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How to Create A Lane in Your Area of Passion: 3 Essential Skills

Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is an exciting but challenging adventure. Yes, passion is absolutely key. You won’t get far without it. But to create your own singular path, you need to pack certain skills. Let’s dive into three essential ones every successful leader should have when making an impact in and for their community. 

Networking: 

Building your social game is a huge deal, right from the start.  I use the word “fam” a lot for the people close in my network. Vibing with good people is not only rewarding career-wise, it’s also rewarding soul-wise. From people you meet at school, to contacts you make through your auntie’s friends, or the connections you build through social media, they are all building blocks for a rich and productive network. When you collab on projects with others, don’t be shy about highlighting your achievements (just beware of the fine line between flexing and showing off). 

Resilience:

Resilience is a must for entrepreneurs. The journey is full of ups and downs, setbacks, and challenges. Get used to hearing that dreaded word “no”… and have backup plans from A to Z. Being resilient means you can bounce back from failures and use them to fuel your future success. It’s the basis for discipline: It helps you maintain focus and stay motivated when things get tough. Give yourself time to cultivate resilience. Lean on mentors and peers, practice self-care, and learn from mistakes to grow stronger. 

Integrity in Decision-Making:

Effective decision-making is a cornerstone skill for entrepreneurs. You're responsible for a gazillion choices, from hiring your dream team to setting killer goals. Making well-informed and timely decisions can make or break your success. Gather relevant information. Trust your intuition. Seek advice when necessary. Most important: guard your integrity. Do what you say you’re going to do. Show up when you’ve made a commitment. Integrity is the foundation of all great buildings, great organizations and great relationships– it’s structural. Make sure your decisions are well-thought-out, so emotions don’t lead you astray.  Entrepreneurship is a wild ride, but it’s hella rewarding. Networking, resilience, and effective decision-making are crucial for success. Develop these skills over time as you build your business. By honing these abilities, you'll be better equipped to navigate the ever-changing landscape and achieve your goals in your area of passion. 

Let’s Hear You!

Do you have a burning question or something on your mind about starting a business? Are you looking for opportunities to have a dialogue around entrepreneurship? Want to engage around these ideas more deeply? Drop us a line on (email address) The pitch– being you, putting yourself out there. Bringing your creative genius to life.  Sound bites from the past 2-3 workshops– 

 How to Turn Your Passion Into a Profitable Business

                                   How to Turn Your Passion Into a Profitable Business

Working a nine-to-five job can be exhausting, especially if your heart isn’t in it. In fact, according to Staff Squared, 85 percent of people hate their jobs, but the majority of these people feel like they can’t leave because they don’t want to lose their livelihoods. If you’re tired of feeling drained after a long day of work and you just want to do something you enjoy, you should consider striking out on your own and starting your own business.

Whether you’re passionate about writing, crafting, spending time with animals, physical fitness, etc. your passion has the potential to be a profitable business. All you need to do is some careful research, planning, and hard work. YourPassion1st shares some tips for turning your passion into a career.

Consider Earning a Degree

Before you jump into starting your own business, you might want to take some time to learn more about how to run a business. The easiest way to do this is by continuing your education. Earning a business degree will open several doors for you, making it easier than ever to pursue your passion.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job Just Yet

When you first start out, it’s a good idea to continue working at your nine-to-five job. Elevate

explains that you should start small and focus on building the knowledge and experience that you need to run a successful business. Quitting your job will make you feel pressured to start profiting before you have everything in place. Start out small and work on your business when you get home or on the weekends. This will give you time to build a customer base and learn about your field before you put everything on the line. In fact, you might want to consider your business a side hustle at first.

That said, even when it’s small, your venture is still a legitimate business and you should treat it as such. Take steps to form a limited liability company for your business. Doing so will allow you to take advantage of certain benefits, such as avoiding double taxation and protecting personal assets from business debts. Visit ZenBusiness.com for LLC help.

And remember, pace yourself. It will be hard to manage both your day job and your new business, so remember to take time for yourself. Build a routine that gives you time to work and relax.

Start Marketing Online

Marketing online helps build the foundation for your business, even if your service is only offered in person. Having an online presence is vital for reaching customers today. Start by creating social media accounts for your business through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and any other sites that you want to represent your business with.

Take Advantage of E-commerce Sites

If you’re selling products that can be listed on e-commerce sites like eBay, Poshmark, and Etsy, you won’t have to build your own platform just yet. You can also use e-commerce sites to draw more attention to your website later. The beauty of using e-commerce sites is that you don’t have to have a physical store when you first start out. This can save you a lot of money in rent.

Have Fun

This tip might seem cheesy, but the whole point of pursuing your dream career is to have fun and enjoy life. For some people, turning their hobby into a business can ruin it for them. To avoid this common pitfall, take time out of your day for personal activities. Plan vacations, so you’re not constantly working. If your business becomes too stressful and overwhelming, slow down and pinpoint what, exactly, is causing the stress and make the necessary changes, so you can enjoy your entrepreneurial dreams.

Working in a field you don’t enjoy can feel suffocating, so don’t trap yourself. Turning your passion into a business could just be the best decision you’ll ever make. But you should be patient because growing a business takes time.

YourPassion1st is an International coaching & mentor-ship platform focused on helping under-resourced young adults overcome adversity, and earn money in the area of their passion. Contact us for more info! (312) 612-9032

Helping Young Adults and Adolescents Develop Into Strong Leaders

Helping Young Adults and Adolescents Develop Into Strong Leaders

As an adult, would you go back to your high school years if you had the chance? Most people would decline because of the invaluable life lessons learned in adulthood. Chances are you have your adult years to thank for learning and developing many of the skills and mindsets that allow you to be an effective leader in your community, at work, and beyond.  If you are mentoring or coaching young adults and adolescents, you can use your time with them to nurture some of the leadership qualities you gained in your adult years. Below, YourPassion1st has listed some tips for how you can guide the youth under your wing in the right direction! Learn the Benefits First of all, it will help to understand the impact you can make on the young adults and adolescents under your leadership.
  • Teaching your mentees leadership skills helps them develop the confidence they need to think for themselves and make sound decisions. 
  • It gives them the chance to learn valuable life skills like communication, showing respect, and self-discipline
  • Mentoring young adults and adolescents will enable them to solve problems and overcome obstacles more effectively. 
  • And it will also help them learn how to work well on teams, which will prove critical in their adult years. 
Focus on Key Qualities Countless leadership skills can help your mentees later in life. But here are a few of the essential ones to incorporate into your teaching:
  • Show your mentees how to communicate clearly, honestly, and respectfully with others. 
  • Help them develop perseverance to push through disappointments and avoid giving up. 
  • Teach them how to resolve conflict with their family members, friends, and other people peacefully and effectively. 
  • Encourage your mentees to dream big and cultivate a vision for the future. 
Set an Example Rather than only tell them, it’s better to show your mentees what leadership and discipline are. 
  • Keep a consistent fitness routine intact, and invite your mentees to work out with you. 
  • Stick to a balanced diet and show your ability to control your portions. 
  • Consider going back to school to demonstrate how hard work and persistence can lead to better career prospects
  • Engage in fun, relaxing activities with your mentees to show them the benefits of self-care. 
If you want to make a lasting impact on the lives of your young adult and adolescent mentees, it’s essential to refresh yourself on the advantages of helping them develop strong leadership skills. Remember to focus your strategies on critical leadership qualities and show how an effective leader lives by example! Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about our international coaching and mentorship platform? Visit YourPassion1st.com today! This article was written by Dean Burgess with Excitepreneur. Check out his blog for the latest entrepreneur news and tips.
Giving Tuesday - YourPassion1st

#GivingTuesday

We are so thankful for the outpouring of support this year and a huge shout out to Julius "The Mad Thinker" Spates and the entire Mi Casa Family for your commitment and dedication to our mission of improving communities around the world through youth empowerment. Know that none of this is possible without the communities' continued love, energy, and support, and for that we are forever grateful, and not just on #GivingTuesday, but EVERYDAY. So far this year, your contributions have assisted us in meeting countless goals:
  1. We were able to mentor 30 young adults this year from Chicago, Brazil, & South Africa and provide mental health, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship support for 7 months of intense training, as they find, define, and follow their passions into the workforce.
  2. We were able to host our 2nd Annual Historical Scavenger Hunt, changing the lens on our community, and highlighting our true Narrative here in the Austin Community.
  3. We were able to support a number of community events to include our 1st ever Austoberfest, in partnership with Project Exploration, as well as the numerous community events and food giveaways with Pastor Mac & What About Us Inc.
#GivingTuesday isn't about how much you can give, it's about where your heart is. So whether you can give money, time, or simply a kind gesture, they all go a long way. Your support for our 2022 season will have a huge impact, and will help us to:
  • Connect more young adults internationally with the mentorship, tools, and resources needed to find, define, and follow their passion into the workforce.
  • Provide safer spaces around mental health with a huge focus on Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies implemented within our regenerative community growth plans.
  • Encourage youth involvement in their communities around their areas of passion.
Join us as we kickoff the 2022 season, and help save a young adults life by showing them that you care. Every donation makes a difference, we are so appreciative of your support. You can donate below, or on CashApp & Venmo @YourPassion1st and on Zelle at chris@yourpassion1st.com.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

DONATE HERE | SIGNUP TO BE A VOLUNTEER

GRAB SOME GEAR FROM THE YOURPASSION1ST SHOP

Festival Recap:

We've had so much fun at our 2021 MCH Weekend & Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival with virtual & in person workshops, raffles, music, art, comedy, panels, discussions, demos, films, and a number of other amazing opportunities to engage with communities from around the world. Thank you again so much for everyone's support, love, and energy. In case you missed it, here's a link to check out the Workforce Readiness Music Festival and more below. Check Out Recording of the Festival on Twitch

Upcoming Events:

December 18th YP1 End of year Gala (Virtual) This will be a night filled with joy as we celebrate our Young Ambassadors for a completing the program, and acknowledge you and our amazing team for supporting our program. December 30th Sneaker Ball Bethel New Life 1150 N. Lamon Chicago, IL Volunteers Needed for more details, email us at info@yourpassion1st.com

CHECK OUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR

YourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspiredYourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspired
YourPassion1st Inc.
(773) 904-6814
 

Pitch Competition Finals 11-17-21

 
PITCH COMPETITION FINALS
TONIGHT!!!!
We're so excited to have you join us this evening as we wrap up Mi Casa Holiday (MCH) Virtual Weekend, with our Dance Music Scene Awards this evening from 6-8pmCST, and our PITCH COMPETITION FINALS & Closing Remarks 8pm-10pmCST. We are so thankful to everyone that came out Saturday and that has participated this year to make it a huge success for our #youngadults and their respective communities here in Chicago, Brazil, and in South Africa. A special thank you to our sponsors: MiCasa Holiday, Light of Loving Kindness, Advanced Group, Wisdom Knot, OneSpan, Elevated Services, MeetAppGo, and AroundWeGo, and a huge shout out to all of our volunteers, vendors and performers for making it truly an amazing year!
But it's not over just yet.... Today we have our Dance Music Scene Awards & PITCH COMPETITION. These young adults have worked so hard to pitch their story/narrative and would love your support tuning in for the chance to win $700-$1500.
First though....
Dance Music Scene Awards - Wednesday November 17th 6-8pmCST
Pitch Competition Finals
with a chance to win $700 - $1500
Wednesday November 17th 8-10pmCST
If there is a tie, we would love if you could vote in MeetAppGo. You can find directions below:
DOWNLOAD APP BY CLICKING => HERE
We've had so much fun the past week with virtual & in person workshops, raffles, music, art, comedy, panels, discussions, demos, films, and a number of other amazing opportunities to engage with communities from around the world. Thank you again so much for everyone's support, love, and energy. In case you missed it, here's a link to check out the Workforce Readiness Music Festival and more below.
Upcoming events:
November 17th
Pitch Competition Finals & MCH Weekend Closing Remarks
@yourpassion1st (Facebook & YouTube)
in-person Location - TBD
November 25th
Thanksgiving Food Giveaway
5323 W. Lake St. Chicago, IL
11am-2pm
Volunteers Needed
for more details, email us at info@yourpassion1st.com
December 18th
YP1 End of year Gala (Hybrid)
This will be a night filled with joy as we celebrate our Young Ambassadors for a completing the program, and acknowledge you and our amazing team for supporting our program.
Grow Exponential/Working Better Together
Working Better Together -The Ultimate Solution
46% of the global workforce is planning to make a major pivot or career transition.
Having trouble hiring the right candidate, or trying to improve your work culture?
Grab some gear!
Unisex Hoodie
Cuffed Beanie
Gaitor
YourPassion1st Inc.
(312) 612-9032
info@yourpassion1st.com
www.yourpassion1st.com
Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival

November Newsletter 11-03-21

2nd Annual MCH Virtual Weekend + Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival Fundraiser
NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!
We're so excited to have you join us and help us spread the word for next weeks upcoming hybrid festival. Just as last year, the Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival takes place right in the heart of Mi Casa Holiday (MCH) Virtual Weekend. It will be a fun-filled week of virtual & in person workshops, raffles, music, art, comedy, panels, discussions, demos, films, and a number of other amazing opportunities to engage with communities from around the world.
WHEN & WHERE is this?
  • Mi Casa Holiday (MCH) and YourPassion1st have teamed up for the 2nd Annual MCH Virtual Weekend + Workforce Readiness Music Festival Fundraiser - November 10-17, 2021. Wednesday - Wednesday (10am - 10pm for 7 days!)
  • Virtually - Events take place on multiple platforms from Zoom, Remo, Twitch, YouTube to Facebook, therefore best way to experience the event is by downloading our official MCH Weekend + Workforce Readiness Music festival app at MeetApp Go.
  • DOWNLOAD APP SCHEDULE BY CLICKING => HERE
  • In person venue Nov 13th 10am - 6pm at the Kehrein Center For The Arts located at 5628 W. Washington Blvd. Chicago, IL
WHAT is this all about?
  •  Be a part of this year’s MCH Virtual Weekend + Workforce Readiness Music Festival fundraiser along with 150 + content contributors from more than 19 countries around the world. Content includes: The 2nd Annual Young Adults Pitch Competition for young adults 14-24 around the world! Dance Workshops, DJ sets, Cooking Segments, Fitness, Comedy, Workforce Presentations, Themed Parties + More!
  • Nov 13th we will have a number of virtual & in person workshops around art, music, entertainment, sports, wellness, culinary, and nutrition, as well as performances, art displays, free food, vendors, and community resources.
WHY do I want to be a part of this?
  • If you are a young adult, you have the opportunity to take part in our 2nd Annual Pitch Competition with a chance to win $700 - $1500
  • This is a great opportunity for young adults to be in a safe space, while being connected to resources that can support them as they find, define, and follow their passion into the workforce.
  • There will be 150 + content contributors from all around the world: USA, SOUTH AFRICA, BRAZIL, MOROCCO, UK, FRANCE, MEXICO, COSTA RICA, HONG KONG, INDONESIA, AUSTRALIA + MORE....
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE!!!
Young Adults:
PITCH COMPETITION - launch your story, business or product and win $1,500 (20-24) or $700 (15-19)
STILL ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS UNTIL NOVEMBER 8TH 2021
PARTICIPATE WITHOUT COMPETING
Show up - come out with your friends and enjoy a day of fun-filled workshops, food, and entertainment
Community Partners:
 Table/Booth - resources for young adults around mental health, art, music, entertainment sports/wellness, culinary/nutrition
Share - please share with as many young adults as possible
Workshop - present a workshop to young adults
Upcoming events:
November 10-17th With In Person Venue Nov 13th:
MCH Virtual Weekend & Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival (Hybrid)
Over 150 content contributors from 19 different countries will join our Young Ambassadors for an extraordinary week, 24hrs/day production. You'll be able catch our 2nd annual pitch competition, the debut of our Young Ambassadors 5 team productions + more!!!
November 17th
Pitch Competition Finals
@yourpassion1st (Facebook & YouTube)
in-person Location - TBD
December 18th
YP1 End of year Gala (Hybrid)
This will be a night filled with joy as we celebrate our Young Ambassadors for a completing the program, and acknowledge you and our amazing team for supporting our program.

September Newsletter 09-22-21

2nd Annual MCH Virtual Weekend + Global Workforce Readiness Music Festival Fundraiser
We're so excited to have you join us in helping spread the word for our upcoming festival. Just as last year, this takes place right in the heart of Mi Casa Holiday (MCH) Virtual Weekend. It will be a fun-filled week of virtual & in person workshops, music, art, entertainment, panels, discussions, demos, and a number of other amazing opportunities to engage with communities from around the world.
WHERE & WHEN is this?
  • Mi Casa Holiday (MCH) and YourPassion1st have teamed up for the 2nd annual MCH Virtual Weekend + Workforce Readiness Music Festival Fundraiser - November 10-17, 2021 - 7 days / 24hrs a day with in person venue Nov 13th TBD.
WHAT is this all about?
  •  Be a part of this year’s MCH Virtual Weekend + Workforce Readiness Music Festival fundraiser along with 150 + content contributors from more than 19 countries around the world. Content includes: The 2nd Annual Young Adults Pitch Competition for young adults 15-24 around the world! Dance Workshops, DJ sets, Cooking Segments, Fitness, Comedy, Workforce Presentations, Themed Parties + More!
  • Amazing opportunity to showcase your community, organization, or individual talents. Join us to expand your network and get yourself out there while competing to win money!
WHY do I want to be a part of this?
  • If you are a young adult, you have the opportunity to take part in our 2nd Annual Pitch Competition with a chance to win $700 - $1500
  • Last year, more than 25,000 streams tuned in and we raised just over $10,000 and with your support, we expect to reach 75,000+ streams this year, so it's a great opportunity to expand your network
  • More than half of the young adults who pitched their ideas last year have received paid projects since
  • There will be 150 + content contributors from all around the world: USA, SOUTH AFRICA, BRAZIL, MOROCCO, UK, FRANCE, MEXICO, COSTA RICA, HONG KONG, INDONESIA, AUSTRALIA + MORE....
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE!!!
Young Adults:
PITCH COMPETITION - launch your story, business or product and win $1,500 (20-24) or $700 (15-19)
PARTICIPATE WITHOUT COMPETING
Segment Piece - show us how to make your favorite cake (4 min 30 sec)
Short Film - show an original movie! (4 min 30 sec)
Short Interview - discuss an important or entertaining topic!
Community Partners:
 YP1 GLOBAL IMPACT AWARD - refer the most young adults and win
Commercial - plug your organization
Workshop - present a workshop
Panel - organize a discussion shroud your passion

August Newsletter 08-05-21

Hello!
Were excited about this weekends Parade and Bike drive with DIVVY. We are still collecting bikes to raffle off for kids. See the info below, or contact us if you'd like to contribute a bike.
Big thank you to Mike from WGN-AM (720) Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine, for having us on to talk about the importance of assisting young adults and following YourPassion1st. For early risers, the segment will run this Saturday before the event at 5:00am.(podcast will air at a later date)
The past couple of weeks have flown by, and our Young Ambassadors are consuming lots of valuable information that can be used today, as well as for their fall projects and for the future.
Young Ambassador, Hassani Cannon (Artist, Chicago) shared his Midyear Showcase experience with us - "It helped me give a prototype into how to give a presentation and get people excited about a project that you have." (time stamp 00:22:56 - 00:24:18)[passcode - Y9ji&J0E]
Young Ambassador, Willian Sousa (Sports, Brazil) shared -"it was a nice experience because it gave me the opportunity to find out about what other teams are doing, because we have incredible people in our group, but we got to also learn how our teams projects can be better."(time stamp 00:24:50 - 00:26:40)[passcode - Y9ji&J0E]
Young Ambassador's Midyear Showcase presentations => Click HERE [passcode 2$s?=1Zc ]
Help us keep these experiences going!
THIS WEEKEND
August 7th
(Donate a bike or 2!)
Masonic Parade/Resource Fair/Bike Drive (Austin)
Join us at this year’s Parade, Cookout, Bike Drive and Resource Fair. This will tee us up for the following weekend with our Historical Bike Scavenger Hunt. On this day we are looking for bike donations and will have a bike fixing station and will be partnering with Divvy as well as a few other community organizations. There will also be FREE FOOD & COMMUNITY RESOURCES available.
August 14th
Historical Scavenger Hunt (Austin & Oak Park)
This will be similar to last year but we're adding a Virtual Reality component to include Brazil & South Africa in a creative way. Grab your bicycles, or come jump on one of Divvy's bikes, and embark on a historical journey with your neighbors.
Divvy will have a bike stations available on the day.
Upcoming events:
September 18th:
Reopening of Fulton Market (Chicago)
We completed the official ribbon cutting ceremony on June 25th, and now it's time for the big celebration. 10 blocks of action to include great food, live music, DJs, Live Art, Entertainment, community conversations, interactive kids activities, a highly anticipated DUNK TANK + more
November 10-17th:
MCH International Weekend & Workforce Readiness Music Festival (Hybrid)
Over 150 content contributors from 20 different countries will join our Young Ambassadors for an extraordinary week, 24hrs/day production. You'll be able catch our 2nd annual pitch competition, our five team productions + more!
December 18th
YP1 End of year Gala (Hybrid)
This will be a night filled with joy as we celebrate our Young Ambassadors for a completing the program, and acknowledge you and our amazing team for supporting our program.
Podcast news:
For the next few weeks!
Our podcast team, compiled of creative
young adults, will be out engaging subjects, interviewing, and collecting content for this season. If you see them, feel free to share your views from hotbed issues to thought provoking insight.
Stay tuned!

July Newsletter 07-21-21

Hello!
We’re halfway through our program and our 30+ Young Ambassadors just completed the Mental Awareness phase of the program. Our clinical therapist Shanna Williams led the way with confidence building exercises. Our corporate partner, Grow Exponential, generously provided our teams of Ambassadors, Young Ambassadors, and Interpreters tools to discover their personality and behavioral tendencies as we begin Working Better Together. And, many others generously inspired our young adults with workshops like "You Are What You Eat".
Next up we begin our Skills Mastery phase where our Young Ambassadors will continue learning how to manage their time and talent in order to leverage their passion into the marketplace.
It has not been easy. In addition to socioeconomic barriers, Covid-19 restrictions and personal loss, these past few weeks have made for some of the toughest days our teams have experienced. However, together we continue to overcome these adversities with love and support while finding the strength to continue to move forward.
Young ambassador's (USA, Brazil, South Africa) will showcase their team projects and give short presentations of their productions for this falls MCH International Weekend & Workforce Readiness Music Festival November 10-17, 2021 (7 days, 24hrs/day).
Team projects:
Each project is made up of members from multiple countries allowing young ambassadors to get international workforce experience.
Art/Fashion - The Fashion of Art Exhibition
Music - Dance Music Scene Awards
Entertainment - Sneaker Freaks Shoe Expo
Sports/Wellness - The Sports Complex Digi-Talks
Culinary/Nutrition - The Recipe Exchange
Your support helps create
life-changing experiences!
Monique Santos - Young Ambassador (Brazil)
Just around the corner:
August 7th
(Donate a bike or 2!)
Masonic Parade/Resource Fair/Bike Drive (Austin)
Join us at this year’s Parade, Cookout, Bike Drive and Resource Fair. This will tee us up for the following weekend with our Historical Bike Scavenger Hunt. On this day we are looking for bike donations and will have a bike fixing station and will be partnering with Divvy as well as a few other community organizations. There will also be FREE FOOD & COMMUNITY RESOURCES available.
August 14th
Historical Scavenger Hunt (Austin & Oak Park)
This will be similar to last year but we're adding a Virtual Reality component to include Brazil & South Africa in a creative way. Grab your bicycles, or come jump on one of Divvy's bikes, and embark on a historical journey with your neighbors.
Divvy will have a bike stations available on the day.
Upcoming events:
September 18th:
Reopening of Fulton Market (Chicago)
We completed the official ribbon cutting ceremony on June 25th, and now it's time for the big celebration. 10 blocks of action to include great food, live music, DJs, Live Art, Entertainment, community conversations, interactive kids activities, a highly anticipated DUNK TANK + more
November 10-17th:
MCH International Weekend & Workforce Readiness Music Festival (Hybrid)
Over 150 content contributors from 20 different countries will join our Young Ambassadors for an extraordinary week, 24hrs/day production. You'll be able catch our 2nd annual pitch competition, our five team productions + more!
December 18th
YP1 End of year Gala (Hybrid)
This will be a night filled with joy as we celebrate our Young Ambassadors for a completing the program, and acknowledge you and our amazing team for supporting our program.
Podcast news:
Get ready!
We're excited to announce that our podcast team, compiled of creative
young adults, is hard at work and almost ready to deliver a seasons
worth of great talks, guests, and content.
Stay tuned!
YourPassion1st - To inspire and be inspired

March Newsletter 06-17-21

The Young Ambassadors Program
Battling your trauma and your unique set of obstacles/circumstances can become the very qualities that distinguish you when entering the workforce.
Our program officially started April 25th - December 18, and is now beginning to pick up steam. (Check out the => Official Press Release) Thus far, young ambassadors have completed the first phase (Mental Awareness) with weekly workshops including "The Power of You" by clinical therapist Shanna Williams and "Principles of Passion", by Chris Thomas (YP1 founder) and Joe Natal (Grow Exponential). Phase two (Entrepreneurship/Skills Mastery) has just started, including last weeks extraordinary workshop, "Turning Your Passion to Profits" led by Evan Price (Artist Collective, Rolling Stone Magazine). The program concludes with phase three(Execution). We are excited to see our young ambassadors fully engaged and preparing their projects together.
Project-Based Learning
Come meet our young ambassadors virtually and get a first look at their team projects on Sunday July 25th
Young ambassador's (USA, Brazil, South Africa) have the opportunity to create two projects. They showcase an individual pitch project, which revolves around their passion and their story, and a team project which allows them to learn to work with others and apply their natural skills sets. All projects will be presented during the incredible MCH International Weekend & Workforce Readiness Music Festival this fall November 10-17, 2021 (7 days, 24hrs/day).
Team projects:
Each project is made up of members from multiple countries allowing young ambassadors to get international workforce experience.
Art/Fashion - The Fashion of Art Exhibition
Music - Dance Music Scene Awards
Entertainment - Sneaker Freaks Shoe Expo
Sports/Wellness - The Sports Complex Digi-Talks
Culinary/Nutrition - The Cooking Exchange - My Favorite Recipes
Upcoming Events
Come out to our first event this Saturday June 19 for Juneteenth!
We have a number of fundraising events during the year, where you will have an opportunity to come out and learn more about the work we’re doing, while having fun collaborating with other community members and businesses.
We have some awesome events lined up starting with Saturday's "Workout for Wellness" event in collaboration with A Greater Good Foundation through December 18th, our end of the year YourPassion1st Gala.
Your support helps create
life-changing experiences!
June 19th:
Workout for Wellness
powered by Footlocker
Walther Christian Academy
900 w Chicago ave Melrose park
11:00am - 4:00pm
Friends and family will spend a day holistically nurturing theselves and supporting African American Culture. From local and black owned businesses, activities for kids, yoga, group fitness training, smoothies, and whole food nutrition, all are welcome and there is something for everyone!
Bring your children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles! If you have been looking for a safe space to get REFRESHED & RECONNECTED with the outside world, then we hope to see you there!
*Covid guidelines within Chicago will be in effect(Phase 5)
June 25 & 26th:
Reopening of Fulton Market (Chicago)
For this event there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor of Chicago on the 25th along with 10 blocks of action to include great food, live music, DJs, Live Art, Entertainment, community conversations, interactive kids activities, a highly anticipated DUNK TANK + more
July 26th
Virtual Summer Conference & International Summit
We are doing our best to wrap this around a ribbon cutting on Chicago Ave (TBD). Either way, this is the halfway point for the program where the young adults will have an opportunity to speak about the program and show you what they're working on.
August 7th
Masonic Parade/Resource Fair/Bike Drive (Austin)
This will tee us up for the following weekend with our Historical Scavenger Hunt. On this day we are looking for bike donations and will have a bike fixing station and hoping to partner with Divvy or Working Bikes as well as a few other community organizations.
August 14th
Historical Scavenger Hunt (Austin & Oak Park)
This will be similar to last year but looking to add in the Virtual Reality component to include Brazil & South Africa in some way, shape and form.
Donations are welcome on PayPal, Venmo, CashApp @YourPassion1st and Zelle at 773.904.6814. All proceeds go to our International Program starting in APRIL 2021. Thank you for your time, energy, and support.
"In order to achieve your dreams, you have to follow YourPassion1st."

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