girls that are victims of human trafficking, youth who are in gangs or associated with gangs, young ladies who contemplate suicide on a daily basis, homeless children, homeless seniors, we also deal with a huge amount of people who was suffering from just mental illness, which is a big problem right now, it's always been a big problem. I think it's just being more noticeable when people are acknowledging this problem as of right now. So we just work with whoever needs help and whatever we can do in the community to help people become self sufficient. And to empower people and let people know that there's different options. There are different choices, and how do we help you to move into that space that's available for you?

Speaker 1 3:27
That is a lot is a mouthful, and you said it's so very well. And I know the community is inclusive of anyone anywhere in the valley, but I still want to make sure people it also has some boundaries. Well it doesn't have any boundaries, because you talked about the community center that you were blessed to open about three years ago. So when we say community that community center is sitting at the basically at the corner of Ingolstadt, which turns into D street on one side and like meat. So it's just a little bit down from what some people may be familiar with Nevada Partners campus. And it's your community is Valley View. Valley View Estates. So that's Ingolstadt like me, helped me to carry it kind of anchor by Losee on the AST, and H on the west, and like me, and Carrie, and it's nestled right in there. So major cross streets for others, maybe like mid MLK, a little bit east of that intersection. But at the same time, it's the community as a whole, but it's walking distance or bike riding distance or just a short drive for anyone who's living and that radius of our of our city. And I just think that what you do is tremendous and it is so selfless. You also work for Clark County. In another capacity you do a lot of work and reach families and youth in the work that you do with Clark County. And before as we move into the show a little bit later, I want to talk about your keynote, you were the keynote speaker for a program that's going to come up on this Friday, January 19, over at Cambridge Community Center. And it's a girls empowerment conference. And I want to talk a little bit about that too, as we move into the show, but backing up and delving deeper into what you do. And your life story. When someone finds himself doing the type of give it back community service work in it becomes your passion. Something has inspired you to give like that. What was the turning point for you that brought you into 22 years is a long time that brought you into this space of service.

Speaker 2 5:53
Well, I believe that you're just born with that passion, it's already when you born that's already part of you, that's a part that's already taken almost 90% of your heart. I've been through a lot. I've been through a lot as a young girl, as a toddler, infant, whatever, I just think that my life was not it could have been much better. I think that I could have been further than what I am now I could have had better opportunities. But I really, I never had anybody that I actually saw that believed in me. I had a lot of people telling me what I was, but nobody really actually told me what I could become. So just a lot of trauma, a lot of PTSD, I thought I invented that word, but I found out that word was way before me. And you know, being mentally physically abused. And then I had a baby at 30, then I had a baby at 50. Now I'm black going on 21, I already have five children, then I don't really, I didn't do that friendship in any way. Even when I did befriend someone, that person actually killed the father of the children. So all of that was like trauma on top of trauma on top of trauma. Then at one point in time I became homeless, then I became suicidal. So it was just it was rough out there, I started selling drugs. And then I was associated as a gang member. And I started doing criminal activity, because everybody had already told me all these things that are worse. So I tried to play the part and fit the shoe the society had laid out for me to say, you are this you are a menace, you're gonna die before you're 25 you're gonna be homeless with all these babies, somebody even put on me that I was gonna have about 40 children at 40. And I really didn't know how to digest all of that information, even as a kid. But all I knew was if these people could see my future and see this as me, then surely this is what I should become. So I kind of just dove into that. And just started trying to live those lifestyles because they played this thing out for me. And then I just, I don't know, I My grandmother was a strong influence in my life. She talked to me, she told me about God. And she was one thing that she told me that always stuck with me that she told me I was smart. And I really didn't know what that meant. And I was like, I don't think I'm smarter than I could read at the age of four. But the bad part about it was I can't remember one teacher through my whole kindergarten to 12th grade because nobody encouraged me, no teacher was there to influence me. And it was kind of rough because especially when I had a baby a 13 Everybody checked out on the old teacher said that I was on teachable. I haven't met a kid yet that's on teachable, but I was labeled as the most unteachable person. And it was like I didn't exist. So I felt like I was in this world taking up space. But I didn't exist. And I was like, You know what, I just need to, to leave this world. So the suicide didn't even work. So then I just really had a talk with God and said, I got to have a better purpose in this, I gotta have something that I'm walking for. And that's when it just got laid out like a blueprint, you know. And then I found out that I was here, just to help children to understand that. I can't tell you that I know what you've been through. But I walk with you not in the same shoes, but my shoes is right next to you is and we got the same pair, so I understand where you're coming from. And then I was like, Well, I had five children. I didn't do too good with them how to do some do something with other people's children. And the more I talked to kids, and the more I hung around other children, I was like I got it and they knew that I had it. So that just helped me and before I knew that there were children everywhere that I was talking to I was mentoring too. And I was like, that's my purpose. There was my purpose and then I just striding it from here forward.

Speaker 1 9:32
Well, you mentioned feeling like you didn't do well with your own children. Over the years all the work that you've done with these kids and the community that you've touched and I have had the privilege and I have recruited people to experience the privilege of presenting you do a conference call sweets. Tell us what's it's an acronym but it stands for

Speaker 2 9:57
support a woman educate, empower train meaning sisters,

Speaker 1 10:00
supportive women educating empowering training sisters, supportive women, educating empowering training sisters, which is a huge mouthful and concept of giving back one to the other. I've had the privilege of presenting and recruiting people to present at your suites conferences, and it's a roomful of young women, young ladies ranging in age, about 40, or 50 girls that you usually bring together. And I went over to the Pearson center, I remember and I remember you doing this program, and work in the get limousine so that these kids from these inner city neighborhoods can have an experience, unlike anything that they have ever had before. And the hard work that you put into getting community partner stakeholders to partner with you to provide the kids this once another once in a lifetime experience. Whether it was the limousine ride, or it was just I remember also doing a presentation on foundations, presentation undergarments, self esteem, and how one dresses oneself and how you carry yourself. And it was just poetry. It was a day of so much giving and so many different layers and artistic creativity that was poured into the girls that you spent the time to put together it is just really truly powerful. Has any of all that over the years as you give them back to the other kids also change the way your relationships with your own children has evolved? means that the payback been personal is what internally to your own family, as well as what you're given to the community.

Speaker 2 11:45
It has it has I have three three daughters. They're just wonderful daughters that they have their moments. Of course they do. And the suite is such a family oriented community oriented program. And what I when I first developed sweets, I had women there were women in the community, you touched my life and say that's purpose. And I labeled these woman's as death purpose. Tanya Flanagan Asha Jones Joshilyn misperceive Miss Sharon. It was just numbers of Lady Miss Cathy Thompson gifts and Miss Lisa, I'm telling you, there were women all over and these women once I touched him is fine. I said, these women are purpose. And my whole idea in my mind, because it was to bring these women that I saw, and that I tapped into who were my mentors, because I put all these women on a pedestal, these women are absolutely fabulous. And once I needed the young girls to see what I saw, which was purpose. So sweets was all about bringing all those beautiful queens in one spot, gathering all these girls out to community bringing them in and to share them to share with them. My experience of purpose, powerful queen, and that's how sweets came about. And I brought all my family members in that were female, even some of my nephews came. I needed all women, all girls to see what a roomful of Princess and Queen really looks like. And if I tell you that was purpose, it was purpose. So that just touched everybody everywhere, including my family. That is

Speaker 1 13:21
truly awesome. You know, to be honest with you for as long as I've known you and as many times as I've seen you do sweets I don't know if I ever really knew the reason behind why you were doing it. What I knew was wildland to call me and asked me to do something. What I knew was well on does genuine. I love why London if why London needs something the answer was always yes. And I really one or two times Asha Jones and I who works with United States Congressman Steven horse for his office, we run program together. And I remember going to an AKA meeting, it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I want to say was October November, we had a late Breast Cancer Awareness recognition program at the meeting that day. But sweets was going on over at Pearson and coming over to see what was going on. It was just always if you needed something, whatever we could do, and you talk about these women being powerful, and each one of the women you named are amazing people. But we look back at two was like a mirror. We served on the Urban League board together as well and did some work in the community there. And I remember just sitting one day looking at that board as it was assembled and thinking wow, Weiland is working on her PhD and this person is, you know, in a different field and a doctor and an attorney. And it it makes me sit in awe of the dedication that you have. The discipline I think is really the word, the discipline that you have to face the things that may have been discouraging in life and to not have allow them to be the final determinant of where your story ends, and the continuation to rewrite and to write new chapters of your own story. Because you're working on a PhD right now, here you are a mother at 13, a mother, a 15, another child at 21. By 21, I think you said to at five, suicide, homelessness, all these things have happened. And it's it's very significant how as we're growing up, and we're forming the idea of who we are, the people around us, the adults, the teachers have so much power to influence how we turn up with the things that they say that do not create encouragement, do not create a nurturing environment. But despite all these eyes, you are working on a PhD right now because that's the discipline that you have a tip my hat to you, what is this PhD and again, Miss mylondon,

Speaker 2 15:55
it's multicultural education at UNLV. Congratulate,

Speaker 1 16:00
I can't wait to go to your graduation, or graduation party, or whatever it is that you decide to do, depending on if they give you so many tickets. And you know, I don't get to go. But wherever the party is, wherever the celebration is, I want to be there. But I mean, that is when you looked at and said, Now I'm going to do a PhD I've done how do you decide I've done this, this and this when you go I mean, I would assume next you're going to write a book at some point.

Speaker 2 16:27
No, tiny I'm sorry, I'm I'm not going to write a book. I'm not going to do that. And be honest with you. I never really thought of, you know, elevation like that. In my whole life. Once I passed all the little barriers, well, they wasn't little the huge barriers in front of me that I passed. My biggest thing was if I was going to be out here, and if I was going to talk to young people, and if I was going to try to empower or if I was going to try to give young people another option, I first had to go through it myself. So I've been through a lot. But I figure with kids and the education being what it is. And I have a lot of young people who are dropping out of school, I have a lot of young people that have uneducated diplomas, these kids have diplomas and there's nothing next after diploma. So I figured then if I go to college with everything I've been through, I barely could read and write, could I mean just just a hot mess. I figured if I could get to the PhD level, I can give young people hope to say baby, if I went to college, you can ride through that thing with wings on. So that was the whole just transformation and even going to college and getting up to the PhD level, not for wildlife. But to show the young people that I talked to it very well can be done. Because if I can do it, do it. That that's it. So that was the whole reason. And going back to that level.

Speaker 1 17:46
It's like your motivation is it's for yourself, but it's really for others. It's all part of this passion and this purpose, to give back. And I guess I really understand it because I mean, I hold a Master's, but I went through that program. And I cannot say that I hold the discipline right now to say I'm going to go to school and do a PhD. I mean, maybe at some point, maybe I would have considered don't go into law school. But it is my you are like a ball of energy. When I tell you people I have never seen anyone who can run a race, the way you run a race. And I know we all feel like our plates are full. And we're juggling, and we do all these things. But you are just the cutest, most adorable thing. And you are just busy, like Energizer Bunny busy and constantly creative with new ideas of ways to help other people and to give back. Do you get a lot of volunteers? Can people volunteer to help you, if they're interested in presenting at the community center are doing a program? Is it because it's also kind of like a multi a diverse use space where people who might have a program that they're trying to present and they don't have anywhere to do it? you partner with people on things like that? Can I borrow how do people volunteer? How can they volunteer? How does one find you?

Speaker 2 19:16
Well, I can give my address of the center again. So the volunteering is if I do a program if I do a program or being in a community so I'm putting socks and hygiene baskets together for the homeless that I will come help any help is welcome for that. I don't get a lot of volunteers in the program essentially because a lot of my programming and a lot of my outreach is one on one I'm getting in contact or I'm meeting youth who got some severe severe things going on and that has to be a one on one because first thing with this generation it's not a to me generations is show me generation and they know right up front of you and keeping it real. So Oh, it has to be one on one. And what I do is, I try to work with them and get them to level so they can go to another program that will be beneficial because that program wouldn't accept them for where they were at it wouldn't meet them where they were at, and I'll meet you where you're at, just to make sure that I can get you to go a little further. And now you're able to be a part of this other program. So the volunteering is, like I said, mostly with the programs and the seating and the hygiene. And I can give my phone number because I believe everybody in America has it. It's 702-480-6421. And the location of my center is 600. Westlake me sweet 110. So

Speaker 1 20:41
do you take referrals from like, counselors at the high schools? Or just do people refer kids to you? Is that part of how you?

Speaker 2 20:51
And I don't find them? I get kids from Summerlin, daca kids from all over and people are really amazed about that. Because they were like, No, how did you get that kid? And really, I don't even promote and I don't look for kids. That Google and that internet that social media is a beast. So the the way that I started getting a lot of kids was kids was just telling other kids, you got a problem. You're 13 And you're pregnant. You want again, you homeless? You need a coat you need you need some food columns, why London? So it's like everybody has my number, right? I'm like, it has to be posted somewhere.

Speaker 1 21:21
I know that people do it because I do it. Whenever someone says to me, do you have a program that I can make donations to? I always say Valleyview community cares, because I know that so many people will families are turning to you for help women are turning to you to be clothed when they have a job or interview or just because they don't have anything. Maybe the kids need school clothes, or the family does need supplies. So whenever I have stuff or someone asked me, Where can I make a donation, I have some clothing I have whatever these items may be, I absolutely always recommend that they contact you and give you a you know, donate them through your program. Because I know that the work that you do, and I know that you're selfless, and I know that you put yourself last. And so it's a way to help you continue to do the work and outreach that you are doing. So I give everything and I make all all my referrals for people who want to do that I give I send them to you. Thank you, you are your story is amazing. The journey that you have taken how you have walked through the coals of fire and turned your life around, but you're going to be talking about some aspects of, I guess, maybe your life or what you see trending with our young people doing a girls empowerment conference that's happening Friday, January 19, at Cambridge Community Center, over new Cambridge and Flamingo. And you are the keynote, you're the guest speaker. What can people expect from this experience with you?

Speaker 2 22:51
Well, hopefully the young people, and maybe others, I am the keynote speaker, and I'm going to literally tap into what the program is called, which is step up. So I am just going to make sure that I before I leave that room, I'm going to make sure that girls understand that to step up, that you would have to M That's movement, there is some type of movement in stepping up. And once you step up how we do not go backwards. But once we step up how we move into another position another direction, and how we see ourselves differently, because now we're stepping up with stepping up in our state and our beauty and our walk and our talk and our goals and our success. What are we stepping up to. So I'm just going to make sure that they understand the Step Up is don't be a good, not a bad.

Speaker 1 23:39
I like that I invite anyone who's listening anyone who is interested in intrigued by while on the story and you want to know more or maybe you would like to meet her, you know, a family or a child that is struggling with some challenges and you're looking for a great space for them to be encouraged and to be mentored. Meet me at Cambridge Community Center, check in as a 5pm on Friday. And the program begins at six. It's a two hour program the waste listed on the flyer that was advertising it. I'm not sure exactly what time wetlander will come up to talk to the young people but I will be there in the audience to hear everything that you have to say I'm excited about it. Do you have any social media handles where people can follow you or anything like that?

Speaker 2 24:27
You know, I don't I just have not found out 21 day.

Speaker 1 24:32
So that's the one thing is your discipline has impacted me so Okay, well, I will commit to making sure you show up on social media so people can find you when they can track you when they can read about these success stories. I think you're I think that is this is the moment in 2024 where you realize that perhaps this work you're doing is time to be exponential and become nationwide because on a platform where you can be found from anywhere. So as A longtime friend, cuz I've known you hunk out, what, 20 years or more? Yes, yes, 20 plus 20. Plus he is one of the people that I consider a true friend in the sense that we don't have to talk every day. We don't see each other all the time. But if I call you, I know you will be there. And if you call me, you know, I will be there. And it's like we picked up like, I just saw you yesterday, and no time has passed. And we've met missed, right. And I think that is one of the true measures of friendship. And in 2024, as we've been through so much with pandemics and loss over the last few years, those types of relationships become so invaluable. So I want to say to you, I truly appreciate the friendship that you have afforded me over the years, the inspiration, the opportunity to be a part of what you do that makes a difference in the community.

Unknown Speaker 25:53
Thank you for that. Thank you for all the sacrifice that you make. To help our children to help families is truly appreciate it.

Speaker 1 26:07
I just, I don't know, I guess one of my questions is now that you are where you are, if you were looking back and writing a letter to your young self, knowing what you know, everything that you've been through, what would you say to the young you? Because there's somebody out there who is the young you now, but what would you say?

Speaker 2 26:30
I probably wouldn't have the conversation with a younger me. And I probably would say I wish you were just a little more stronger, I wish you would not have let everybody influenced you to be something that you were not created to be. You were smart, you were smart. From the beginning, your grandmama told you, you were smart, you pursued a lot of different things, you were very creative, very creative. And I just wish you would have just, I don't know just been a little stronger, a little more voice. Because every I was very quiet, I was very shy, my self esteem was very low. And that self esteem was low all the way up into 48. So I would have just probably told myself, we got to figure out how to pull this self esteem up while on that because you could move in better directions at a faster pace. That's probably the conversation I would have had with myself. That

Speaker 1 27:21
was truly powerful, because the willingness to be honest and say, it was low into 48. Those moments when I don't care when the revelation comes, when you look in the mirror, and you're honest with yourself about something that has been a handicap in some way, it's crippling you and your unthinned have to look in the mirror, face it and be able to overcome it and overpower it. That's, that's huge. So I know what it's like I always talk about a prayer closet going in the prayer closet getting into this space where in the most naked sense, you are super honest with yourself in that conversation with God that you're able to address it, and then release it, to find your power to overcome it. Thank you for sharing that we are into the final couple of minutes of the show. So I want to say thank you again. And if there's anything else you want to say to the listening audience, before we sign off.

Speaker 2 28:26
Well, I just want to thank you, thank you for the opportunity. You've known for a long time that you have been my mentor. And I have looked up to you because you are truly just You're beautiful, you're smart, you're intelligent, and I was just trying to just grab onto one of them nuggets of you and just hold on to it. And I think I kind of did that. I couldn't I couldn't really duplicate you. But I tried. I just want you to know that. But I thank you for the opportunity because all that I do is definitely because of God but it's not for me. It's definitely for the generation that's coming up now because more than ever they needed they need a little more than just talk you know, they they need support. They need help. They're smarter, but they're definitely not stronger. They

Speaker 1 29:09
do. I love you. Thank you for being on. Thank you for everything you said. We hope to see you this Friday, January 19. Cambridge community center doors open at five programs from six to eight. While on the Dickerson Bellevue community cares and awesome Community Hero. Have a great week everyone. Bye for now. Bye bye want to thank you for tuning into the scoop with me Tony Flanagan and I want to invite you to get social with me I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle TA in YAFL a na GA N You can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan and if you have a thought and opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tonya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in. Stay safe and have a great week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai