Today we’d like to introduce you to Dasha Crosby.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dasha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Owning and operating a nonprofit has always been my dream. I wanted an organization that creates a village of support around our youth and their families. Growing up in the inner city, my path was not traditional but it was a path that shaped my character and view of the world, which ultimately drove me to begin Youth Going Above & Beyond (Y.G.A.B.). I had my first child when I was a sophomore in college, and if it wasn’t for the community (that included nonprofit organizations, family, and friends), I wouldn’t have been able to finish my Bachelor’s Degree, let alone graduate Magna Cum Laude. After that, I wanted to create an organization that served young people who’ve experienced the joys and struggles of life. I want young people to have the tools they need to overcome any obstacle and lead others. And I believe all young people should have access to these tools no matter their race, ethnicity, class, gender identity, or sexuality.
When we started Y.G.A.B. two years ago, we created two programs: Dream Big Dreams and Hear Her Roar. Dream Big Dreams served our local homeless youth by offering fun activities during holiday breaks and a goal-setting curriculum. Hear Her Roar hosts an annual teen girl summit where the focus is self-care, self-love, and self-confidence. We are also excited to be partnering with Comerica Bank and Uplift Education to launch a six-month digital branding program that teaches our youth the best ways to leverage technology and social media in their every day lives, as well as in preparation for college and career. This program educates young people on the proper way to use social media while being safe online. We are thrilled to bring this program to our local schools!
I’m now partnering with several organizations as a motivational speaker and it’s been an unbelievable journey! I speak to youth groups, young adults, and adults who are fully ‘adulting’ about youth empowerment, living your purpose, the need for women of color in leadership and equal opportunity, as well as the importance of mental health in minority communities. It has been an incredible adventure and the future is bright!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never a smooth road when trying to create and manage a business. For new nonprofit organizations, it is particularly challenging to secure consistent funding. It’s vital for us to meet and partner with people who share our passion and believe in our mission. This makes all the difference in the world for the kids in our programs!
It was also challenging for me to create boundaries around office hours. Because I’m so passionate about this work, I would answer emails, take calls, create curriculum, and plan events into the evening and on the weekends. Being a wife and mother of five, this took away from the time I spent with the people who matter the most to me. I’m a work-in-progress but I think I’m getting better at creating a practice of shutting down all electronics.
I appreciate every challenge because each comes with a great lesson.
I strongly believe that being challenged is the only way we learn, and we grow the most when we’re uncomfortable. I’m getting used to being uncomfortable! I’m thankful that I’m challenged every day as the Founder and Executive Director of Y.G.A.B. It tells me we’re making impactful progress toward the future we want to create for our young people.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Y.G.A.B.’s mission is to inspire youth of all backgrounds to dream big through educational programs that build strong minds, healthy bodies, resilient spirits, and kind hearts. We do this by providing life skills training that enhances the social-emotional development of every child. By building our youth’s emotional intelligence, we are accomplishing our mission to empower the next generation of leaders. I have a passion to see others thrive, and my purpose is to help kids thrive.
We are currently known for our Selfie Workshop. We host this workshop annually for teen girls ages 13-17 years old. This is one of our most innovative projects as we’ve taken the traditional idea of the “selfie” and transformed the concept to encourage young ladies to look inward at their best characteristics. We bring in incredible speakers that talk about the importance of self-care, self-love, and how to build self-confidence! This event is presented by our Hear Her Roar program where our mantra is “I am Woman. Hear Me Roar!”. This empowers young ladies to use their voice, protect themselves, and unleash their full potential!
We are set apart because we have a diverse Board of Directors that each bring their unique skill set when enhancing our programs. We are proud that our Board reflects the demographics of the communities we serve. Also, our workshops are unique because they serve the entire family. Parents are given workshops with their children on empathy, emotional well-being, and financial literacy. We want to strengthen the entire family unit!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
It’s tough to narrow this down to one! Most of my favorite memories are around the holidays, specifically Thanksgiving. My aunts and cousins made the kitchen sing with sweet aromas of dressing, collard greens, mac-n-cheese, yams, and so much more. I’m getting hungry thinking about it! It’s always nice spending a day with family that doesn’t have an agenda, just eat, play games, and enjoy each other’s presence.
Teen Summit Sponsorship Opportunities:
- Annual Event Presenting Sponsor (exclusive opportunity): $10,000
- Empowering Girls Sponsor: $5,000
- Self-Confidence Sponsor: $2,500
- Self-Care Sponsor: $1,500
- Self-Love Sponsor: $500
- Group Participant Sponsor: $250
- Individual Participant Sponsor: $100
- In-Kind Sponsor: $25
- There are also funding opportunities to bring our Digital Branding curriculum to as many students across Dallas. Please feel free to use the contact information below to request additional information.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1079 W Round Grove Rd
Suite 300-527
Lewisville, TX 75067 - Website: www.ygab.org
- Phone: 972-342-2253
- Email: dasha@ygab.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we_r_ygab/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ygabinc/
Image Credit:
Delta Gems, The LABP Lens, The Evolution Group, Tabitha’s TEAnagers.
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