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June is Pride Month and it is a time for celebrating the things that make us each unique. This month, we acknowledge those who have advocated for equality and equity for all people. LGBTQ+ people have historically faced many challenges and, although there have been great strides in the past few decades, many people are still fighting to protect their rights. Take time this month to learn about the people who pioneered the LGBTQ+ Pride Movement and those who continue the fight.

All kids can benefit from having a defender of potential, and it is important to acknowledge those who are willing to help others around them find success. This month Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will highlight members of the LGBTQ+ community who have helped others reach their full potential. Find out how you can become a mentor and defend the potential of all youth in your local area by becoming a Big. 

Bayard Rustin

One of the most influential civil rights activists of the 1960s, Bayard Rustin fought for the rights of all citizens. As a close friend and advisor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he became the main organizer of the March on Washington and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Rustin was a fierce advocate of racial equality, but he was also a member of the gay community and spent his life contributing to the gay rights movement. Although he was jailed in 1953 for being gay, he never stopped working to guarantee equal rights for all people.

When Rustin died in 1987, he left behind a legacy of peacefully protesting for equality. In 2013, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for his efforts and was pardoned of his conviction in 2020.

Janet Mock

New York Times best-selling author Janet Mock has made history over and over. As a transgender woman of color, Mock has broken through countless barriers to become one of the most influential people in the entertainment industry.

In 2018 she was the first transgender woman of color to write and direct a television episode. Additionally, she signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix, becoming the first transgender woman of color to sign a deal with a major content company.

A native of Hawaii, Mock received her master’s degree in Journalism from New York University, going on to write for People Magazine and Marie Claire before publishing her best-selling book Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More.

She has since gone on to be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and was a speaker for the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. Mock hopes her work will “empower people and equip them to tell their own stories.” She will continue to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized communities, using her influence to ensure all people are equal.

Carl Nassib

Carl Nassib grew up playing football with his father and brother in his home state of Pennsylvania. He later played defensive end for Penn State before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2016. He quickly became a starter, playing 14 games as a rookie. After his time with the Browns, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons as a starter for 17 games. He was then traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 where he became the first active player in NFL history to publicly come out.

During Pride Month 2021 Nassib released a statement on his Instagram account coming out as gay, and his jersey quickly became the top-seller in the NFL. He also pledged $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to helping LGBTQ youth with crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. By the end of that week, The Trevor Project had received over $225,000 in donations.

Since then, Nassib has received support from the NFL, his teammates, and the entire Raiders organization. He continued to play for the Raiders and made the game-winning strip-sack in his first game as an openly gay player. Nassib remains an advocate for LGBTQ players in sports, hoping that one day it won’t make headlines when players come out.

Jane Castor

As the 59^th Mayor of the City of Tampa, Jane Castor has made history countless times. After growing up in Tampa, Castor played basketball and volleyball for the University of Tampa and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame. She has since gone back to school, earning her master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy University.

After graduating with a degree in criminology Castor joined the Tampa Police Department and became its first female Chief of Police in 2009. After serving in the police department for over 30 years, Castor decided to run for mayor. When she was elected mayor in 2019, she became the first openly lesbian Mayor in city history.

Castor is a former Big Sister and has participated in the Over the Edge fundraising event, demonstrating her commitment to help the city of Tampa reach it’s full potential. She continues to work tirelessly for the city, ensuring that Tampa is a city of equality and equity for all.

Additional Learning Resources

• Pride Reading List | Brightly.com has curated a list of 30 age-appropriate books for kids and teens about Pride. Click here to see the list.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders throughout history. Throughout history, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have overcome challenges and have helped those who come after them to rise as well. Take time this month to learn about the rich and diverse heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have paved the way for those around them.

All kids can benefit from having a defender of potential, and it is important to acknowledge those who are willing to help others around them find success. This month Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will highlight Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have helped others reach their full potential. Find out how you can become a mentor and defend the potential of all youth in your local area by becoming a Big. 

Dr. Margaret “Mom” Chung

Dr. Margaret “Mom” Chung was born and raised in California and became the first female Chinese American physician during a time of extreme discrimination toward Asian Americans.

When World War II broke out, Dr. Chung started hosting American soldiers, politicians, and actors for dinners. In her autobiography she recalls a pilot telling her “Gee, you are as understanding as a mother, and we are going to adopt you,” and Dr. Chung became “Mom”.

During the Sino-Japanese War, Mom volunteered as a front-line surgeon for the Chinese, and recruited the American-Chinese pilot unit known as the “Flying Tigers”.

Mom went on to support efforts to allow for greater inclusion of women in the United States military, using her connections formed at her dinners, eventually creating Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. She died in 1959, leaving behind over 1500 “children” including John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, and Amelia Earhart.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Born in California to a black father and Samoan mother, Johnson grew up around professional wrestlers who taught him that showing emotions wasn’t masculine.

After a college football career that ended with no teams selecting him in the draft, Johnson fell into a deep depression with no tools to get out of it.

Once Johnson started therapy, he realized the benefits of having someone to talk to and explains that “the key is to not be afraid to open up.” Johnson is now the highest paid actor in the world and credits his success to being true to himself.

Johnson has since become an advocate for mental health awareness, encouraging others, particularly men, to find someone they can talk to.

Mindy Kaling and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

When Mindy Kaling rose to fame on “The Office” she was one of the first mainstream Asian Americans in Hollywood. She has since been a champion for other Asian Americans breaking into the industry, particularly young women.

Kaling met Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on the set of her show “Never Have I Ever” which is loosely based on Kaling’s life as the daughter of Indian immigrants in Massachusetts.

Kaling discusses her mentorship of young women, including Ramakrishnan, explaining that she wants young women of color to say, “Oh yeah, Mindy Kaling was my mentor.” Ramakrishnan has echoed the sentiments, oftentimes expressing her gratitude for the help Kaling has offered her.

As the show has progressed, Ramakrishnan has collaborated with Kaling on plot points and character arcs for “Never Have I Ever” allowing for the young actress to gain vital experience to further her career.

Match Activities

Attend:

• Monday, May 16, 2022, 6 p.m Online | The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC) museum shares Asian Pacific American history, art, and culture through innovative museum experiences online and throughout the United States. Click here to register.

•  Monday, May 16th, 2022 | Multicultural Social: Asian Pacific American Culture| Enjoy delicious food from around the globe! Safety Harbor Museum & Cultural Center, 329 Bayshore Blvd. S., Safety Harbor, 34695

Read:

• The Hillsborough County library has a great selection of books from AAPI voices for all ages. Click here to see the list.
• The history of Asian Americans is deeply intertwined together with all of America’s history. The online lesson plans provided here offer age-appropriate K–12 learning and activity items.

Watch:

• Mindy Kaling’s shares her perspectives on launching her own production company, Kaling International. Click here to watch the video or read the Time article.

Helping your Little identify, understand, and learn how to better manage their emotions can be an important part of your relationship, especially if they are getting in trouble for emotional outbursts at home or in school.

Experiencing anger is a normal part of everyday life.  It plays a positive role in identifying where there may be a problem or a need that is not being met, yet students must learn how to deal with anger appropriately.  Many students suffer daily emotional stress and frustrations, especially if they are experiencing family issues, which can boil over at school and cause them to get in trouble and struggle
socially and academically. Failing to deal effectively with strong emotions can lead to problems not just now, but also later in life, including a host of health problems.

You can help your Little learn to manage his or her emotions constructively by providing a safe space to discuss their feelings and by acting as a positive role model. You may be the one person they can talk to without feeling judged, and it is important to try to see things from their perspective and validate their experience, regardless of how you may initially perceive it. As you likely know, it can be very hard to think rationally when in the grip of strong emotions, so first give your Little a chance to simply express what they feel and practice your reflective listening.  Reflective listening is a communication strategy involving two key steps: seeking to understand your Little’s idea, then stating the idea back to your Little to confirm the idea has been understood correctly.

Once they feel understood and more relaxed you can help them name the emotion, try to identify the cause of the emotion, explore what the emotion felt like physically, and then problem-solve the best ways to respond to that emotion when they experience it again. This will help them gain a better understanding of why they experience these emotions in the first place, recognize what the emotions feel like so they can identify them in the future before they boil over, and have several appropriate responses prepared so they handle emotional situations correctly and avoid getting in trouble.

Just by being an outlet for them to talk about their emotions you are probably already well on your way to influencing your Little for the better.

It’s pretty simple.

By building a trusting friendship with your Little you can have a positive impact on their life. It may not be immediately noticeable, but you are planting seeds and cultivating future effects. That’s what it’s all about.

Here are some additional thoughts on making a difference with your Little:

Showing up consistently and sharing activities together (events, having lunch, just talking) is the biggest factor in forming a positive relationship with your Little.
Simply focusing on your Little’s interests and having fun together will build connection.
Learn about your Little; their experiences, background, and family traditions play an important role in who they are.
Deciding what activities to do together fosters a stronger relationship.
By being there you are making a difference even if you don’t think you are. If you’re ever concerned about not making a difference, talk it over with your Match Support Specialist. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay provides you with support and resources as a volunteer.

Remember, the success and power of mentoring are not about one mentoring session or conversation.

It is about building trust over time and allowing Littles to express themselves, ask questions, and know that they are heard, seen, and valued for who they are and what they believe.

GET STARTED AS A BIG BY ATTENDING A BIG ORIENTATION & TRAINING SESSION. WE HAVE UPCOMING IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE.