On Tuesday, June 4, the Hustle PHX team, powered by AmeriCorps AZ, continued their journey with 12 justice-involved youth, becoming the next generation of (restorative) Hustlers through the all new YEP 101 course.

To kick things off, our CEO, Oye Waddell, opened up the night, touching on the backstory of Hustle PHX and letting the cohort know that they were the type of people that he initially had in mind when founding the organization all those years ago. He thanked them for being present and let them know that theirs was the first YEP 101 pitch night. After that, he pumped up the energy in the room with the infamous “rhythmic clap” that’s usually done at the start of our events, and then he handed the mic off to the MC of the night, our very own Vanessa May.

Disclaimer: before we get into the pitches, I would like to inform you that several members of the cohort actually band together for their business ideas; two members for one, and five members for another.

For the pitches, each youth would go up in turn and present their pitches (as they did in the previous weeks). With that being said, here are the pitches: 

The first pitch was from a member of one of the groups, and the name of the business that they came up with was called: Enterprise Entertainment. The youth presenting will be responsible for design and landscape management, construction and also managing the business’ social media accounts. One piece of information they shared about themself is that dedication keeps them busy. This business seeks to provide the community with a safe place of fun and entertainment for families. It also seeks to be a source of jobs, even offering to pay for the education of individuals that work with them for a certain amount of time.

Following our opening pitch came from a youth who wanted to be a welder. The reason for this is because they want a hands-on job that pays well so that they won’t have to live from paycheck to paycheck. In order to achieve this dream, they shared that they were looking for a welding school. They also shared that they are a very determined and hardworking person, as benefits for their potential employer.

The next pitch was for an electrical company. They spoke about their “why”, sharing that they grew up in houses that didn’t have the best electrical work, did electrical work when they were young with their family, and always wanted to do electrical work and carry on the family business. They then highlighted the benefits of fees that would not be extremely expensive and also mobile services, in conjunction with a fixed location.

Another member of Enterprise Entertainment was up to the stage, he would be serving as the manager, making sure that everything is running smoothly and functioning correctly. They went into some of the origin of the business, explaining that it was created by a group of friends that had a shared interest in entertainment while they were locked up. They shared that a change was needed in the community and that they wanted to help people stay out of trouble. Some of the things that they will be offering include: batting cages, go karts, food, drinks and live music.

A member of the second group went up to pitch their brand, Wanted & Wasted. They want to make street wear that’s  high-quality, comfortable, affordable, available for all ages and also that people will love. They then spoke about their “why”, letting the audience know that they wanted to change their image, garnering positive publicity as opposed to negative publicity.

Another member of Enterprise Entertainment took the stage and began advertising a weekly deal on food and sharing that they would be serving as the head chef. They elaborated on their role, sharing that they would be responsible for cooking all different types of food and providing drinks. They then shared some of the business’ goals, which included being a “happy and affordable place for families to have fun”, as well as a source for job opportunities. They also shared information about planned locations and even let the audience know that they have plans to expand around the world.

The next pitch came from the founder and head chef of a restaurant that would be serving farm fresh, Puertorican, Mexican and American food, and also desserts such as cookies and pastries. This came about because the youth presenting found out that they had a passion to cook at a young age. They shared that the brokenness they seek to address is people going to sleep hungry and being homeless (which they said breaks their heart). They also listed several positions that they were seeking to fill, showcasing their restaurant as a source for jobs as well.

After our last pitch we heared from a business called Housing 4 Everyone. This would be a business that helps those in need of housing; and came about because the youth presenting never lived in a newer and nicer home, and always moved from house to house. This business will be easy to work with, and also serve as a source for jobs, where a lot of experience won’t be necessary and the starting wage will be $20/hr.

The following pitch came from the second member of the business duo Wanted & Wasted. This youth would serve as the marketing director. This was because they themself loved street fashion but weren’t able to afford it. They then reiterated about the brand being affordable, family friendly and having all types of clothing

The next pitch came from another member of Enterprise Entertainment. A key piece of information they shared about themself is that they love hustling and restoring what’s missing in the community. They then shared some more of what their business would have to offer, including things like gaming, laser tag, boxing, self-defense tournaments and also a weekly food deal (the same as mentioned earlier by the head chef). They also went into the business’ backstory reiterating that it came from a group of friends that wanted to change their lives and had the same experiences. Their goal is to make an affordable entertainment center for families and they also plan to spread around the world.

The next pitch came from a youth that wants to be a truck driver, transporting goods around the country. The reason for this is because they were inspired by a family member. They shared that in order to accomplish this, they would need a CDL and a certain amount of training. They also shared some benefits for potential employer(s) and that they can exceed their expectations.

The next and final pitch came from the last member of Enterprise Entertainment. What they offer: a chance to have family fun, which includes things like go karts, trampolines and rock climbing, as well as food. They explained that the inspiration for their business name came from the unit they were a part of. They also talked about their “why”, sharing that they met peers that came from bad places, with negative influences like drugs and other things. They then gave a location, sharing that they have plans to expand, and also shared that there will be fundraising (in response to a question from the audience).

After that, the MC came back to the stage to deliver a speech on the topic of Hope Outside the System. She started off with the question, “What do you believe in?”, to which she gave the answer to the cohort beforehand, “Me.” She shared that she used to be just like the cohort growing up and how in spite of that, someone still believed in her and she didn’t know why. As a result of these things, she shared that every member of the cohort is her passion, and also wanted to express the same belief in them that she had experienced in her youth. She encouraged them to believe in themselves and also let them know that the Hustle team believes in them as well; regardless of if they mess up. She then shared that messing up is a part of believing, giving a personal and practical example, in the form of rotten fruit, explaining that while some fruit may be rotten on the outside, it can still carry the potential for growth via the seed(s) on the inside. She shared some more of her story and then closed, reemphasizing the Hustle team’s belief in the cohort.

13 weeks (plus 1 due to a change in the schedule), 16 youths (12 in the end), 2 good volunteer facilitators, and a number of partners, donors, and funders. What a journey this has been! At the start of all of this, I told you not to close the book on these youths but rather asked for your help with continuing their stories. So to all who did so, thank you! But I believe we can take it a step further this time. Rather than just helping Hustle, or even these specific youths, why not also help others? This may be a part of our mission, but that doesn’t mean that it solely belongs to us or that you even have to be a part of the team in order to do something about it (and not that any of you believe that). I encourage you to join or carry on this mission from the outside. I hope that you walk away from this set of stories with a newfound and/or reignited sense of indignation to not give up or turn your back on the demographic of youth in this country that our society (to whom it may apply) tends to deem worthless. Just because one judge made a ruling on their childhoods doesn’t mean that we have to make a ruling on their lives (disclaimer: not saying that it wasn’t earned, and no offense to any judges out there). So you know what I say: let the stories continue! We alone at Hustle can’t reach everyone, but with your help, we can reach more. And because of that, I leave you with a question: What’s a way in which you can offer help, guidance, light, and/or support to one justice-involved youth out there?

To the Adobe Mountain School facility, thanks for having us! And to the first graduates of the all-new YEP 101 course at the Adobe Mountain School, congratulations! 

May there not only be more graduations from within that facility, but also others!

To all our volunteers, supporters, donors, and funders, thank you!

And to those who would like to become a part of this mission, press the button below:

This publication was made possible by the Arizona Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) through grant number 24AC265250. The views, opinions, or policies expressed belong solely to the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the GOYFF.