i'm khiashl jennings. today we're talking about empowering bay area young people through mentoring and what a powerful example of a young man with strength and determination to start off our show. special thanks to joshua merchant. she poet from a local organization youth speaks. also joining us is founder and executive director of youth speaks. i'm so happy to have both of you here. >> james, started this program, 16 years ago? >> why did you do that? >> i thought it was important to create a space to find their voices and be taken seriously. one of our missions is giving people an opportunity for their voice to matter. so we give them opportunities to be heard to prepare them and taken seriously. >> how did you see that change of empowering them? >> i see young people find who they are and be proud of their identity and change they can make in the world and voice matters. i think it's hard to really feel you matter, you are being silenced. when you recognize your voice as power, you have power. >> and jo