on this episode now we shine a spotlight on the african american cultural collaborative mercer county an organization whose mission is to educate empower and unite through health wellness sports cultural arts and entertainment state soon and learn more trek now starts now my home is trenton but you think that means get o today i have three wonderfully dynamic women meeting with me to talk about the african american cultural collaborative of mercer county i know that was a mouthful but i'm listening when you hear what these ladies have to say you'll be quite e began to talk about the whole mission and vision of the festival ok and we spoke about how we not only do a festival right but we do or use force we have done it gallo we have done our exhibit i was crying yes because the festival is our baby right and the festival is not going on we're going to do it in twenty seventeen ok you know we had to take a step back as an organization to really look at where we're going in the next three to five years and this is a part of host of teaching planning process ok good good solid get what you thoughts about it well as a newbie to the way anything to do with their with the laugh a little harder is that we are collaborating with some idea you know you've been doing this for a while why not include that into this year's festival so i thought it was a great idea so before here we're going to have a awesome comedy show ok then have a d day play in between and then we're going to have an awesome entertainment afterwards so it will be for a night of comedy and jazz nice nice ok ok so now nice thank you so howlett the newbie on the block no but you know i've seen you now about you know your contributions are great events and activities that you participated and i see you always give one hundred percent as to make it happen and so for your leadership and for your dedication to every mission has been set before you i say thank you right for all that you do so now let's get down to the collaborative right of mercer county and as you look at it right you're new aren't spearing in what do you hope to see come from all of this i've heard what you guys intend to do which you would like to see but just from you'll be in new in right sense since it was birthed and delivered already and now it's coming you know into true wishing with this awesome idea what do you hope to see come for the people of the city well one of the things i found interesting is in addition to just looking at the culture on the first little side of it these ladies have a vision that spreads while really far beyond that one of the things that we're looking to do  hopefully incorporate internships for some of our students not into the collaborative we're also looking to launch the collab cave which will be a one stop shop for mall activities and things going on in our county on richmond of our community and i think that is what really attracted me to want to assist these ladies is just a vision in a global young life to explore both the career aspects that may be existing within the organization in terms of the comfort zone to know no risk and chances and you know branching out and reaching out to the partners and a lot of them have been really receptive so it's been awesome experience or you are good and the thing that i like is the fact that outside of just having the festival in the park by you having different events it actually gives people more to look forward to right hopefully will help some other things to kind of dive down right now with the hopefully the negative would move right to the sad because if you give people opportunity right then they're less likely to be distracted by other things so i saw that wonderful too right so now yes more than just the festival yes right looking to go beyond the boundaries go have a little comedy a little bit of fun for you what does the collaborative mean to you again to finally say it's just having outreach and if you just much as well keeping the negativity from trenton down as i said before we are at in a rough we have some amazing talented people here in trenton new jersey and people need to be seen and medias but we just want to be positive to have our outside people look at trenton there's some stuff going on my son business business isn't around we are competing with philadelphia new york we're in between we're very small city but we are an amazing city and people need to see that nice mines ok and that's our shifting it right what does all of this mean i mean i know from when you first got it in your hands to watch and you build it  right what now does this mean to you my did you think it would even come to this are you just like or are you like yes like like what what what what does it mean to you we had a newcomer come in new volunteer kiki on jones ok and he made a comment the other day it was like you guys email like a text message and i keep up i can't keep up i was like please don't run away you know i say you will get used to this entire process but for me extending to mercer county it just makes me want to work harder and i know they're as a team we have some very very strong executive board members in brooklyn about two weeks ago and i saw it is a big huge arts and culture center right in the center of the city and you know my head i'm just like that's going to be the african american culture collaborative mercer county one day and so each year we' aim to do better each year we're going to take a look at our weaknesses our strengths and hopefully we can take this organization to where it where i know it can go ok ok so now the minding our business program i'm very familiar with the cabin where the men doctor and this was soon to retire mark my daughter was a part of that program excellent program the entrepreneur entrepreneurial piece of bringing the youth into i commend you for looking to even do that because that is very important to get the children ready for job readiness and things like that to get their hands involved in it so if they wanted to if they do this they're involved do they get certificates i sa participated do they get community service hours what is it you know that the kids would get from the experience or the this is not the first year that we work with mine in our business ok he's young people come out every year to the festival and then brave head up to fifty youth run active festival selling their product right right the purpose of them being involved at the museum events is not particularly to give them an award or certificate maybe just something that we can you graduated from m i t he ran for mayor of baltimore and now he's doing great things in newark and he's an entrepreneur so just to have him there speaking to the junk people and let in and then know that there are no limits to what to reach the audience ok just first listen i'm sure that it will be just fine so that if people want to get a contract with you to volunteer to give some money to find out what's going on how do they reach out and find you well we have a website is that t a a c f that com ok they can call us at six o nine four seven four four zero seven three ok our e mail address is trenton a pride tell everybody what you're going to get and you know everybody you know we want to leave a message we want to learn to know something really special why do they even want to participate why they want to come out why should they take part in what th city of trying to and we are expanding beyond the park beyond just the first the wall and we are trying to bring things into the city that would actually offer some enlightenment in richmond and a sense of community ok back to the basics is the first step we w folks to come out have a good time to enjoy themselves well want to come out in a laugh at the comedy show and then we're also going to do impairment the music which is the gospel fest on august twenty eighth ok so we just want folks to have something to look forward to like he said in the city of e club that's over there that's the beauty leadership within the boys and girls club that look to participate in different events in and around the city in and around mercer county so minding your business is  i want to just to pick with helen said ok we are just trying to reach out to our community and beyond and as i said we have so many races and diversity here  want to bring everyone together ok we all get along but agree to disagree right you just want to have him come out learn some things about your history some people that you wouldn't normally me ok over and say hello once in a while walking do it to the best of my ability and people have smiles on their faces they have an amazing time the only difference in what we're doing this year it will bring downtown ok they can come in and enjoy themselves the same way they did in the park and they can enjoy themselves downtown and they will mercer county wonder who will listen ladies i want to thank you for coming here to talk with me or i'm sure and that we appreciate your time we'll look forward to seeing some great things coming from the collaborative as you move forward