What does FIATM mean to me?
By Rebecca Parker.
To me FIATM means family and I’m this family we look out for each other and help each other. Growing up in the FIATM group I have been taught so much knowledge and Wisdom and most importantly respect. Being a part of the FIATM group has kept me out of trouble and on the right path. I have the resources and help that is needed to succeed later on in life.
Through all my trial and tribulations FIATM group has never gave up on me, they have been there with me every step of the way. The founder of FIATM, Yakuba and my grandmother have never given up on me and without them I don’t know if I would be the responsible young woman I am today and the great mother of my son. They gave me excellent mentorship to achieve greatness. They give u advice and knowledge to allow u to be whatever you want to be in life. They will always support you and if you need them they will be right there for you .
I am 24 years old I have been apart of FIATM group since I was 12 years old. They have seen my ups and downs and yes I have received tough criticism and tough love but it was because they wanted to see me achieve and not throw my life away. I also received great criticism and love because when I achieved all my goals I set for my self I know that they are proud of me . I know that they are proud of the young women I am today and for that I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for everything they have done for me and helping stay on the right path in life .
To me FIATM means family and I’m this family we look out for each other and help each other. Growing up in the FIATM group I have been taught so much knowledge and Wisdom and most importantly respect. Being a part of the FIATM group has kept me out of trouble and on the right path. I have the resources and help that is needed to succeed later on in life.
Through all my trial and tribulations FIATM group has never gave up on me, they have been there with me every step of the way. The founder of FIATM, Yakuba and my grandmother have never given up on me and without them I don’t know if I would be the responsible young woman I am today and the great mother of my son. They gave me excellent mentorship to achieve greatness. They give u advice and knowledge to allow u to be whatever you want to be in life. They will always support you and if you need them they will be right there for you .
I am 24 years old I have been apart of FIATM group since I was 12 years old. They have seen my ups and downs and yes I have received tough criticism and tough love but it was because they wanted to see me achieve and not throw my life away. I also received great criticism and love because when I achieved all my goals I set for my self I know that they are proud of me . I know that they are proud of the young women I am today and for that I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for everything they have done for me and helping stay on the right path in life .
Joshua Hunter
My first 2 years of high school I dropped out and was told I was not going to graduate even if I tried. So I was sent to the Bayside Community Day School because Valley View High School didn’t want their graduating score to go down, so I was sent to be Bayside's problem.
As I was at Bayside I wasn’t doing any better in and out of class, I was called into the gym with some of the guys also attending Bayside. KB walks up to us and introduces himself and a few others that were with him by his side like KB’s brother David aka Big City. The first thing he did after introducing everyone was pointed to the people next to him and said we are FIATM. So they’re lecturing us and I’m just thinking these guys are gonna just talk to us for an hour and go on with their day like nothing happened. But while he was talking he didn’t seem like he wanted to be anywhere else but in the gym talking to us, so I listened to what he had to say. Him and his brother came back the next week and they were looking through our transcripts, credits and grades and I told them that there was no way I was gonna graduate, I tried but they both came to me and told me they will watch me walk the stage and get my diploma and I thought these guys were nuts because I showed up to Bayside with 30 credits. But even though he seen my credits and grades he said I could graduate and he was here to help me with whatever I needed and said we are now a part of FIATM which meant they had our backs on and off campus and he wasn’t lying.
KB and all of FIATM helped me physically and mentally. I seen my grades start to build as I was involved with FIATM. They helped and pushed me to be the student that they knew I could be. FIATM gave me the motivation that I hadn’t had in a very long time and at this point they have my full trust because I knew they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. When I went up to the FIATM office for the first time, I was treated like family. I felt safe with KB and Big City (David), and I knew they had my back. KB and David went to war for me countless times to get me into a credit recovery class so that I could get credits faster and to back us when we needed it.
KB seen that I was struggling in school and did the impossible and the school to drop my grad requirement to 130 credits and at that point I actually had a chance to graduate and I couldn’t waste that chance and they weren’t gonna let me. They seen one grade drop and they helped me get it right back up. They seen missing assignments and they made sure I turned every single one in, they seen me struggle with a class and they helped me until I wasn’t struggling anymore.
I went to their office as often as possible and while I was there I worked on everything I could to get done. KB learned I wanted to be in the Air Force and he didn’t waste no time on the phone with the recruiter and within that next hour the next thing I knew he was helping me with ASVAB practice tests. That same week KB and David pushed me to earn 10 credits in one week, they put me on the right path to graduation and I was given 4 months to earn 100 credits. I told KB there was no way and he calmly said nahhhhh you got this in the bag, you will walk that stage. They pushed and motivated me to the max and I did it in 3 months.
When KB came to the school one week towards the end, I showed him something I would have never thought I would have been able to. When he walked into the room and I handed him my graduation picture, we both smiled and were so happy, he was so proud of me and told me I told you that you could do it. We facetimed David and he was so happy and proud to. Graduation Day I walked that stage and looked over and KB was right there like he said he was going to be to see me walk that stage. Its safe to say with FIATM I wouldn’t have graduated. I am a better person now that I have FIATM in my life, I can’t express how grateful I am to be a part of the FIATM FAMILY. I can’t thank FIATM enough for what the have done for me. Thank you KB and thank you David / Big City. ~Joshua Hunter
As I was at Bayside I wasn’t doing any better in and out of class, I was called into the gym with some of the guys also attending Bayside. KB walks up to us and introduces himself and a few others that were with him by his side like KB’s brother David aka Big City. The first thing he did after introducing everyone was pointed to the people next to him and said we are FIATM. So they’re lecturing us and I’m just thinking these guys are gonna just talk to us for an hour and go on with their day like nothing happened. But while he was talking he didn’t seem like he wanted to be anywhere else but in the gym talking to us, so I listened to what he had to say. Him and his brother came back the next week and they were looking through our transcripts, credits and grades and I told them that there was no way I was gonna graduate, I tried but they both came to me and told me they will watch me walk the stage and get my diploma and I thought these guys were nuts because I showed up to Bayside with 30 credits. But even though he seen my credits and grades he said I could graduate and he was here to help me with whatever I needed and said we are now a part of FIATM which meant they had our backs on and off campus and he wasn’t lying.
KB and all of FIATM helped me physically and mentally. I seen my grades start to build as I was involved with FIATM. They helped and pushed me to be the student that they knew I could be. FIATM gave me the motivation that I hadn’t had in a very long time and at this point they have my full trust because I knew they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. When I went up to the FIATM office for the first time, I was treated like family. I felt safe with KB and Big City (David), and I knew they had my back. KB and David went to war for me countless times to get me into a credit recovery class so that I could get credits faster and to back us when we needed it.
KB seen that I was struggling in school and did the impossible and the school to drop my grad requirement to 130 credits and at that point I actually had a chance to graduate and I couldn’t waste that chance and they weren’t gonna let me. They seen one grade drop and they helped me get it right back up. They seen missing assignments and they made sure I turned every single one in, they seen me struggle with a class and they helped me until I wasn’t struggling anymore.
I went to their office as often as possible and while I was there I worked on everything I could to get done. KB learned I wanted to be in the Air Force and he didn’t waste no time on the phone with the recruiter and within that next hour the next thing I knew he was helping me with ASVAB practice tests. That same week KB and David pushed me to earn 10 credits in one week, they put me on the right path to graduation and I was given 4 months to earn 100 credits. I told KB there was no way and he calmly said nahhhhh you got this in the bag, you will walk that stage. They pushed and motivated me to the max and I did it in 3 months.
When KB came to the school one week towards the end, I showed him something I would have never thought I would have been able to. When he walked into the room and I handed him my graduation picture, we both smiled and were so happy, he was so proud of me and told me I told you that you could do it. We facetimed David and he was so happy and proud to. Graduation Day I walked that stage and looked over and KB was right there like he said he was going to be to see me walk that stage. Its safe to say with FIATM I wouldn’t have graduated. I am a better person now that I have FIATM in my life, I can’t express how grateful I am to be a part of the FIATM FAMILY. I can’t thank FIATM enough for what the have done for me. Thank you KB and thank you David / Big City. ~Joshua Hunter
Mountain View Middle School
Max Bryant
Working with FIATM mentoring has done so much for me and I don't know where I would be without them. Now I have a 3.83 GPA (one B in Math, we're still working on that one). I'm not nearly as confused as I was before. I'm well on my way to being the first person in my family to graduate from college.
Coach Moss
Mentoring allowed me the opportunity to share my experience with a young individual and revisit some of the issues of growing up. I am truly appreciative of the support given to me by FIATM and hope to pay it forward.
Carpenters Union (Collaborative Partner)
The mentoring to success program is an excellent way to connect students with people working in the real world. Mentoring gives us flexibility to offer our skills to an interested youth. It's good for the mentees, too, as they get to ask anything they can put into words and expect a prompt response. Most of our interaction was focused on how my mentee was doing in school and his career plans. I only wish I could have had this opportunity when I was a student.