>> "here and now," the program featuring the news and interests of the african-american community. here's your host, sandra bookman. >> coming up, recent acts of terror have triggered anti-muslim sentiments here and across the country, though some of the women of islam talk about handling the hateful rhetoric, the nations first volunteer pre-ambulance emergency response service right here in jersey city, the acclaimed stella adler studio of acting putting rikers island inmates at center stage, and how oprah helped a former alvin ailey dancer realize a dream.

>> recent mass shootings in california and paris attributed to islamic terrorists coupled with a politician's campaign proposal to keep muslims from entering the u.s. has left many in the islamic community bracing for backlash. joining us today to give us some insight on this important issue is aisha al-adawiya, the c.e.o. and founder of women in islam, and iman boukadoum, director of community partnerships for the interfaith center of new york. thank you both for being here, and thank you for allowing me to nearly butcher your names. i apologize. >> thank you for having us. >> we so appreciate your taking the time to talk about this with us.

like for you both to address is donald trump and his continued -- as many people have described it -- hateful rhetoric basically insisting that muslims not be allowed into the country. just your reaction to hearing that, and how do you basically drown out that voice? >> well, first of all... mr. trump is really a very huge indication of the level lack of knowledge in our country about what is permissible and what is not permissible from a legal perspective. and it's also a resurgence of the kind of bigotry and racism that certain segments of the community, specifically the african-american community, has

and, although we thought that this had gone away sometime now, it's resurging. and i think it's a time now for everyone, whether they're muslims or not, to begin to amplify their voices that this kind of bigotry is not accepted at all. >> iman, would you like to add something? >> i just wanted to say that i echo everything that sister aisha said, and i just think that there are real consequences to those words. those are not just empty words that he's putting out there for cheap political gain. there are truly real people on the ground that are suffering because of what he's saying. >> and when you talk about consequences, do you mean some of the assaults on people of the muslim faith? >> exactly. it gives -- when mr. trump says bigoted, xenophobic, hateful things, it gives license to people on the ground to do horrible things to people who

perceived to be latino or black or whatever. and it really is a terrible thing because it breaks the fabric of america and it breaks our communities. so i just want to say to him that, you know, what you're saying actually has real consequences. >> and one of the things in much of the reading and conversations i've had is that some of the fear and the uncomfortableness is -- and you touched on it -- is because of ignorance of the islamic faith? >> you know, i think that part of issue that we have to bring forward in our society is that islam is not new in this part of the world. muslims have been here for centuries, staring with the transatlantic slave trade. so this is not a new phenomenon. we can question where did it go,

having this conversation about islam being this far in the entity, you know, in america. so that's a conversation that we desperately need to have, but also the fact that we are now having to tell our children, you know, how to protect themselves, how to spot danger -- something very similar to how we were taught as african-american children, how to protect ourselves against certain forces that were really out to harm us and that were lethal to us, like the kkk, for instance. so i see a lot of parallels here. education is key always in these kinds of situations. >> well, one of the pieces of this conversation is some folks have suggested that those of the islamic faith -- what's happened

seen it with others -- is that a small -- very, very small -- segment of people have, in a sense, hijacked the faith. and a lot of people, perhaps because of their ignorance or exposure, whatever you want to call it, don't know enough about the faith, so as far as they're concerned, that small segment represents the entire faith. how do you deal with that? do you feel that you have any responsibility as muslims to separate yourself or make clear that these people have nothing to do with what the faith is really about? >> mm-hmm. >> i think that this is a very important question. so, after 9/11, everybody had 1,000 questions about islam, as if muslims haven't been here since the beginning as sister aisha just pointed out. muslims have been here since the beginning. but the reality is that there is

middle east in general and politics in the middle east. what is happening, what happened on 9/11, and what continues to happen in the middle east with radical violent groups who call themselves muslim is a political phenomenon. it is fundamentally a political issue that is now being framed in various media outlets as a "muslim issue" or an "islamic issue." and that's really my biggest issue with the media in many areas is that they like to frame things in religious terms or in cultural terms instead of saying, "oh, well, what's happening in the middle east? let's look at american foreign policy in the middle east. let's look at the realities of who we support, what the dictatorships in the middle east are fermenting on the ground and how the conditions on the ground are creating specific people that perceive injustice in certain ways and then are reacting against injustice." because that's really what terrorism is.

injustice. they perceive injustice, and so they act out accordingly, and they don't have outlets. and it's a very complicated situation. there are other factors, as well. but the reality is that these terrorists are coming out of a very complicated situation in the middle east and south asia and beyond. and we really need to do a better job of understanding those complexities and we really need to frame it as a political issue, not an islamic issue. >> and i think for a lot of people in this country what's happened is that they're fearful. so you add fear to a lack of knowledge about the big picture, as i think you're pointing out, then you've got a really volatile situation. so, in the short term, what do you think the country -- and i guess we all need to do to really essentially say, "look,

we don't want to find ourselves fighting each other and discriminating against each other based on what these people are doing"? i mean, how do you...? >> yeah, yeah. you know, it's essential that we step aside from that narrative for a moment and talk about the fact that communities are being torn apart, neighbors are being turned against neighbors, family members are being torn apart against each other. our children are targets in the society, in their schools, in their homes. so it's a very scary time. and we are also americans. i fully expect to be safe when i walk outside of the door into any building. so i get, you know, the fear of

i also want to speak to the fact that as a society, as a society, we have a responsibility to not only talk the talk, but walk the talk, as well. we cannot critique people outside for their abuses of people's basic human rights, their human dignity, while we strip away those same dignities from our own citizens. so there is a cohesion that has to manifest itself. we already know each other. human beings are inclined to want to live together. we already live together. so, to allow this toxic brew to create a situation where we turn against each other is not an option that we can afford.

actually, that we won't allow this to happen. and we just have to continue showing up as decent, moral, ethical human beings on the planet and condemn abuses, atrocities, wherever they are and by whomever they are committed. that's our charge. >> i am so sorry to end the conversation, but i'm out of time. thank you both for joining us this afternoon. we do need to keep talking about this. >> thank you. >> still to come on "here and now," a program that's giving first-generation college students the tools they need to

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>> getting through college and landing a job can be daunting for anyone, but for some first-generation college students from low-income families, there's often an extra layer of stress. america needs you helps these students realize their personal and professional dreams. joining us this afternoon is the c.e.o. of america needs you and one of its founding members, kimberly harris, and a.n.y. alumnus felix navarro, jr. thank you both for being with us this afternoon. you walked in here with big us. and that's got to be because of the great work that the organization is doing. and i understand you are one of man. >> thank you. >> so, kimberly, i'll start with you.

need for america needs you? >> absolutely. well, thank you for having us here today. and i've been involved with the organization, as you mentioned, since the very beginning. so, back in 2009, we really wanted to find a way to better support first-generation college students. only 11% of first-generation students are expected to graduate. and while there are so many really wonderful programs that help students to get into college, there's very limited support once they're there. i think the misconception is that once you make it to college, that's the finish line. and it really isn't enough. in fact, getting a college degree isn't even enough. so we really wanted to create a robust program focusing on mentorship, transformative mentorship, and intensive career development. so we work with students who are in their second and third year of college, just as they're thinking about their majors and their internships, and we help them to select, to secure, and to succeed in careers. so we cover everything from

pitches to cover letters to interview skills, as well as the softer skills that really make you successful once you enter the workforce, like public speaking and confidence building. it's a really wholistic approach. >> and it's like a two-year fellowship, is my understand. >> exactly. it's a selective program. we work with students typically at community colleges and other schools. and we help them as they kind of navigate their career journey. but it is a selective program. we want to make sure that students can be committed to the program, because it is so intensive. our students are required to come out every other saturday for about six hours. >> and, felix, i was teasing word. >> okay. >> you were one of the first students to go through the fellows program. tell me about it. what was so special about it for you, and what do you think you gained? >> sure. so, as you mentioned, it was in 2010 when i joined the program.

struck me was being in an environment that surrounded you with people who really cared and were completely invested in your success. and that had a huge impact on me, because then i myself felt the confidence and the drive to do well. so you're in college, you're trying to figure out where you want to go, what you want to do after school, and it's -- you're just floating. but new york needs -- america needs you -- we're formally new york needs you -- but america needs you really connects you to that career and gives you access to people who are in those careers that can tell you about what you need to do and what you need to know to get there. >> and is this assistance and help that you -- first, did you know you needed it when you first came out of school, and do you think you would have gotten it if america needs you hadn't basically come to your aid? >> i knew i needed it because it was a pretty tough time in my life, actually. i was actually considering joining the military and dropping out because of circumstances in my life. i was living on my own, and even

hard to take on the responsibilities. >> i know your father was ill. >> right, right. and they moved to florida. and i've been lucky to have great parents and extremely supportive parents, but i needed that extra push, and i think that america needs you did that for me. now, would i have been -- would i have graduated? i think so, if i hadn't joined the navy. but would i have been where i am today? probably not. and if you told me if i would be working where i am now five years ago, i would have laughed. >> tell us about where you're working now. >> i'm currently at goldman sachs in the compliance division. so it's been a great ride and it's been a great first job out of school. >> now, and just to say, you're no slouch. you graduated valedictorian. >> yes, i did. >> but there are all these other factors that i think you pointed out that you don't take into consideration when we're talking about succeeding. >> absolutely. so if you think about the 11% of first-gen students that end up graduating -- and, more importantly, the 89% that end up dropping out -- they're not dropping out for academic

they're really dropping out for financial reasons and because many students don't understand the long-term potential in school. so one of our students who recently graduated and now is in graduate school, she said, even though she's a straight-a student, it was a struggle every day for her to wake up and go to school because of the pressure in her home. you know, school for her was an opportunity cost. she worked a retail job, she made minimum wage, but she was providing significant income to her family. all of our students are first-gens -- first in their families to go to school -- and also from low-income families. so we have to kind of really think deeply about all of the opportunity costs that they're making by persisting. >> i have so many questions. program? >> sure. so, right now we're in new york, new jersey, and illinois. in new york, we have a partnership with the c.u.n.y. system, so we only recruit students out of c.u.n.y. we have liaisons on all of the campuses. but what's been really, really inspiring to see is that our

recruitment for us. they see the value in the program and they're going out, they're telling their younger peers to get involved. and i think that, you know, what is probably one of the most impactful things, it's really that mentorship relationship. our mentors are young professionals. we're trying to recruit felix to be a mentor in our program now. they're young professionals, and they dedicate over 200 hours of support over the program. so the fellows see that they have one person that they know that's completely dedicated to their personal success, academic success, and professional success. >> and how do you get -- you obviously need corporate involvement with this. how do they come to be involved with the program and was that a struggle at first or did you find companies sort of lining up to be part of this? >> that's a great question. it has been really interesting to kind of see the evolution of our corporate partnerships. we rely heavily on corporate partnerships for not only financial support, but internships for our students,

recruit many volunteers from our corporate partners, and also in-kind support. so we have the workshops that we host every other saturday for about six to eight hours. we host them all around the city at corporate partner sites. so students walk into a beautiful skyscraper where they've seen it on the outside but never thought that they would belong on the inside. so we rely on corporate partnerships a lot. and in terms of the evolution, it really started out -- when i was on the board, i just went to my employer -- i was a corporate lawyer at the time. went to my employer and begged them to hire a fellow. i said, "hey, we have this new and innovative idea and model. will you take a student?" and they said, "sure. we'll do it as a favor." then we found out that corporate saying, "wow. we had a chance to meet one of your amazing students. we want more." and so we've really -- that has really helped us to develop our corporate partnerships as we expanded in new york and nationally. >> because they saw the value in the program. felix, i want to ask you -- you know, what would you tell

see right in the position you're in -- what would you tell them about this program in terms of what it would do to change their life? >> mm. and "life-changing" is exactly the way to say it. i definitely think that they need to realize that they have potential that's untapped. and what america needs you will do for them is tap into that potential and help them realize it and build that confidence. and once they hit that, you'll see that all the doors open for work. america needs you will connect that gap and put you towards your passion. >> okay. americaneedsyou.org. you can find out information... >> online. >> ...how you can help, how you can get involved. >> absolutely, yes. please visit our website. there's so many different volunteer opportunities. we are always looking for mentor coaches who can commit to two years, but even if you want to come out and visit a workshop -- and you might learn something, too. "every workshop that i attend, i learn something." we get that feedback from our mentors, too. so, join us, please. >> thank you both for being here with us this afternoon. i suspect we're gonna hear more from both of you.

>> when we come back, saving lives in jersey city. the nation's first community-based emergency medical response program. stay with us. meet the moore's! we're the moore family, and as you can see, we need an internet that can do more. we do more games, and more streaming. so we need more speed. that's why we switched to time warner cable. you can too. call now. now we can connect more devices, at the same time. the wifi in this house is amazing. so is my guacamole. hi grandma and grandpa! ha, look at that! [laughs]

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>> national ambulance response times average between 9 and 11 minutes. because every second matters in an emergency, united rescue jersey city is working to bridge that gap and save lives. it's the nation's first volunteer pre-ambulance emergency-response service. here today is rick sposa, operations coordinator for jersey city medical center e.m.s, and united rescue volunteers francis clerie and albert kwimi. thank you all for joining us this afternoon. >> thank you. >> glad to be here. >> afternoon. >> rick, you read about united rescue, and it's like, oh, my goodness, a no-brainer. how did this idea come about in jersey city? >> it truly is a no-brainer. you know, we were approached just before the holidays last year by the leadership from united rescue u.s., who had been in contact with mayor fulop in jersey city, and we were thinking about how we could

performance. while the average response time is that eight- to nine-minute mark, we were well below that average in jersey city, running about the six-minute mark -- actually a little below of the six-minute mark. but we're never afraid to innovate. >> mm-hmm. >> we always want to look to what's next, what's the new program, what's gonna bring us to the next step? and this idea really -- it fit quite well with our break-the-mold attitude in jersey city. so we really thought that we could impact those response times, and in turn patient survivability by reducing it even more, by getting a volunteer brigade of people out there. >> and to be clear, these are trained volunteers. it's not just people showing up, saying, "give me a bag," and running. they've been trained to do this. >> absolutely. all of the training was done in-house. we provided them with a 60-hour emergency medical responder course, they spent time in our ambulances and our dispatch center. they've been credentialed,

really vetted quite well. and uniformed, as well, and equipped to get there in the early stages of an emergency and make a difference. >> now, francis and albert, you are graduates of this first class, i guess, of volunteers. francis, why was this something that you felt like was a good fit for you, and you were a good fit for this volunteer brigade? >> well, i go to school at jersey city university, and i'm a biology student, so my dream is to be a doctor. so this is just like a first step or a milestone that is great for my career field as well, because i'm learning to get into interaction with people, and learning to help people more since it is in my field. >> mm-hmm. >> so it's just more of a passion that always drives me. so, when i first heard about this on my campus, angie, she had a table at my campus trying to recruit people. and right when i saw it, it just called to me. it was just to help people,

and it just came natural. >> and, albert, what about you? >> well, i am from a christian background, and the ideals of united rescue fit right into being your neighbor's keeper. it offers us the tools and the capacity to be able to watch for our neighbor, to be able to assist in case of need. so, it was a no-brainer in terms of why should i get in. it was quite a no-brainer. and also, my background, i'm also a nurse, so i have the skill available, and i can put it at the service of those who need it. >> now, but you don't have to -- both of them seem uniquely qualified to do this kind of volunteer. but you don't necessarily have to be someone that has, you know, a background. he's a student, wants to be a doctor. you're already a nurse. you don't necessarily have to have that background. >> no, the only background you need is a desire to help your neighbors. that's what we're looking for. and if you can have that desire, we'll make you the responder.

responded to an emergency yet? >> yes. >> mm-hmm. >> well, tell me about that. >> so, i had a call where there was a woman that had chest pain. so, i was with the medical center already, and i was working with them training-wise, and we went there. she had a seizure, and she was on the floor. so, of course, we went hands-on. we flipped her over. we let her go through the seizure. then we went through the whole qprs, which is a system that we learned to go through to make sure that their respiratory, the abcs, everything is going all right. we got her stabilized. we brought her to the hospital, and everything was okay. but it was the first eye-opening experience, because you see firsthand, like, all these things are going on behind closed doors, and we just learned to do it and help out. >> and the beauty of this is that they -- it's bridging. it's just bridging that between nobody get -- between getting no assistance until the ambulance

crucial. >> absolutely crucial. high-quality cpr being performed in the early minutes when a patient goes into cardiac arrest is the difference between life and death. and as quickly as an ambulance gets to a building, let's say, we lose time getting up an elevator or getting through security or those things, where if we have people in the buildings that are there already, they're gonna beat us and bridge that gap and start that cpr. >> and you connect with the volunteers. you guys all stay connected. there's an app. tell me about that app, and what you're able to do with that. >> sure. so, the nowforce app interfaces with our computerized dispatch system. so in real time, as we take calls and process them into our system, it geo-locates, it actually uses the gps in our volunteers' phones to figure out who's closest to the call, and then alerts them that there's a call going on. they can mark themselves responding to the call, they can mark themselves off at the scene. and we're able to keep in touch with them.

actually, to a full radio system in the very near future. but the app gets them to the scene quickly. >> so, kwimi, so, you're a nurse, so a lot of this you probably are familiar with -- what you learned in this class, you probably already knew a lot of it. so, you see the need for a service like this, getting to people that might otherwise not have somebody with any kind of training near them? >> absolutely. in fact, it takes about four to six minutes for brain cells to start dying, and that's paralysis in some cases. and that's the time it takes for ambulances to navigate through the traffic to get to the scene. so if you have somebody who can get there early enough, we have the chance to prevent brain cells from dying, and ultimately preventing catastrophic outcome for the patient. >> and people are -- the volunteers, walking, running, using bicycles? >> so, we're starting with >> mm-hmm. running.

we're going to expand in the very near future to bicycles, and down the road we perhaps get some motorized means of transportation, as well. >> and how -- i'm sorry. >> sure. >> how large is this initial group of volunteers? >> so, i'll be -- we were -- a pipe dream for us in year one was 100 volunteers. >> mm-hmm. >> the response was overwhelming. i believe right now, to date, we've had over 700 applicants. we've trained our first 50. right after the holidays finish up, we're gonna put our next 50 into the next set of classes. and we're gonna keep going in groups of 50 as we get them out there on the streets. >> okay. honestly, like i said to start >> it really is. >> thank you. >> and great job. >> thank you. >> great job, men. if you want to know more information about united rescue, >> yes. >> you can find out how to volunteer... >> how to volunteer, all the information you'll need. >> all right. thank you, guys, for being here. >> thank you for having us. >> still ahead on

bars -- a performing-arts

>> it's a casting call like no other, and it's not only giving inmates on rikers island a chance to showcase their talents behind bars, but it's so much more. it's run by the critically acclaimed stella adler studio of acting. joining us today is tom oppenheim, artistic director and president of stella adler studio of acting, and yolanda gonzalez, a youth manager with the program. this afternoon. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> what is the goal of this program in rikers? >> well, to give our students there the opportunity to -- through theater, to connect with the depth of their humanity. i guess that's how i'd put it in a nutshell. so, we're not out there really trying to train actors. we're utilizing acting, we're utilizing theater to give them an opportunity to connect

>> and how receptive are inmates to the idea of participating in this usually? >> you know, i mean... i think extraordinarily that come. it's voluntary, so they're not mandated to be with us, so they volunteer to be with us. but once they get there, they're receptive and enrichening. and, you know, we learn from them, through their courage and through their humanity. >> now, yolanda, you got introduced to the program while you were at rikers. >> correct. >> and were you open to it initially, or -- or...? [ both laugh ] >> one of the things is that you have to have an open mind in order to be able to participate in a program like this. such as this one, anyway. there was a lot of people who didn't want to participate, and it was hard to sign up. i said, "oh, let's give it a chance.

and my life has forever been changed. >> for participating in -- and how long was the program that you participated in? >> well, i partook for about three of their shows. >> mm-hmm. >> so, i'm just overwhelmed in joy, because in rikers, you tend to lose your humanity, who and what your worth is. back. finding my voice was one of the to me. >> now, tell me, how did this voice? >> i started writing again. i used to write poetry. again. i'm about to finish my book. >> oh, really? >> yes. and you now work with the studio outside of rikers? >> correct. >> okay. >> one of the things that they offer us is that we're -- there's an inside/outside program. >> mm-hmm. >> so, i'm forever training and

how i feel, which is one of the things that is beautiful about this program. and they offered me a job. >> mm-hmm. >> i forever am very grateful to them. >> you don't expect you'd ever be going back to rikers. >> absolutely not. [ laughs ] >> [ laughs ] okay. >> absolutely not. there. >> mm-hmm. >> that's the -- right. and to train other people over there, and find their humanity and their spirit and their sense of worth. >> what yolanda's saying, that's exactly what you hoped for. >> exactly, yeah. we discuss it all the time, how can -- through our impact and through our involvement there, how can we reduce recidivism? how can we guide our students there to believe in themselves, to commit to living positive lives? that's what it's all about, absolutely. >> now, the thing i found interesting, reading about your

into rikers, and you're getting a cast together, and they're gonna -- you're doing "pippin." >> that's right. >> you are actually -- they're the writers, they're the performers, and you put together a show with their own words. >> that's right. and we are -- you know, we're there every week. year. i mean, i have this incredibly courageous group, a passionate, dedicated group of faculty that go in there all the time, so... yeah, and then we offer texts, some of the texts. like, for example, we just did a piece with the women, and we relied heavily on the great american poet sonia sanchez. we used her poetry as an example, and so on. >> mm-hmm. >> but we also elicit their own work and their own movement, and that's right. that's right. >> look, when you say stella adler studio of acting, you're talking marlon brando... >> right. >> pacino? >> not pacino, but robert de niro and benicio del toro and

>> selma hay-- yes. >> yes. >> so, i think it really means something... >> right. >> ...that you -- there's something else, other things you could be doing. but to spend the time at rikers with people that a lot of folks have written off... >> right, right. well, you know what, everything stella lived for could be summed up in the idea, the insight that growth as an actor and growth as a human being are synonymous. and our mission is to create an environment that nurtures theater artists and audiences so that they value humanity, their own and others, as their first priority, while bringing art and education to the community. there's no reference in our mission to being a professional actor, though we, as you say, ones. but really it's about the quality of your humanity, your capacity to nurture your own

yourself as a servant... >> mm. >> ...to other people, to the humanity of others, that the theater is a powerful tool to uplift, edify humanity. so, that's who we were. >> and touch lives. >> yes, yes. >> and have you had the chance to go back as part of the program yet? >> not at this given point, but in the near future, i hope to endeavor in that. story... >> absolutely. >> ...with them. >> absolutely. there is no question about this. it is a program that should be delivered in every jail because it helps bring down the walls, it helps gratify one soul, and it helps overcome obstacles. this is a tool that you can use

and it should be shared and used. >> uh-huh. >> and just, you know -- the work we do at rikers is part of a bigger organization, the stella adler outreach division, yeah, and we are virtually at every station on the school-to-prison pipeline. so, we're in middle schools in the south bronx, we're in high schools. we have an after-school program for inner-city kids that come to us, and that's what yolanda's the manager of. >> okay. >> we work with phoenix house, which is a drug-rehabilitation program. tonight we'll be at rikers working with young adult males. next friday, the 18th, we'll be presenting work in the twin towers in los angeles, the l.a. county jail. so, it's a vast... >> network. >> it's a vast network, yeah. and the point of it is to say you matter. and i feel like that's -- theater does that in an extraordinary way.

you matter. you count. and when you bring it to people who have lived lives where they've gotten the exact opposite message in their neighborhoods, in their schools, and so on -- "you don't matter. your voice doesn't matter." -- it is an -- you feel its power in a way i think stella would've been absolutely delighted by. as, by the way, with marlon and benicio del toro and all those -- >> as equally gratified. >> yes, yes. >> thank you both for joining us this afternoon. and you can go to stellaadler.com to find out more information about some of your other outreach endeavors. >> indeed. yes, yes. >> thank you both. >> thank you so much. >> still to come on "here and now," a dancer's dream realized, thanks in part to a

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>> dwana smallwood is a former principle dancer with the alvin ailey american dance theater, now sharing her gift in a different way. what started as an invitation from oprah winfrey turned into a $500,000 donation to a dancer's dream. "eyewitness news" anchor sade baderinwa has more. >> mother, mother, mother >> oh my goodness, what a journey. from green avenue down the street to right now? it's been an extraordinary journey. >> one that took dwana smallwood from the streets of bed-stuy to performing around the world as one of the premier dancers for alvin ailey's elite dance company for 12 years. she is considered one of the best modern dancers since judith jamison and mikhail baryshnikov. her power, her grace -- electrifying. >> even though alvin ailey is, like, the biggest company in the world, and that was the only place i wanted to dance, what i was thinking, "is that my life's

to perform? >> and that could be enough for some, but not for dwana. so when life came knocking at her door once again, she did as she always did. she danced her way to the next opportunity, this time appearing on "the oprah winfrey show." but that performance morphed into so much more. >> i said, "please, would you go to my school in south africa and teach my girls what you know?" >> and she did, her passion taking new form as a teacher. but what was supposed to be a one-week stay at the school... >> first i was begging for a a year. >> ...turned into a four-year odyssey, with lessons that for dwana. >> i could reach young people. i could figure out what was going on with a young woman, and i could help her to recognize the brilliance within her. >> she came in to teach dance, but she taught them about life. >> with her mission accomplished

calling her back. >> 'cause i truly love brooklyn, and i love bed-stuy. >> but she returned with a gift... >> and chest, and eye, and hold. >> ...opening the dwana smallwood performing arts center in the very neighborhood where she grew up, a neighborhood long battered by crime, poverty and drugs. >> there is another choice. there is another way. you know, there are other options. >> people who care about me, and i know can protect me. >> joining us now to tell us more about her performing arts center, dwana smallwood. >> hello. >> what a pleasure to meet you. >> oh, thank you so much. thank you for having me. >> you have truly turned that passion into dance into a life's work. you got to feel blessed, lucky. >> i feel blessed, lucky... blessed and lucky times five. yes, i do.

i know that you wanted to have that school in brooklyn where you're from. is it as wonderful a thing as you expected? >> it is, actually, and so much more. so much more. didn't realize how quickly it would metamorphize into something magnificent, and bring joy to so many people and so many families. >> 4,000-square-foot space? >> yes. 4,000 square feet. >> how many students now? >> right now we have about... roughly 102 students. >> mm-hmm. what is it about dance that's so captivated you, and makes you believe that it can be life-changing for -- not only for young dancers, but also for your community? >> yes. for my community -- well, for me personally, i felt like dance was that thing that helped me to block out the noise of the world. as i was growing up, there were so many influences that weren't

and i needed a way to distract those things so i could stay focused on what i wanted and what i needed, because it was so far-fetched from what i was actually experiencing in my life. and so dance was that thing that gave me a voice, that gave me power, that made me feel like anything was possible. >> mm-hmm. >> i could just go away and exist in another place, in another body, in another realm. and so i felt like my community, when i returned back to brooklyn from living in south africa, they needed something to block out the noise of the world. 'cause right now, what's going on in the world is a lot of noise and distraction from our true divinity, our true calling as individuals. and so what is it in our individual lives that helps us to, you know, block out that noise? and for me, it was dance. and so what greater thing to bring to my community, was that gift that i received? >> now, oprah is fond of saying, you know, you got to find your

>> mm-hmm. >> and i suspect -- it's proof, i think, the fact that she's supported you and hired you... >> mm-hmm. >> ...that you -- she recognized that you had done that, and that you were using your passion to >> yes. i like to call it my oxygen, the thing that allows you to breathe. it challenges you. it motivates you. it dictates, you know, where life. and, yes, she truly is supporting more than just the dance, but the need to reach into a young child and help them to see their own gifts and their own possibilities. >> now, you said that being -- you spent four years in south africa. >> mm-hmm. >> that that changed your life as well. >> oh, it did. it truly did change my life. you know, you think you're giving, you know, and then all of a sudden, you are immersed with young women who need so

holding their hand or giving them a big hug. they actually need, you know, your advice, your guidance. they need direction. they need answers. and they need to be told the truth, and they need to be respected. and so in south africa, i really learned how to give of myself without receiving or expecting anything in return. >> and you did get a lot in return, not knowing it. >> oh, yes. >> a generous financial gift from oprah that allowed you to realize that dream in brooklyn. >> yes. i had no idea. now, i did not go there expecting that at all. i went there giving and giving and giving, because what she was doing in south africa requires a great amount of people. and people with the same type of passion and understanding that education could possibly -- is the tomorrow for so many young women, to be seated at the table of change. and so that's why i went there. so, to come out of it with her saying, you know, "i believe you.

you keep going." >> $500,000? >> more than $500,000. >> oh, okay. you want me to get out of your business or are you gonna tell me? >> oh, no, no, no. i won't tell you. >> [ laughs ] okay. >> [ laughs ] i won't tell. but it's -- it was beyond generous, because it goes far beyond the dollar. it's about the belief. someone believing that -- not just in me, but in my mission to use dance as a tool to help bridge the gap between knowing who you are and knowing what your purpose is. and my community is desperate -- is in desperate need of some type of not saving, but reconnecting to theirselves and their purpose. >> and how do you become a student at your performing arts center? >> oh, you just register. you can call us at 718-443-9800 or you can go on our website, dwanasmallwoodpac.org. and you can register for

can come for open classes. we have classes for ages 3 to 18. we have a youth ensemble who do not pay. >> mm-hmm. >> we also have classes for adults. >> okay. now, is it because of that generous gift and other donations that you can offer these things to these young people? >> well, the young people that are enrolled, most of them, they do pay. >> mm-hmm. >> and we do have fundraisers so we can raise money for scholarships. so, we've given out about 16 scholarships so far, you know, which is amazing to me, because i remember what a scholarship did for me when i went attended the alvin ailey american dance theater. so, to now be able to give out a scholarship because of other donors -- you know, people giving $20, $50 -- you know, know? >> yeah, it makes a difference. >> it makes a huge difference in a young person's life. >> now, has oprah had a chance to visit the school yet? are you looking forward to it? >> no, not yet. to it. i want to make her proud. i want her to know that we are,

desert that we exist in now into a cultural mecca. and so -- and we're doing right by her principles and her money donation. >> now, we're gonna send people >> yes. >> you can find out more about the performing arts center, and how to donate? >> yes, and how to donate. you can go on -- we have a globalgiving campaign running to raise money for books and for more scholarships for youth in the community. we also have a paypal account. we have a "donate now" on every page. so there are ways. and when in doubt, you can always mail a check. >> all right. dwana smallwood. best of luck. but i think luck is on your side. whole lot of hard work as well, though. >> thank you very much. thank you.

>> thanks for joining us on "here and now." if you missed any portion of today's show, you can watch at abc7ny. and if you'd like to comment or share your story, e-mail us at abc7ny or follow us on facebook and twitter. i'm sandra bookman. happy holidays. >> oooh, ooh oooh, ooh >> do you hear what i hear? >> do you hear what i hear? >> do you see what i see? >> do you see what i see?

>> do you hear what i hear? >> do you hear what i hear?