Today we’d like to introduce you to Tonya Kelly. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Tonya Kelly, MEd, is the CEO/Founder of the 501c3 non-profit organization called Empower our Youth Foundation. Tonya by career is a fourth-grade teacher at Horizon Science Academy Elementary in Columbus, Ohio. The organization began in 2017 when her second daughter experienced being bullied till she had thoughts of suicide. With both of her daughters being bullied, and in 2019 her granddaughter was bullied, I witnessed firsthand the negative impacts, the family emotions, and experiences that damage a child’s self-esteem and quality of life. Over the past three years, Tonya has shared her testimony and served as an Anti-Bullying advocate, and Community resources advocate assisting families in officially reporting any forms of bullying to the appropriate authorities and mentoring students. Tonya is a community activist for bullying prevention resources and services with her Empower Our Youth Foundation organization that is working to bring attention to the problem of all forms of bullying happening in our schools and communities. Tonya is available for educational speaking engagements.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were many challenges as we launched Empower our Youth Foundation. Bullying is a pervasive age-old problem that has plagued neighborhoods, schools, and communities globally. When a youth/teen, even a young adult, finally gets the courage to share that they are being bullied the issue is met with harsh words, scared tactics, vial behaviors, and sometimes even death.
As a parent, grandparent, and teacher who watched her children and granddaughter deal with constant severe bullying. I vowed I would never want any family or youth to take their life or lose their quality of life because no one stood up and broke the stigma that is attached to sharing that you have been bullied. Bullying has long-lasting emotional effects. My family had to STAND UP and become the VOICE for youth/teens and families who deal with the daily effects bullying behavior causes such as depression, health complaints, low grades, and other negative impacts.
I struggled at first to share my own story because it was so raw and real. Every time I shared details about the imbalance of power all bullying forms has on a child and family, I was breaking that old saying, “Don’t TELL,” for the first time; I heard my VOICE, I heard my daughters’ voices, I HEARD my granddaughter VOICE saying BE the change you want to see!!!
Empower our Youth Foundation is a newly non-profit organization that was met with harsh criticism from the public on why anyone was talking about bullying. We were told it was just a child’s game and it will go away. Kids just need to deal with it. NO!!! Advocating for youth Antibullying prevention is building youth/teens strength and confidence to send a message about healthy habits we all can have when we respect each other.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Empower our Youth Foundation impacts the community by; building partnerships with community leaders, law enforcement, and educators to create positive lasting change for students.
EPIC Kids Literacy/STEM Academy is a youth Antibullying prevention program that offers youth creative arts, leadership skills, access to anti-bullying information/tools, social, emotional strategies, participate in community-give back activities, literacy, and STEM evidence-based tools to empower youth/teens who have been bullied, redirect the behaviors of youth/teens who bully along with changing mindsets to establish a vision of developing an understanding to the problem and how to stop bullying from happening.
Empower our Youth Foundation raises awareness and advocacy about our mission “BE A VOICE FOR OUR YOUTH AGAINST BULLYING,” by hosting community family-friendly experiences, hosting yearly fashion shows, and educational Girl & Boy Empowerment events to promote physical and emotional wellness of the youth and family.
Empower our Youth Foundation has received multiple accolades as a bullying prevention program
Empower Up Scholars – Promise Parker received the VELA Student Champion award
CEO/Founder Tonya Kelly, M.Ed 2022 Home Town Hero hosted by Sunny 95/QFM96, WLVQ-FM and 96.3
CEO/Founder Tonya Kelly, M.Ed – 2022 National Alliance Public Charter School Changemaker award
Reynoldsburg Declaration – Reynoldsburg Juneteenth Festival Fashion Show
Congressional Recognition by Congresswoman Joyce Beatty
During COVID-19, we service over 400 youth/teens in Columbus, OH and Erie, PA with age-appropriate books to build home libraries
Empower our Youth Board members modeling positive social behaviors giving families and youth tools to learn how to respect, believe, inspire themselves and others to stand up against bullying.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Empower our Youth Foundation enjoys networking. Finding a mentor is reaching out to adult or someone you admire but don’t know very well. This gives you an opportunity to discuss where you are and where you are going in life, business, health, and work. What has worked for me in finding a mentor is sending a short email discussing a few things about myself, why I am reaching out, and what I would like to learn from them. Suggest where you could possibly meet to chat, then provide your contact information. If you have a digital business card, send the information to your possible mentor this will also serve as an icebreaker when you both meet. If you do meet make sure you follow up and send a Thank you note.
Networking is interesting because you have the potential to meet new people and potential clients that can inspire you to share your story and the impact you are making in the community that can formally build relationships to invest in your services and offerings.
Pricing:
- $25 for EPIC Kids Literacy/STEM Academy
- $5-$100 Attend the Celebrate Life and Diversity Antibullying Fashion Show
Contact Info:
- Website: www.empowerouryouthfoundation.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/empowerouryouthfoundation
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/empowerouryouthfoundation
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/YouthLlc
- Other: www.tonyakellybc.com
Image Credits
Les Rutland
