Week 5
Week in Review
Monday April 30, 2018
We are slowly but surely making it through our PEP journey. On Mondays we have Toastmasters class which we enjoy and look forward to every week. Toastmasters has helped us in many ways, including how to overcome the fear of public speaking. One of the many things we enjoy about Toastmasters is the humor in the speeches given by our PEP brothers. All of us have come to grasp a better understanding of the struggles a lot of our classmates have endured throughout their lives through hearing some of their speeches. This journey is one that we are grateful for. We always felt that change was impossible, but now we realize that through taking little steps through positive thinking, anything is possible. Toastmasters has been a tool that we will utilize in helping us to become successful entrepreneurs.
I did not get the privilege to present my speech today, but I did evaluate my PEP brother and helped guide him and give him positive feedback to be able to present a speech that targets all the objectives. A lot of us also attended computer lab and worked on our assignments. Computer lab will also help us to sharpen our skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint. For many of us, this will be very beneficial depending on which type of business we will pursue upon release. Today has been a very productive day and we all look forward to next Monday.
Roudy E. (a.k.a. “Grandpa Dexter”)
Tuesday May 1, 2018
Today started out as a very energetic day for many of us as we all entered the PEP room to begin the day’s journey. On Tuesday’s we go over the book Living in the Village to help us sharpen our financial literacy skills. But before we went over the presentation, we were given a mission statement assignment. Having a mission statement is very important because it shows customers your goals. We were advised to keep it short and simple. Then we were blessed with a presentation on Living in the Village given by a very knowledgeable PEP brother. We learned the importance of how to maintain an above-average FICO score. Before the end of the class, we were called upon at random to present our business pitches in front of our PEP brothers. For many of us, it was nerve wracking, but we understood the importance of getting all the practice that we can get. We heard a lot of very interesting business pitches. Our class, Legacy ’18, is filled with very passionate brothers who are driven to achieve and overcome any obstacles.
Last but not least, we were privileged to participate in a pray-out for a brother who was given the opportunity to be released and paroled to a PEP transitional home. He received a lot of encouraging words from many of us. Now that this day has come to an end, we will prepare and study for our entrepreneurship test on Chapter Five. Just because this day is over it with doesn’t mean that our journey is over. It’s still the beginning of a positive transformation.
Mitchell E. (a.k.a. “Jalapeno on a Stick”)
Wednesday May 2, 2018
As we gathered today in class to go through another lesson of entrepreneurship, you couldn’t help but see the eagerness on our faces. We were ready and eager to take one of our weekly tests after studying day in and day out. The energy that Brian T. brings to the class in presenting and teaching us is impressive. You can tell by the way he teaches that he is very knowledgeable. Today after taking our test the class was split up into four groups, and we were given the opportunity to practice our pitches and get ready for our Venture Capital Panel (VCP) event.
Something else that never fails to amaze me is seeing the love and unity the PEP brothers have for one another. It’s always an honor to see a fellow brother have his pray-out, because we have the privilege to see the joy he has within him. Being able to hear the words that his fellow PEP brothers are sharing with him is always encouraging and uplifting. It’s a great feeling to be able to have such a unity with another man who is heading in the same positive direction, especially in a place like this.
Before the class was over, they called on some of the brothers to present their two-and-a-half minute business pitches. Now presenting your business pitch to a room full of men is not an easy thing to do. You would be amazed to hear the creativity and passion that our PEP brothers have for what they are creating – it’s astounding.
Alberto E. (a.k.a. “Winnie the Pooh”)
Thursday May 3, 2018
Today we started out early in the morning, prepared ourselves in our study groups on entrepreneurship and read Chapter 11. The chapter covered useful information on marketing and the importance of three different types of promotions. After reading and being tutored by one of our brothers, we made flash cards on all the vocabulary covered in Chapter 11 and started to quiz each other. After about an hour, we went off to eat lunch and upon returning, we started to gather together and read our Living in the Village book to learn about financial literacy. After reading we completed our study packet and began to memorize the useful information provided to prepare ourselves for a possible pop quiz.
The most exciting part of the day was after dinner because all of Legacy ’18, along with other graduates, gathered for our pitch panels, which is practice for many of us. During pitch panels we hear a lot of brilliant business ideas. You can feel the passion and the energy in the air when these business pitches are being presented. We believe that we need to get all the practice we can get so that we can be ready for our Venture Capital Panel event, which is about a week away. Toward the end of the night, a few of the brothers will be pitching their business pitches to each other to complete assignments given by our peers.
Roy F. (a.k.a. “Sugar Bear”)
Expressions
“Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
I heard this quote from my favorite artist, Nipsey Hussel, in a song called “Who Detached Us.” The words were spoken by the late Steve Jobs. This quote is inspirational to me because it tells me to pursue my dreams regardless of what others think of my ideas. It encourages me never to become comfortable in my current situation and to seek forward progress continuously. Throughout life, my experience has been that not everyone will agree with your beliefs, ideas, actions or dreams. Sometimes, no one will agree with them, but that does not make them wrong or no good. It may very well be that you are a visionary who is ahead of the game and simply sees the world in a different light.
Many great thinkers, pioneers, inventors and innovators were told that they were crazy for their ideas, or that the dreams they pursued would never work and could not be done. Where would the world be if people like Harriot Tubman, Abraham Lincoln or even the people who founded America had listened to doubters or the negativity while doing the things they did to change the course of history? Radical thoughts, ideas and actions are what drives change and allows the whole of mankind to better its condition.
I’m an avid music fan. Jay-z has a song titled “On to the Next One.” In it, he states “it’s all about progression, loiterers should be arrested … can’t be scared to fail in the search of perfection.” When you are hungry for something you will find a way to obtain what you desire. When you are foolish about something in the sense of being rash, you will take action pertaining to it. I believe in pursuing goals and taking the road less traveled. I seek to better my condition spiritually, mentally and physically. My parents also instilled in me that I should be myself and not get caught up in what the others may think. At the end of the day, you have to live with your dreams or believe in your ideas, because sometimes no one else can or will. These are the reasons I really like this quote and why it is very inspirational to me. So in the words of Steve Jobs, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”
Oscar F. “(a.k.a. Tootsie Pop”)