WEBVTT
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Vaya mi gente.
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I don't know what camera to look at actually.
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Because right now it's automating and it could be any camera right now.
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I guess it'd be the middle.
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This is what Shia LaBeouf must have felt like in Eagle Eye.
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Yes.
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Alright, well, whichever camera angle we got, vaya mi gente.
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My name is Gio Ramos.
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I'm coming at you live from the benchmark studios, from Creative Hope Studios, all the studios, everywhere.
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Let's go.
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So I'm joined today by the one and only Wit.
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WW.
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Your initials are WW.
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Yep.
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Yes.
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So again, like Gio said, my name is Wit Welch.
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I'm the executive director here at Benchmark Program.
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We're just excited.
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I was excited to find time to come to the studio to have conversations with Geo, talk about our partnership.
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And we're excited to introduce that to all of you, which is really cool.
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Yes, sir.
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Yes, sir.
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Wit, I thought it'd be fun if we introduce each other's programs to one another to see how much we get right and then have the other person fill in whatever gaps we leave out.
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I love it.
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That's awesome.
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What do you think of that?
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Let's do it.
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All right.
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So I'm gonna tell you who I believe Benchmark is from my perspective.
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So Benchmark has been around for about 12 years.
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I got that right?
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Yes, sir.
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Let's go.
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You're off to a great start.
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Why don't I just stop while I'm ahead?
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Why don't you fill in the rest of the gaps?
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No, Benchmark has been a program provider in the community for the last 12 years, helping youth.
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Youth who are going through a tough season and are coming out of that tough, tough season, trying to make a better and clearer path for themselves moving forward.
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Right?
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So that tough season could mean a lot of things.
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It could mean they spent time away from home in some program or facility.
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It could mean that they are in the system in one way or another, trying to repair some harm.
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And benchmark program comes in providing a place to exercise.
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So y'all got a gym decked out with all the benches.
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Um got some boxing programs, y'all got a lot of athletic opportunities for these young men and young women to help clear their minds, to help realign themselves, figure out who they are, who they want to be.
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And you do that through mentorship.
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So community mentors come in and provide their time, their skills, their strengths, no pun intended, uh, to help mentor these young men and young women who are on a path to repairing harm.
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How'd I do?
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That's honestly you're probably better than I did when I first started.
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Um yeah, no, you're spot on with all of that.
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The uh yeah, the um the areas that I would like just kind of add on to that um would be kind of some things that we're working on now, which is really in uh like you've framed it perfectly of that intervention space where those kids that come back maybe from placement, um, they're in a tough season in their life, um, providing that mentorship, and then for us as an organization, trying to figure out what are those specific things we need to provide mentorship in.
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So a lot of that being around just like self-esteem, who they are as people, figuring all those things out, um, which we're all constantly doing, but now kind of looking ahead to you know, what does it look like for them after high school?
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What how can we go through and help develop a sense of uh purpose in their life, something that they want to strive for?
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Um, so that's kind of where our big focus has been at, and a lot of that has been in a workforce development sense.
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Um, but outside of that, you nailed it.
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A plus.
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Let's go, let's go.
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That's yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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So I'm assuming it's my turn to try to follow that up.
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Your turn to tell me who creative hope is.
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Okay, so gotta go easy me on easy on me with this.
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So um, from our conversations and um for us connecting and you kind of talking about the work you've done.
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So, how uh from my perspective of Creative Hope Studios, um, so on more of a logistical level, um, a lot of the work that you do is involved in developing and building out um recording studios um different placement facilities across the country and providing uh resources around that.
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But that is almost like kind of a vehicle for you for your organization, and really what's at the core of that is providing that restorative justice practices, you know.
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Buzzword.
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Yeah, buzzword for real.
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Um restorative justice practice, what does that look like?
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But then even within that, and and for your organization, uh, what do those leadership skills look like?
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What um careers could lead from uh like a recording studio into wherever they want to go in the future, what are the skills they can carry with them?
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So, again, in the same way, kind of the similarities for us initially fitness being our vehicle, um, music and recording being your vehicle to teach individuals about themselves, but then also these other life skills.
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Let's go.
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That's that's my attention.
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I like how you put us in in the vehicle analogy.
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Fitness being your vehicle, music being our vehicle, we're all after the same thing, which is restorative justice.
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That's a buzzword, because not a lot of people understand what that means.
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Um, and maybe that's another episode for another day.
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But the goal is the same to repair harm wherever the harm exists, whether it exists in the individual or in the victim, the offender, whatever language you would use to describe uh either person involved, um, you're repairing harm.
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So I like that you put that.
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I like that um distinction.
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Yeah, yes to everything you said, dude.
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You nailed it.
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I'm glad that we have our story out there in a way that's clear and you said it.
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Yes, and um we are providing programs and support within these facilities.
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Uh, so it's not just we're building a studio and then peace, goodbye.
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Um, we just implemented a curriculum that we created ourselves made up of exercises, guides, writing prompts, career exploration, and different activities that help the young people from within the walls of a juvenile justice facility, whether it's a juvenile detention center, whether it's a shelter, a transition home, um, a treatment center, wherever it is, we're providing them something tangible they could work on.
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So we're providing them the support in-house as well as dropping a studio in there.
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Our company started by two gentlemen named TJ Griffin and Jose Rios.
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They had this vision long before today.
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And we started here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the city of Lancaster.
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We installed our first few studios in Mono's house, in the mix, and the and at the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center.
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And from there, we launched nationwide in the last five or so years, five or six years going off going all six.
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Um, this year we're reaching a hundred studios nationally.
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That's crazy.
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As we are recording this episode, our two co-founders, TJ and Jose, are currently in Hawaii installing two studios this week.
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That's crazy.
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Isn't that fire?
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Let's go, yeah.
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Um, so our reach, you know, we're really grateful.
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Um, we're really blessed to have our reach go beyond what they imagined when they started with this idea to provide a support to these young men and young women.
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We're giving the studio back into their hands.
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We're giving them opportunity, we're giving them skills, we're giving them resources right in their hands while they're still in the facility.
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They don't have to wait to get out to look for studio time or to explore a career or to, you know, find out what they want to do.
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They could explore some of that within those walls and then come out a little more ahead.
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So, yeah, that's who we are.
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We also provide restorative justice training.
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So we're not just we're not just helping, and I think that benchmark does this too in the community, from what I see.
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We're not just providing the young person the training and the resource and the opportunity.
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We're out here training their staffs.
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We're out here training the staff.
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We're we're giving we're giving game to the people who care for the young people that we are looking to support and reach.
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So, yeah, dope.
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That's who we are.
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Enough about us.
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So, for those that don't know and I know what the follow-off question is gonna be.
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So I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas.
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And the follow-off question is normally are you a Cowboys fan?
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Yeah, are you?
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Um so I don't claim the Cowboys, I grew up watching it just because my family did.
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Um, but if anyone asks, I'm not.
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I'm slowly learning to be an Eagles fan.
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Let's go.
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I was ready to get up and leave and leave you to this episode by yourself.
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I know.
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Um but yeah, so born and raised there, uh came up to Lancaster to go to school at Franklin Marshall College, and actually through the college, I went and was connected with Will, um, who, for those that don't know, are the f is the founder of Benchmark Program and our previous executive director.
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So I got connected with him um probably what would that be 2021 is when I first started off.
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So um came in, um was interested in like working in the nonprofit space, key game manual or old gym.
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Um I was kind of hooked from the beginning, walked to the door.
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Um, fitness had always been something that I'd been interested in.
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Um so I grew up playing rugby, um, did CrossFit, all those things.
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Um, and always I like kind of walked in and I didn't know that those two things could be two passions could be combined for me.
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Um so I walked in and I was like, I am I'm how can I come back?
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How can I do more?
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Um so I started off as an intern and kind of worked my way up over the past four years uh into a director level position in my previous role as director of programs.
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Uh and through that uh I've learned a lot.
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Uh joining a nonprofit was something I was always interested in.
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Um, but then I've learned so much from Will, from the team, from the students, all these things kind of get me to the position I'm at today.
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Um, but yeah, so that's kind of like my a quick synopsis of how I got from Texas and thinking about being a Cowboys fan all the way through to being in my role uh today.
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So who is Gio?
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I born in Puerto Rico, the southernmost town, Ponce, vaya mi gente, if anybody's watching.
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Um came to the States after my parents split.
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That's a long story for another day.
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Um, but grew up in a very violent environment.
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And divorce was really just a small piece of my trauma that I grew up with.
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Uh, from gunshots out my window to gang fights happening in our in front of our house, uh to my father being violent with my mother, and uh just a lot of unsettledness and unrest throughout my whole childhood.
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We come to the United States and we moved to Southeast Lancaster, me and my mom, and my mom, shout out to single moms.
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Uh she hustled hard to make sure food was on the table, to make sure that I had a safe place to live, and did the best she could with what she had to train me to be a man, a young man of character.
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Um we did not have a perfect relationship.
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It was hard at times.
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I made it very difficult.
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Um, however, I had a lot of a lot of things stacked against me, including being robbed at gunpoint at five years old, right before I left.
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Me and my father had a gas station, and these uh two guys come with guns and and point them at us and and rob us, you know.
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And I'm carrying, I mean, and that's just one of the many things that I've just carried with me when I came here.
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Even though I unpacked my suitcase, there was a lot of baggage that I still had yet to unpack.
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So a lot of that was working itself out at home, at school, suspensions, detentions, calls home, you know, fights, constantly, constantly fighting all through elementary school.
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I just always wanted to throw hands, I just always wanted to get this out onto somebody else.
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I didn't want to hold it, I didn't want to carry it.
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It was a very angry um young man.
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Anyway, um, fast forward my teen years, I find myself at a church, and I'm hearing this message about this love of a father, and it's hitting something inside, it's making me curious, but I'm kind of like resistant a little bit because the love of the father I knew was back in Puerto Rico.
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And so through mentors at that church who walked alongside me, saw that I had a lot of anger, saw that I had a lot of big questions, and um I was curious.
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You know, I was mentored by some really solid men in that church who helped me out of all of that anger, who helped me out of feeling lost, feeling confused about my worth, my identity.
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Um, they helped me to open my Bible, read it, and understand it.
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They helped me to receive love, not just from this heavenly father I was hearing about, but also from other men, other mentors, other peers.
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Um, I started to see it was possible to live peacefully.
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You know, I used to battle rap at the lunch tables um, you know, all through high school.
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Um, even in middle school, I would write these raps.
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Now, I'm not gonna hold you, I used to just recite raps that I would hear my favorite rappers say, but just say it was my own.
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Um because I had yet, you know, I had I had yet to understand who I was.
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So I was just imitating what I was seeing in music videos, imitating what I saw my father doing back home, imitating what I saw the dudes doing on the block.
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Um so I wasn't me yet, but I started becoming me when I graduated high school, and all of the accumulation of all of this kind of came to my front porch, and I had to answer the question: who do I want to be?
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I understand what I've been, but who do I want to be moving forward?
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From then until today, I've just been a writer, I've been a creator, I've recorded six studio albums, I've toured up and down the East Coast, um, I've performed with some pretty dope people like LeCrae and Cross Movement back when they were at the peak of their career.
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Um, you know, I was mentored by one of the members of Cross Movement, if you're familiar with who they are.
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Um and because of all of that, I found myself in the last 10 years really asking the question: okay, what can I give from all of this experience?
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What can I give the next generation?
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What can I give young people?
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How can I empower?
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And so at this at this time, uh, between 2012 and 2022, I worked at a local charter school, La Academia Partnership Charter School.
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And while I was there, I was providing restorative justice under different titles and hats.
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Um, back when I was doing it in the early years, we didn't have a name for it.
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We was just trying to help people repair harm um and avoid the uh suspending kids.
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Um but while I was doing that work and also being a music artist on the side on the weekends and in the summers, um, I started to ask that question.
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And and so in the last three years, I've been working closely with Creative Hope Studios.
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Um I met TJ Griffin when I did some of my work at Mano's house.
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I I I was a staff there for a short time, um, part-time, and he and I clicked way back when.
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I TJ, you're gonna have to tell me how many years ago that that was.
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I I do believe it was close to 15 years ago.
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Oh maybe even more.
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My goodness, time flies.
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I've been a part of the group, um, the team of Creative Hope Studios now for three years, providing um in-person program at YIC.
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Yeah.
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So some of your students may recognize me from Yick.
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Um, some of the viewers may recognize me if you spent any time there, either working or um repairing harm.
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Um you've you've seen me inside those walls.
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And then, like you mentioned earlier, I'm traveling the country, installing studios and facilities abroad, and providing training and programming and curriculum for all of them as well.
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Believe it or not, that is the short version.
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I feel like my story is filled with a lot of valleys and peaks that over time perhaps we'll get into.
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Um, but that really is the abbreviated version of how I got from a crazy environment back home to today.
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Um, so anyway, thank you for asking.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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At some point we'll have to dive into the long version.
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I'd love to hear more.
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Absolutely, absolutely.
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I appreciate that.
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Where are we going with this?
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Yeah.
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What's the goal?
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What's the vision?
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What's the next couple of steps?
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What could the people expect uh moving forward?
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I mean, I have some ideas, but I think we want to hear from you on what that is.
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Um so our our primary goal, um, and we've had like conversations about this, is to go through and equip the people or the students here at Benchmark Program Um with the ability to understand, but then also tell their story.
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Um so that's kind of like just the the gift that they are we're hoping they get to take with them um through this experience.
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Uh on a more skills level, it's it's getting them in the podcast studio, getting them acclimated to what it looks like to run the camera, do the behind-the-scenes stuff, coordinate a show, do the hosting, all those different pieces.
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Um so that's like a skills side.
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Um, but those two pieces together is really really for us to highlight the work that they've done in their lives.
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That's right.
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Um, because the most important piece to highlight is that they are the heroes of their own story.
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We show up every day.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.680
Say that one more time for the people in the back.
00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.640
They are what?
00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.319
So we uh they are the heroes of their own story.
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.279
So dope.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:16.720
So for us, we had the opportunity to come in, do great work with them, uh, get to learn them, get to help them navigate, uh, maybe give insight to things that we know about that they don't know about yet.
00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.400
Um, but they're the ones that do the work.
00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:24.640
Um, whether that's on an emotional level, whether that's them setting themselves up for the rest of their life.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:38.720
So um that combination of learning what their story is, understanding it, being able to share that, the skills to go through and and make that uh production out of that, and those two pieces together being something that uh we want to highlight.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:51.599
And that's kind of the goal and objective of you know this partnership, and then obviously the byproduct of those things are a couple of really amazing uh stories told, whether through podcasts or other mediums.
00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.759
That's so fire.
00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:58.240
I love that I I love they are the heroes of their own story.
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:12.160
You know, for a lot of us growing up in the hood, we we look for the heroes, and a lot of times they end up being um the heroes that we end up adopting end up leading us to more destruction.
00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:28.240
And I love that we are uh providing a support for these young men and young women where they could be the heroes, they get to decide I want healing, I want peace, I want freedom, so I'm gonna be the hero of that in my own story.
00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:30.079
That's so powerful, that's beautiful.
00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:41.119
Um yeah, yes, and I am coming alongside benchmark to provide programming that helps meet those needs.
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:55.279
So something structured, something behind the camera, behind the scenes that gives them attainable goals where they can learn all of these things piece by piece and become more confident than they've ever known they could be.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:00.319
With all of this, whether it's the hosting, like you said, the camera work, the lighting, the scripting.
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.480
Um there's multiple roles in this room.
00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:08.720
There's multiple careers, multiple salaries, multiple futures.
00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:14.079
There's multiple companies waiting to be birthed out of this room.
00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:24.559
In fact, you know, you and I to prepare for this show, we spent 20 minutes, 15 minutes before the camera went on doing the job of like four people.
00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:25.200
Yeah.
00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.119
It was mainly you, yes.
00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:27.920
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:29.599
You know, we were scripting the show.
00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:33.680
That's the job of sometimes the host, but sometimes shows have writers.
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.160
Yep.
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:37.359
We were making sure the lights were on and the lighting was right.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.039
That's a job of one person.
00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:43.200
We were making sure the camera angles were all where they should be, so we would be in each frame.
00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.400
That's somebody else's job.
00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:48.000
We were adjusting the microphone levels, that's the job of someone else.
00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:59.519
We were running the actual recording and the camera automation so that the different angles that you all are watching right now happening, those are like four or five different hands-on deck.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.440
And so I want to provide programming, Creative Hope.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:19.599
We want to provide programming to help reach those goals so that when they graduate from the benchmark program, however that looks, whatever graduation means, they walk out of here embarking possibly on a career or a business of their own.
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:20.480
Definitely.
00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:21.599
Um, so there's that.
00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.960
There's also curriculum.
00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:30.000
So I like we said, we we've created curriculum within Creative Hope Studios that we provide our studios nationally.
00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.960
Well, I I I I am the curriculum.
00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:36.880
So I want to come in and provide some of those exercises.
00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:49.440
Um, some of y'all on these episodes will hear us actually practicing some of these exercises that come from the curriculum we provide to ignite conversations to go deeper.
00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:59.119
Um and so the goal isn't just a dope show, the goal really is a career readiness out of this room.
00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:06.799
The goal really Is confident young men and young women who can go out into the workplace and say, I got the skills to do that.
00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.880
And I belong here, so I'm gonna sign up to do it.
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:11.680
Yeah.
00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.960
So yeah, that's that's what we'll do.
00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:24.160
I, Gio Ramos from Creative Hope Studios, will be the official, unofficial, temporary substitute host of these shows.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:34.480
Um my goal really is to share this role, share this spot, share this voice uh with a couple of the young men and young women who will be coming into this space.
00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:38.559
Um I don't want to be the only voice you hear moving forward.
00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:41.920
So um so that's my that's my desire.
00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:42.880
That's my goal.
00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:48.720
Um I also don't want to be the only one who has the expertise to set levels and automate cameras.
00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.079
I want students to have that confidence to come in here and do it.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:58.240
I eventually, while I want to provide, we all want job security, right?
00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:05.039
Um the ironic thing with the work we do is we're trying to help keep people out of jails.
00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.519
But that would mean we have no one left to serve.
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:12.319
But that's kind of a beautiful problem.
00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:14.240
Yep, working yourself out of a job.
00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:16.000
Let's work ourselves out of a job.
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:16.720
Exactly.
00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.920
Um, so yeah, that's that's that's why I'm here.
00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:22.559
And that's that's my goal and that's my intention.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.519
Um all right, so we gotta wrap this thing up.
00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:26.799
We gotta wrap this thing up.
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.799
Um, this is enough of an intro, I think.
00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:29.599
What do y'all think?
00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:34.079
Let us know in the comments if we did a good job clarifying why we're here and what we're doing.
00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.119
Um but before we go, real quick, bonus question.
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:38.480
It's true if you're down.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:46.000
Um give me your elevator speech reason why you are so passionate about this work.
00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.119
Why does this work wake you up every morning?
00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:52.319
That's a great question.
00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:57.759
Um, I would say a real quick synopsis, and actually, I'm not gonna this does not come from me.
00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.480
I'm actually gonna give credit to uh a local chamber event that we went to.
00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:06.640
Um the theme of the event was ordinary people, extraordinary impact.
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:10.799
Um and that's kind of it was it was it was dope.
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:15.680
Um, but that kind of phrase um is something that like keeps me up.
00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:22.400
I know for me that I do not have the same lived experience of the students that I work with or anything in that regard.
00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:32.000
Um, but me coming in every day, consistently committed and being intentional about it, uh, can have extraordinary impact um and help facilitate that for our students.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.680
So that's kind of my my why.
00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:34.799
What about for you?
00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.440
Hmm.
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:38.160
Well, wait, why does this work wake me up every morning?
00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:46.319
I have found freedom in acknowledging that I'm a victor and not a victim.
00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:52.960
I don't live in my past, I don't live in my mistakes, I don't live in my trauma.
00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:58.640
They do not define me, they're a part of my story, they got me here, but I'm a victor.
00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:03.440
I have overcome, I have healed, and I have found peace and freedom from a lot of damage.
00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:07.359
And along the way, I have felt misunderstood.
00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:16.720
I have felt mislabeled and I have felt cast out in some circles because of how damaged I lived and believed I was.
00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:29.279
Once I became a victor and acknowledged and received that title and and realized um that I'm free, I wake up every morning to give that feeling to someone else.
00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:31.519
The people we serve are not victims.
00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:34.160
While they are victims, they're not victims forever.
00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:40.960
Their story is not stuck on replay at the moment where they were hurt, even though in their minds they feel like it is.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:49.039
In reality, time is continuing to move forward, so there's opportunity for freedom and peace, and I want to be the reason that they find that.
00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:49.839
I love that.
00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.480
That's awesome.
00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.240
Hopefully, this was a long elevator ride.
00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:55.279
I think that was more like eight floors that I took to say that.
00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.279
It was all worth it though.
00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.079
Dope, dope.
00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:58.720
I appreciate it.
00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:02.160
So listen, once again, um mi gente, my name is Gio Ramos.
00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.200
Thank you so much.
00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.880
Wit Wit W.
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.279
WW Wit Welsh.
00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:08.400
Welsh or Welch?
00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.200
Welch.
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:09.920
Welch.
00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.240
Want to pronounce names correctly out on this podcast.
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.359
We're not messing around.
00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:17.119
Wit Welch, um, want to thank you so much for sitting down and having this conversation.
00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:17.839
Thank you.
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:24.319
Want to thank the beautiful people of Benchmark for providing us this space and for providing me the invite.
00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:32.400
And I want to thank TJ and Jose for creating such a dope program, Creative Hope Studios, um, that I get to be a part of.
00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.400
Until the next one.
00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:35.039
Yes, sir.
00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.079
Mi gente.
00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.599
Keep pressing.
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.640
Let's go.
00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.599
Nice.
00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:40.960
That's awesome.
00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:41.680
Woo!
00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:43.039
You're a rock star.
00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.559
Oh, appreciate it, man.
00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.279
Thank you, man.
00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.240
That was awesome.
00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:46.880
That was great.
00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.359
That was awesome.
00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:48.079
You're a natural bro.
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.200
We can keep going.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.439
Vaya mi gente.
00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:03.680
I don't know what camera to look at actually.
00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.960
Because right now it's automating and it could be any camera right now.
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:11.759
I guess it'd be the middle.
00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.720
This is what Shia LaBeouf must have felt like in Eagle Eye.
00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:15.119
Yes.
00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:25.679
Alright, well, whichever camera angle we got, vaya mi gente.
00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:27.280
My name is Gio Ramos.
00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:36.240
I'm coming at you live from the benchmark studios, from Creative Hope Studios, all the studios, everywhere.
00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:37.200
Let's go.
00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:41.600
So I'm joined today by the one and only Wit.
00:00:42.079 --> 00:00:42.719
WW.
00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:44.159
Your initials are WW.
00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:44.719
Yep.
00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:45.359
Yes.
00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.399
So again, like Gio said, my name is Wit Welch.
00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:51.359
I'm the executive director here at Benchmark Program.
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:52.640
We're just excited.
00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:59.840
I was excited to find time to come to the studio to have conversations with Geo, talk about our partnership.
00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.600
And we're excited to introduce that to all of you, which is really cool.
00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:04.400
Yes, sir.
00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:04.879
Yes, sir.
00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:16.400
Wit, I thought it'd be fun if we introduce each other's programs to one another to see how much we get right and then have the other person fill in whatever gaps we leave out.
00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:16.879
I love it.
00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:17.280
That's awesome.
00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:18.000
What do you think of that?
00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:18.560
Let's do it.
00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:19.120
All right.
00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:23.200
So I'm gonna tell you who I believe Benchmark is from my perspective.
00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:26.480
So Benchmark has been around for about 12 years.
00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:27.599
I got that right?
00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:28.079
Yes, sir.
00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:28.560
Let's go.
00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:29.920
You're off to a great start.
00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:31.920
Why don't I just stop while I'm ahead?
00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:33.280
Why don't you fill in the rest of the gaps?
00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:41.120
No, Benchmark has been a program provider in the community for the last 12 years, helping youth.
00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:52.239
Youth who are going through a tough season and are coming out of that tough, tough season, trying to make a better and clearer path for themselves moving forward.
00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:52.799
Right?
00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:55.359
So that tough season could mean a lot of things.
00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:59.760
It could mean they spent time away from home in some program or facility.
00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:06.400
It could mean that they are in the system in one way or another, trying to repair some harm.
00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:10.879
And benchmark program comes in providing a place to exercise.
00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.240
So y'all got a gym decked out with all the benches.
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:27.599
Um got some boxing programs, y'all got a lot of athletic opportunities for these young men and young women to help clear their minds, to help realign themselves, figure out who they are, who they want to be.
00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:29.759
And you do that through mentorship.
00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:42.479
So community mentors come in and provide their time, their skills, their strengths, no pun intended, uh, to help mentor these young men and young women who are on a path to repairing harm.
00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.000
How'd I do?
00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:48.319
That's honestly you're probably better than I did when I first started.
00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.280
Um yeah, no, you're spot on with all of that.
00:02:51.520 --> 00:03:15.840
The uh yeah, the um the areas that I would like just kind of add on to that um would be kind of some things that we're working on now, which is really in uh like you've framed it perfectly of that intervention space where those kids that come back maybe from placement, um, they're in a tough season in their life, um, providing that mentorship, and then for us as an organization, trying to figure out what are those specific things we need to provide mentorship in.
00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:27.599
So a lot of that being around just like self-esteem, who they are as people, figuring all those things out, um, which we're all constantly doing, but now kind of looking ahead to you know, what does it look like for them after high school?
00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:34.479
What how can we go through and help develop a sense of uh purpose in their life, something that they want to strive for?
00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:39.520
Um, so that's kind of where our big focus has been at, and a lot of that has been in a workforce development sense.
00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.520
Um, but outside of that, you nailed it.
00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:42.080
A plus.
00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:43.280
Let's go, let's go.
00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:45.120
That's yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:49.280
So I'm assuming it's my turn to try to follow that up.
00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.719
Your turn to tell me who creative hope is.
00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:56.800
Okay, so gotta go easy me on easy on me with this.
00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:02.719
So um, from our conversations and um for us connecting and you kind of talking about the work you've done.
00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:22.720
So, how uh from my perspective of Creative Hope Studios, um, so on more of a logistical level, um, a lot of the work that you do is involved in developing and building out um recording studios um different placement facilities across the country and providing uh resources around that.
00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:30.480
But that is almost like kind of a vehicle for you for your organization, and really what's at the core of that is providing that restorative justice practices, you know.
00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:31.279
Buzzword.
00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:32.879
Yeah, buzzword for real.
00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:35.759
Um restorative justice practice, what does that look like?
00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:40.480
But then even within that, and and for your organization, uh, what do those leadership skills look like?
00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:48.079
What um careers could lead from uh like a recording studio into wherever they want to go in the future, what are the skills they can carry with them?
00:04:48.240 --> 00:05:01.439
So, again, in the same way, kind of the similarities for us initially fitness being our vehicle, um, music and recording being your vehicle to teach individuals about themselves, but then also these other life skills.
00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:02.560
Let's go.
00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:04.160
That's that's my attention.
00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:11.120
I like how you put us in in the vehicle analogy.
00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:18.879
Fitness being your vehicle, music being our vehicle, we're all after the same thing, which is restorative justice.
00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.560
That's a buzzword, because not a lot of people understand what that means.
00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.920
Um, and maybe that's another episode for another day.
00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:43.360
But the goal is the same to repair harm wherever the harm exists, whether it exists in the individual or in the victim, the offender, whatever language you would use to describe uh either person involved, um, you're repairing harm.
00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:44.560
So I like that you put that.
00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.079
I like that um distinction.
00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:48.959
Yeah, yes to everything you said, dude.
00:05:49.040 --> 00:05:49.680
You nailed it.
00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:55.120
I'm glad that we have our story out there in a way that's clear and you said it.
00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:03.839
Yes, and um we are providing programs and support within these facilities.
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:08.319
Uh, so it's not just we're building a studio and then peace, goodbye.
00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:36.079
Um, we just implemented a curriculum that we created ourselves made up of exercises, guides, writing prompts, career exploration, and different activities that help the young people from within the walls of a juvenile justice facility, whether it's a juvenile detention center, whether it's a shelter, a transition home, um, a treatment center, wherever it is, we're providing them something tangible they could work on.
00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.720
So we're providing them the support in-house as well as dropping a studio in there.
00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:45.600
Our company started by two gentlemen named TJ Griffin and Jose Rios.
00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.360
They had this vision long before today.
00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:53.439
And we started here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the city of Lancaster.
00:06:53.519 --> 00:07:02.879
We installed our first few studios in Mono's house, in the mix, and the and at the Lancaster County Youth Intervention Center.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:11.040
And from there, we launched nationwide in the last five or so years, five or six years going off going all six.
00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:14.480
Um, this year we're reaching a hundred studios nationally.
00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:15.600
That's crazy.
00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:26.000
As we are recording this episode, our two co-founders, TJ and Jose, are currently in Hawaii installing two studios this week.
00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:26.560
That's crazy.
00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:27.439
Isn't that fire?
00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:28.160
Let's go, yeah.
00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:32.079
Um, so our reach, you know, we're really grateful.
00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:42.480
Um, we're really blessed to have our reach go beyond what they imagined when they started with this idea to provide a support to these young men and young women.
00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.319
We're giving the studio back into their hands.
00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:52.079
We're giving them opportunity, we're giving them skills, we're giving them resources right in their hands while they're still in the facility.
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:58.879
They don't have to wait to get out to look for studio time or to explore a career or to, you know, find out what they want to do.
00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:03.839
They could explore some of that within those walls and then come out a little more ahead.
00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:06.240
So, yeah, that's who we are.
00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.079
We also provide restorative justice training.
00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:13.519
So we're not just we're not just helping, and I think that benchmark does this too in the community, from what I see.
00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:18.959
We're not just providing the young person the training and the resource and the opportunity.
00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:21.680
We're out here training their staffs.
00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.519
We're out here training the staff.
00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:30.959
We're we're giving we're giving game to the people who care for the young people that we are looking to support and reach.
00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.799
So, yeah, dope.
00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:33.440
That's who we are.
00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:34.240
Enough about us.
00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:39.039
So, for those that don't know and I know what the follow-off question is gonna be.
00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.600
So I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas.
00:08:41.759 --> 00:08:44.639
And the follow-off question is normally are you a Cowboys fan?
00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:45.200
Yeah, are you?
00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:49.679
Um so I don't claim the Cowboys, I grew up watching it just because my family did.
00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:51.600
Um, but if anyone asks, I'm not.
00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:53.519
I'm slowly learning to be an Eagles fan.
00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:54.080
Let's go.
00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:58.240
I was ready to get up and leave and leave you to this episode by yourself.
00:08:58.559 --> 00:08:58.879
I know.
00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:14.960
Um but yeah, so born and raised there, uh came up to Lancaster to go to school at Franklin Marshall College, and actually through the college, I went and was connected with Will, um, who, for those that don't know, are the f is the founder of Benchmark Program and our previous executive director.
00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:21.919
So I got connected with him um probably what would that be 2021 is when I first started off.
00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:28.960
So um came in, um was interested in like working in the nonprofit space, key game manual or old gym.
00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:32.240
Um I was kind of hooked from the beginning, walked to the door.
00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:34.960
Um, fitness had always been something that I'd been interested in.
00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.799
Um so I grew up playing rugby, um, did CrossFit, all those things.
00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:44.879
Um, and always I like kind of walked in and I didn't know that those two things could be two passions could be combined for me.
00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.879
Um so I walked in and I was like, I am I'm how can I come back?
00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:50.080
How can I do more?
00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:59.519
Um so I started off as an intern and kind of worked my way up over the past four years uh into a director level position in my previous role as director of programs.
00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.320
Uh and through that uh I've learned a lot.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:06.159
Uh joining a nonprofit was something I was always interested in.
00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:13.039
Um, but then I've learned so much from Will, from the team, from the students, all these things kind of get me to the position I'm at today.
00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:23.840
Um, but yeah, so that's kind of like my a quick synopsis of how I got from Texas and thinking about being a Cowboys fan all the way through to being in my role uh today.
00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:25.440
So who is Gio?
00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:31.600
I born in Puerto Rico, the southernmost town, Ponce, vaya mi gente, if anybody's watching.
00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:34.879
Um came to the States after my parents split.
00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:36.799
That's a long story for another day.
00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:40.720
Um, but grew up in a very violent environment.
00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:47.600
And divorce was really just a small piece of my trauma that I grew up with.
00:10:47.679 --> 00:11:03.600
Uh, from gunshots out my window to gang fights happening in our in front of our house, uh to my father being violent with my mother, and uh just a lot of unsettledness and unrest throughout my whole childhood.
00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:10.000
We come to the United States and we moved to Southeast Lancaster, me and my mom, and my mom, shout out to single moms.
00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:23.279
Uh she hustled hard to make sure food was on the table, to make sure that I had a safe place to live, and did the best she could with what she had to train me to be a man, a young man of character.
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.960
Um we did not have a perfect relationship.
00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.639
It was hard at times.
00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:30.480
I made it very difficult.
00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:37.600
Um, however, I had a lot of a lot of things stacked against me, including being robbed at gunpoint at five years old, right before I left.
00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:44.559
Me and my father had a gas station, and these uh two guys come with guns and and point them at us and and rob us, you know.
00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:50.480
And I'm carrying, I mean, and that's just one of the many things that I've just carried with me when I came here.
00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:55.279
Even though I unpacked my suitcase, there was a lot of baggage that I still had yet to unpack.
00:11:55.360 --> 00:12:06.399
So a lot of that was working itself out at home, at school, suspensions, detentions, calls home, you know, fights, constantly, constantly fighting all through elementary school.
00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:12.240
I just always wanted to throw hands, I just always wanted to get this out onto somebody else.
00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:14.320
I didn't want to hold it, I didn't want to carry it.
00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:16.879
It was a very angry um young man.
00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:36.080
Anyway, um, fast forward my teen years, I find myself at a church, and I'm hearing this message about this love of a father, and it's hitting something inside, it's making me curious, but I'm kind of like resistant a little bit because the love of the father I knew was back in Puerto Rico.
00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:48.159
And so through mentors at that church who walked alongside me, saw that I had a lot of anger, saw that I had a lot of big questions, and um I was curious.
00:12:48.320 --> 00:13:01.679
You know, I was mentored by some really solid men in that church who helped me out of all of that anger, who helped me out of feeling lost, feeling confused about my worth, my identity.
00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:05.519
Um, they helped me to open my Bible, read it, and understand it.
00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:15.759
They helped me to receive love, not just from this heavenly father I was hearing about, but also from other men, other mentors, other peers.
00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:19.440
Um, I started to see it was possible to live peacefully.
00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:24.799
You know, I used to battle rap at the lunch tables um, you know, all through high school.
00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.600
Um, even in middle school, I would write these raps.
00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:34.559
Now, I'm not gonna hold you, I used to just recite raps that I would hear my favorite rappers say, but just say it was my own.
00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:42.399
Um because I had yet, you know, I had I had yet to understand who I was.
00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:51.600
So I was just imitating what I was seeing in music videos, imitating what I saw my father doing back home, imitating what I saw the dudes doing on the block.
00:13:51.759 --> 00:14:06.720
Um so I wasn't me yet, but I started becoming me when I graduated high school, and all of the accumulation of all of this kind of came to my front porch, and I had to answer the question: who do I want to be?
00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:10.240
I understand what I've been, but who do I want to be moving forward?
00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:29.919
From then until today, I've just been a writer, I've been a creator, I've recorded six studio albums, I've toured up and down the East Coast, um, I've performed with some pretty dope people like LeCrae and Cross Movement back when they were at the peak of their career.
00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:35.360
Um, you know, I was mentored by one of the members of Cross Movement, if you're familiar with who they are.
00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:49.200
Um and because of all of that, I found myself in the last 10 years really asking the question: okay, what can I give from all of this experience?
00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:50.879
What can I give the next generation?
00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:52.080
What can I give young people?
00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.200
How can I empower?
00:14:53.519 --> 00:15:01.600
And so at this at this time, uh, between 2012 and 2022, I worked at a local charter school, La Academia Partnership Charter School.
00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:06.559
And while I was there, I was providing restorative justice under different titles and hats.
00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:10.559
Um, back when I was doing it in the early years, we didn't have a name for it.
00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:15.200
We was just trying to help people repair harm um and avoid the uh suspending kids.
00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:25.279
Um but while I was doing that work and also being a music artist on the side on the weekends and in the summers, um, I started to ask that question.
00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:30.960
And and so in the last three years, I've been working closely with Creative Hope Studios.
00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:35.600
Um I met TJ Griffin when I did some of my work at Mano's house.
00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:43.519
I I I was a staff there for a short time, um, part-time, and he and I clicked way back when.
00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.960
I TJ, you're gonna have to tell me how many years ago that that was.
00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:50.159
I I do believe it was close to 15 years ago.
00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:53.120
Oh maybe even more.
00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.720
My goodness, time flies.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:02.720
I've been a part of the group, um, the team of Creative Hope Studios now for three years, providing um in-person program at YIC.
00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:03.200
Yeah.
00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.480
So some of your students may recognize me from Yick.
00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:12.799
Um, some of the viewers may recognize me if you spent any time there, either working or um repairing harm.
00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:16.480
Um you've you've seen me inside those walls.
00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:26.080
And then, like you mentioned earlier, I'm traveling the country, installing studios and facilities abroad, and providing training and programming and curriculum for all of them as well.
00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:29.039
Believe it or not, that is the short version.
00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:37.200
I feel like my story is filled with a lot of valleys and peaks that over time perhaps we'll get into.
00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:45.279
Um, but that really is the abbreviated version of how I got from a crazy environment back home to today.
00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.360
Um, so anyway, thank you for asking.
00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:48.000
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:50.480
At some point we'll have to dive into the long version.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:51.440
I'd love to hear more.
00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:52.639
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.200
I appreciate that.
00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:54.639
Where are we going with this?
00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:55.039
Yeah.
00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:55.759
What's the goal?
00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.480
What's the vision?
00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:58.000
What's the next couple of steps?
00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:01.360
What could the people expect uh moving forward?
00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:05.839
I mean, I have some ideas, but I think we want to hear from you on what that is.
00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:23.359
Um so our our primary goal, um, and we've had like conversations about this, is to go through and equip the people or the students here at Benchmark Program Um with the ability to understand, but then also tell their story.
00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:29.680
Um so that's kind of like just the the gift that they are we're hoping they get to take with them um through this experience.
00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:42.960
Uh on a more skills level, it's it's getting them in the podcast studio, getting them acclimated to what it looks like to run the camera, do the behind-the-scenes stuff, coordinate a show, do the hosting, all those different pieces.
00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:45.359
Um so that's like a skills side.
00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:51.119
Um, but those two pieces together is really really for us to highlight the work that they've done in their lives.
00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:51.599
That's right.
00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:55.920
Um, because the most important piece to highlight is that they are the heroes of their own story.
00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:57.119
We show up every day.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.680
Say that one more time for the people in the back.
00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.640
They are what?
00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:04.319
So we uh they are the heroes of their own story.
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.279
So dope.
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:16.720
So for us, we had the opportunity to come in, do great work with them, uh, get to learn them, get to help them navigate, uh, maybe give insight to things that we know about that they don't know about yet.
00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.400
Um, but they're the ones that do the work.
00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:24.640
Um, whether that's on an emotional level, whether that's them setting themselves up for the rest of their life.
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:38.720
So um that combination of learning what their story is, understanding it, being able to share that, the skills to go through and and make that uh production out of that, and those two pieces together being something that uh we want to highlight.
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:51.599
And that's kind of the goal and objective of you know this partnership, and then obviously the byproduct of those things are a couple of really amazing uh stories told, whether through podcasts or other mediums.
00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.759
That's so fire.
00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:58.240
I love that I I love they are the heroes of their own story.
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:12.160
You know, for a lot of us growing up in the hood, we we look for the heroes, and a lot of times they end up being um the heroes that we end up adopting end up leading us to more destruction.
00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:28.240
And I love that we are uh providing a support for these young men and young women where they could be the heroes, they get to decide I want healing, I want peace, I want freedom, so I'm gonna be the hero of that in my own story.
00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:30.079
That's so powerful, that's beautiful.
00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:41.119
Um yeah, yes, and I am coming alongside benchmark to provide programming that helps meet those needs.
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:55.279
So something structured, something behind the camera, behind the scenes that gives them attainable goals where they can learn all of these things piece by piece and become more confident than they've ever known they could be.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:00.319
With all of this, whether it's the hosting, like you said, the camera work, the lighting, the scripting.
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.480
Um there's multiple roles in this room.
00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:08.720
There's multiple careers, multiple salaries, multiple futures.
00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:14.079
There's multiple companies waiting to be birthed out of this room.
00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:24.559
In fact, you know, you and I to prepare for this show, we spent 20 minutes, 15 minutes before the camera went on doing the job of like four people.
00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:25.200
Yeah.
00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:27.119
It was mainly you, yes.
00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:27.920
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:29.599
You know, we were scripting the show.
00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:33.680
That's the job of sometimes the host, but sometimes shows have writers.
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.160
Yep.
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:37.359
We were making sure the lights were on and the lighting was right.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.039
That's a job of one person.
00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:43.200
We were making sure the camera angles were all where they should be, so we would be in each frame.
00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.400
That's somebody else's job.
00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:48.000
We were adjusting the microphone levels, that's the job of someone else.
00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:59.519
We were running the actual recording and the camera automation so that the different angles that you all are watching right now happening, those are like four or five different hands-on deck.
00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.440
And so I want to provide programming, Creative Hope.
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:19.599
We want to provide programming to help reach those goals so that when they graduate from the benchmark program, however that looks, whatever graduation means, they walk out of here embarking possibly on a career or a business of their own.
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:20.480
Definitely.
00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:21.599
Um, so there's that.
00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.960
There's also curriculum.
00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:30.000
So I like we said, we we've created curriculum within Creative Hope Studios that we provide our studios nationally.
00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.960
Well, I I I I am the curriculum.
00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:36.880
So I want to come in and provide some of those exercises.
00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:49.440
Um, some of y'all on these episodes will hear us actually practicing some of these exercises that come from the curriculum we provide to ignite conversations to go deeper.
00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:59.119
Um and so the goal isn't just a dope show, the goal really is a career readiness out of this room.
00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:06.799
The goal really Is confident young men and young women who can go out into the workplace and say, I got the skills to do that.
00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.880
And I belong here, so I'm gonna sign up to do it.
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:11.680
Yeah.
00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.960
So yeah, that's that's what we'll do.
00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:24.160
I, Gio Ramos from Creative Hope Studios, will be the official, unofficial, temporary substitute host of these shows.
00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:34.480
Um my goal really is to share this role, share this spot, share this voice uh with a couple of the young men and young women who will be coming into this space.
00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:38.559
Um I don't want to be the only voice you hear moving forward.
00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:41.920
So um so that's my that's my desire.
00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:42.880
That's my goal.
00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:48.720
Um I also don't want to be the only one who has the expertise to set levels and automate cameras.
00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.079
I want students to have that confidence to come in here and do it.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:58.240
I eventually, while I want to provide, we all want job security, right?
00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:05.039
Um the ironic thing with the work we do is we're trying to help keep people out of jails.
00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.519
But that would mean we have no one left to serve.
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:12.319
But that's kind of a beautiful problem.
00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:14.240
Yep, working yourself out of a job.
00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:16.000
Let's work ourselves out of a job.
00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:16.720
Exactly.
00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:19.920
Um, so yeah, that's that's that's why I'm here.
00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:22.559
And that's that's my goal and that's my intention.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.519
Um all right, so we gotta wrap this thing up.
00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:26.799
We gotta wrap this thing up.
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.799
Um, this is enough of an intro, I think.
00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:29.599
What do y'all think?
00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:34.079
Let us know in the comments if we did a good job clarifying why we're here and what we're doing.
00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.119
Um but before we go, real quick, bonus question.
00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:38.480
It's true if you're down.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:46.000
Um give me your elevator speech reason why you are so passionate about this work.
00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.119
Why does this work wake you up every morning?
00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:52.319
That's a great question.
00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:57.759
Um, I would say a real quick synopsis, and actually, I'm not gonna this does not come from me.
00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.480
I'm actually gonna give credit to uh a local chamber event that we went to.
00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:06.640
Um the theme of the event was ordinary people, extraordinary impact.
00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:10.799
Um and that's kind of it was it was it was dope.
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:15.680
Um, but that kind of phrase um is something that like keeps me up.
00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:22.400
I know for me that I do not have the same lived experience of the students that I work with or anything in that regard.
00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:32.000
Um, but me coming in every day, consistently committed and being intentional about it, uh, can have extraordinary impact um and help facilitate that for our students.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.680
So that's kind of my my why.
00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:34.799
What about for you?
00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.440
Hmm.
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:38.160
Well, wait, why does this work wake me up every morning?
00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:46.319
I have found freedom in acknowledging that I'm a victor and not a victim.
00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:52.960
I don't live in my past, I don't live in my mistakes, I don't live in my trauma.
00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:58.640
They do not define me, they're a part of my story, they got me here, but I'm a victor.
00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:03.440
I have overcome, I have healed, and I have found peace and freedom from a lot of damage.
00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:07.359
And along the way, I have felt misunderstood.
00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:16.720
I have felt mislabeled and I have felt cast out in some circles because of how damaged I lived and believed I was.
00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:29.279
Once I became a victor and acknowledged and received that title and and realized um that I'm free, I wake up every morning to give that feeling to someone else.
00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:31.519
The people we serve are not victims.
00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:34.160
While they are victims, they're not victims forever.
00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:40.960
Their story is not stuck on replay at the moment where they were hurt, even though in their minds they feel like it is.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:49.039
In reality, time is continuing to move forward, so there's opportunity for freedom and peace, and I want to be the reason that they find that.
00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:49.839
I love that.
00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:50.480
That's awesome.
00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.240
Hopefully, this was a long elevator ride.
00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:55.279
I think that was more like eight floors that I took to say that.
00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.279
It was all worth it though.
00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.079
Dope, dope.
00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:58.720
I appreciate it.
00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:02.160
So listen, once again, um mi gente, my name is Gio Ramos.
00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.200
Thank you so much.
00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:04.880
Wit Wit W.
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.279
WW Wit Welsh.
00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:08.400
Welsh or Welch?
00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.200
Welch.
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:09.920
Welch.
00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.240
Want to pronounce names correctly out on this podcast.
00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.359
We're not messing around.
00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:17.119
Wit Welch, um, want to thank you so much for sitting down and having this conversation.
00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:17.839
Thank you.
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:24.319
Want to thank the beautiful people of Benchmark for providing us this space and for providing me the invite.
00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:32.400
And I want to thank TJ and Jose for creating such a dope program, Creative Hope Studios, um, that I get to be a part of.
00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:34.400
Until the next one.
00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:35.039
Yes, sir.
00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:36.079
Mi gente.
00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.599
Keep pressing.
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.640
Let's go.
00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.599
Nice.
00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:40.960
That's awesome.
00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:41.680
Woo!
00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:43.039
You're a rock star.
00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:44.559
Oh, appreciate it, man.
00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.279
Thank you, man.
00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.240
That was awesome.
00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:46.880
That was great.
00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.359
That was awesome.
00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:48.079
You're a natural bro.
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:49.200
We can keep going.
