Know Dumb Questions
Know Dumb Questions
KNOW DUMB QUESTIONS FT Teej Mercer
Have you ever wondered what happens to foster youth who age out of the system without a safety net? Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Teej Mercer, the inspiring founder of Moving Day Mafia, who has dedicated her life to supporting students entering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that face severe financial hardships or lack a stable home. She shares the stirring story of how an encounter with a young woman aging out of foster care propelled her to create this nonprofit in a matter of just 52 days. We explore the myriad challenges these students face as they transition into college life, from being suddenly left on their own at 18 to overcoming significant financial obstacles. Learn how Moving Day Mafia has rallied community support, raising over a million dollars through HBCU bingo, to make a tangible difference in these students' lives.
Teej Mercer takes us deeper into the personalized efforts of Moving Day Mafia, ensuring that each scholar feels genuinely cared for and valued. Drawing from her own experience of being lovingly cared for by her mother, Teej Mercer discusses the meticulous care packages tailored to each student's unique needs, easing their stress so they can focus on their education. We touch on the importance of building trust with students who are not used to asking for help and the emotional impact of personalized dorm room makeovers that create a sense of belonging and security. Join us as we highlight the incredible compassion and resilience of these young individuals and call upon the community to support Moving Day Mafia, helping to ensure every student receives the support they need to thrive in their educational journey.
We are live. It is time for the main event of the evening. Welcome to no Dumb Questions. We're the smartest person in the room. It's not the one with all the answers, it's the one with the best questions. And tonight I'm very excited because we're going to have a guest who I don't know and I wanted to find out more about what she does. What's happening, cuz there you are, sis, all right, all right, all right, there we go. That's you. I'm not hearing you, baby. Can you hear me? I can hear you, just fine, you can't hear me. I'm waiting for you. So, as Sister Mercer gets a sound on bound, I'm excited to talk to her tonight.
Speaker 1:All right all right, all right how you doing.
Speaker 2:I can hear you.
Speaker 1:Good, good, good good. So it's a pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 2:It is absolutely an honor to meet you. I don't know if you saw that I have, you know, been a fan of yours for years, so all the way back to when I was working I forget what show I was working on for TV one, but it was around the same time that you were doing Save Our Sons, and so it was incredible to see your name pop up in my inbox, to say the least.
Speaker 1:You're very, very kind, and I mean that sincerely. Thank you so much. I'm so fortunate that I get to do the work that I get to do and in so doing I get to meet these amazing sisters like you, who, by the way, have to have the most creative glasses I've ever seen. You've taken the Dwayne.
Speaker 2:Dwayne glasses. I'm trying to move my inner Dwayne Wayne today.
Speaker 1:Taking Dwayne Wayne to a whole new level. Dwayne Wayne would be very, very proud. So, sis, I'm excited to talk to you because I saw some of the work that you were doing with children moving. I call them children, right, I know they don't feel like it, but children moving into college yeah, can you talk about that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Moving Day Mafia is the nonprofit that I founded back in 2022. It was born. That I founded back in 2022. It was born. Well, who we are first is? I call us a mob of volunteers who descend upon HBCUs Historically Black Colleges and Universities to take care of students who have either aged out of foster care or homeless or grapple with severe financial hardships. This year, dr Perry, I am proud to say that when we are done, we will have moved in 44 new students at 18, no correction 19 HBCUs. And it started because in 2020, I had just moved to Atlanta and I had started a virtual bingo game that took off, and because I am a graduate of the Howard University. I'm unapologetic, insufferable and obnoxious about that, not unlike the other, howard alums.
Speaker 1:I was about to say if you've met any of us who are typically so low-key? I was about to say if you've met any of us who are typically so low key.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I love all HBCUs. I was raised in an HBCU family and when I started seeing the graduations get snatched and canceled and these students who have worked so hard some of them, you know, as you know, being in education some of them are crawling to the finish line, but they don't have this big culmination now because their graduations are being canceled. And so I asked God to show me a way where I can help. Hbcu bingo and we raised over a million dollars in cash and prizes in less than four weeks and we gave it away in a series of epic virtual bingo games to the 2020 grads of HBCUs that year. It got national attention and CBS Evening News, with Nora O'Donnell, asked for an interview, but they also wanted to meet one of the grads. That's where I met the young lady who inspired Move-In Day Mafia, because when she went to her HBCU she was aging out of foster care. Her social worker drove her to campus, pulled her to the curb.
Speaker 1:Can you tell? Because everyone doesn't know what that means. So you and I, we do this work, but you say aging out. I want you to take a second to explain what that means.
Speaker 2:So when a student in foster care, depending on the state that they're in, they're just done Like wherever you land, wherever you can fit in, get in. And some students have dropped off at homeless. There was a viral video with Dr Jamal Bryant who's showing a student that her foster care parents, when she turned 18, they dropped her off at a homeless shelter on her birthday on her birthday. And this is the story of many students who are aging out of the system. Now you do have some states that the age limit is extended, that they're still under their care till they're 21, sometimes 24, and so on and so on, but for the most part, if you aged out, you're on your own. Suddenly, you're 18, you're an adult and you should be able to figure this adulting out Heck, I wasn't figuring adulting out at 18, coming out of a you know, a good parent home with a full, you know family of support, and so when I heard about this student and I heard her story, I did what I do.
Speaker 2:I asked God to show me what we can do, and Move-In Day Mafia was born in 2022. We built it in 52 days.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's my dog, ditto, who is making sure that nobody's moving in downstairs. So you mentioned that. You decided. Well, you asked god what to do, but I I want to stay here for a second, because I don't think people truly understand. When you age out in some states, it is what it sounds like. You didn't have active parents who were in your life. You live in a foster home which, for better or for worse, depending upon how the foster parents are, could go one very bad way or a very good way, yeah, but the nature of the foster relationship is one that, in many cases, is known to be temporary, and there is no worse way to engage a child than to give them a sense of temporary hope. So how did you decide that, of all the things to focus on move-in day for?
Speaker 2:college. So it was because when Ashante, the student who I'm referring to until her I had never considered this population it never had dawned to me like what do these kids do? You know, when I went to Howard you know the Howard University when I moved in, you know there was family there doting over me. My mom had shopped for everything that goes into my room and, being that, you know, my background is working in Hollywood for 25 years. I'm a storyteller. So the minute I hear a story, you know something, I translate it into imagery, like images started coming to mind. And so I actually envisioned. You know, one side of the room has an entire family, you know, doting over this freshman. And then on the other side of the room is a entire family, you know, doting over this freshman. And then on the other side of the room is a kid who barely got there and maybe, maybe, have shown up with a backpack of their belongings.
Speaker 2:And here's the thing for me these kids are already beating the odds, already beating the odds. 70% of kids who are in foster care dream of going to college and yet only 3% go and 1% graduate. So these kids who are going to college are already beating the odds. So there's something about them that has them persistent and in hot pursuit of their education. Them persistent and in hot pursuit of their education. Now let me take it to another level. Howard had 37,000 applicants this year. Dr Perry for 3,000 slots. Clark Atlanta broke records they had 47,000 applications for 2,000 slots. These kids are getting in. They're not only beating the odds to go to college, but they're beating the odds to go to college, but they're beating the odds to get into these top universities, these top hbcus. So how dare we not do something to get them to the finish line of seeing their dream realized?
Speaker 1:so many children go to college without this simplest knowledge of what to pack. Talk to us, take us back. When do you engage the children? How do the children come to you? You know, I know my experience going to college. I, I, was the first to go to college. My mother was born on my 16th birthday and so, honestly, I had trash bags. I had trash bags. Wow, there was no internet to do a search of. What do you bring back to college?
Speaker 1:There were no dorm room videos to college. There were no dorm room videos. In this age, where I mean the parents who do go, go kind of hard, they're in a different lane $10,000 in dorm room design.
Speaker 2:Yes, I saw that article. All for the gram thousand dollars in dorm room design.
Speaker 1:Yes, I saw that article, all for the gram. So you just suppose that it's a target run, it's a full day or two of just doting. I mean, please don't get me wrong, god knows I've been in Target, right, right. So the juxtaposition of that because if you are among the 2,000 who got in, you're special, yes, who got in, you're special, yes. And if you did so in a crib where you don't have an active parent, you did so on your own. You found this school a Clark or a Howard or a Hampton or whatever. You found that school and you got your little behind in there, you're special. But on this day, those other children are going to be the ones who feel super special. Talk to us about how you meet the children, how kids apply what you do. Take us through the whole process.
Speaker 2:So I love that question and giving me the opportunity to break it down Because, as you described, many of these kids are coming from environments where they just figure it out. You know they're used to being self-reliant, self-independent, and so they were going to make it happen, with or without our help. If they have beat the odds to get into these schools, they were going to make it happen. They shouldn't have to, which is where we come in, so we haven't. We put it out there on social media. Sometimes the HBCUs help us get our message out and they apply and then they interview with myself and my team where we actually start getting to know them.
Speaker 2:The one thing that's really unique about Move In Day Mafia is and you mentioned, you know how you showed up to school. My mom is here, hi Mom. My mom joked to me. My mom still here, hi mom. My mom doped on me. My mom still doped on me at 51 years old Moving into Howard. There was no expense spared that she could afford. She would miss things for herself to actually make sure I'm good at Howard.
Speaker 2:I'm bringing that experience to the table of knowing how it feels to be doped on With Mafia. There's no, we're going to go to the table of knowing how it feels to be doted on. So with mafia there's no, we're going to go to the store and just buy detergent and we just go hand it out to them. All of our scholars, once they are accepted, are given a questionnaire that's asking their favorite toothpaste, their favorite deodorant, their favorite detergent, their favorite cereal, what kind of snacks do you like to have when you're studying? We are actually individualizing, personalizing, customizing all the icing for these scholars so that they know that they matter. They have had to figure this out up until this point. They don't have to, and the way we earn their trust is this out. Up until this point, they don't have to. And the way we earn their trust is that show up with their faith. All these babies love them. Some Welters, fruit snacks, Welters, if you're listening, I need a sponsorship, but individual.
Speaker 1:I got one baby who?
Speaker 2:loves honey smacks. I got another baby who loves Cinnamon Toast Crunch. They get what they ask for, which is why it's so important for us to have partners, to have donors who understand that this is an investment. It costs us about $3,800 per year per scholar because we're so individualized on what they need and what we're giving to them, and so we have to have partners who understand that we are not just dropping them off. They get this fantastic, you know TV show worthy. You know dorm room to reveal, pimp my dorm room or something, but they actually get monthly care packages with their needs.
Speaker 2:And here is what I love about this their needs. And here is what I love about this. Here's what I love about this is we've seen that because we've taken this stress off of them, we've taken this pressure off of them, for their basic needs they have the mental capacity, the mental bandwidth to explore, to grow, to expand. We got kids who did internships with judges this year. We got kids who did internships at Chase. We have a kid that's interning at the Atlanta mayor's office. Why? Because we've taken this stress off of them and they don't have to work 5011 jobs to make sure they got some deodorant. They can actually go for other activities.
Speaker 1:You and I, we're going to push right now because we want there to be a move-in mafia at every single HBCU for every single child. That's right. We're going to push them. We're going to push our people right, Because I think it's easy to take it for granted that somebody feels cared for. You know, I visited a neighborhood public school on the West Coast. It was a really wealthy community. It was overwhelmingly white wealthy community and I remember they had dads. It was an elementary school. They had dads whose job it was to take the kids out of the car. I haven't heard a mess like that before. There was just a whole street full of dads.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they had the little green penny on, like crossing guard thing, and they were all lined up and they had umbrellas and all sorts of things. And this wasn't a first day of school thing, yeah, this was every day. They had parents who had a waiting list to volunteer in their classes. These children don't know what it's like to not be the center of everyone's attention. Yes, yes, then you have your children, yeah, who may not have ever experienced anything like that. How do you get some of the scholars who probably don't even know what to ask for, to ask, because a lot of them, if we're going to be frank, were told a long time ago by the circumstances under which they live. Stop asking, because they've gone from house to house and a lot of them have everything that they own can fit in a backpack, have everything that they own can fit in a backpack, which may be some pictures or some memorabilia, something, a memento from somebody. So for them to say, hmm, I'm gonna need a convection oven and I'm gonna need. How do you get them there?
Speaker 2:So it's a challenge and you, first of all, I got to just honor. You nailed it earlier in your statement that it is well documented that I have said my mission is that we will have a mafia chapter on every single HBCU campus before I take my last breath. That is my mission. So thank you for recognizing that part. But to your point, the first phase of them coming into mafia is earning their trust. Is really earning their trust? And you're right, a lot of them put you know in a or I don't know on their questionnaire about you know what is their favorite? Because nobody is asking them.
Speaker 2:They have accepted that what they have is the deodorant that's in the house, exactly.
Speaker 1:Exactly. They don't even think like a girl. She may not think that girls don't usually smell like that. So to your point.
Speaker 2:Let me tell you you will really appreciate this. So I have a scholar at Prairie View. I reveal, because we always do a big room reveal so they don't get to see their room, they don't have to participate in the, you know setting it up. We do everything for them. And so when I revealed her room, she loved it. Loved it. But, dr Perry, it was when I opened up the bathroom cabinet and she saw that we had bought her boxes of always maxi pads. That is what brought her to tears. Same thing happened with my baby at Fisk. She loved the room. She screamed when she saw the room. But when she looked over and saw that we had bought her stacks of her favorite candy, kit Kat. This just happened last weekend I moved in a scholar at Lane College, a young man who is one of those students that just showed up with his backpack when I revealed his room. He didn't see the room. All he saw I'm not exaggerating all he saw and made a beeline for was the box of Pringles potato chips that we had bought.
Speaker 2:And when I tell you there's no greater feeling of knowing that we are making a difference by those little things that we take for granted. I will walk in Target and go straight to the aisle where the maxi pads are. Grab my favorite. I'm out the store. I take that for granted.
Speaker 2:A kid at North Carolina Central. She saw the rug on her floor and she looked at me and was like auntie, I've never had a rug. This was a baby who had been living in her car until move-in day. So this is the impact. But it takes us a minute to earn their trust because they think we are too good to be true. They said that to us. There was a young man at Lane. He's a 6'8", plays in a band, gentle giant. When I revealed his room to him, his classmate is the one that said I have never seen him smile like that and I was like, really, she was like I have never seen Antonio light up like that. That is the impact that we're making, that they not only.
Speaker 2:But then the other thing is not just the tangible thing. What I'm so freaking proud of this year alone is we implemented called the Mafia Momentum Team, because last year we lost a great bit of scholars because they were showing up not understanding their financial aid packages and that they have balances they have to come up with. So they weren't even making it past the first semester because they didn't have an advocate. They didn't have anybody explaining this to them. So to fix that hole, we implemented the Mafia Momentum Team, where the first thing they do when they come to us is they sit down with a counselor a financial aid counselor who breaks down what they need, how much money you got to have. Here are your options. Let's look for some scholarships. And baby, these people are no joke. They have sat on the phone with financial aid advocating for these babies. So we're now earning trust sooner and faster because we're advocating for them earlier, knowing that they don't have to figure this out.
Speaker 1:That's one of the hardest parts. You know we all celebrate the joys of historical black colleges. There's the other side.
Speaker 2:There's the other side. There's the other side, there's the other side.
Speaker 1:There's the other side and it's real. It's very real If you are not armed with people who truly understand the other side of being a student at an HBCU. It will be a very short trip.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:Woo. You could have said woo, yes, because I'm dealing with some stuff with yes, lord Jesus. Yes, it's a whole other battle.
Speaker 1:It is, it is. It's a whole other battle.
Speaker 1:it is, it is, and we don't often talk about it in mixed company for obvious reasons, yeah, so I'm not going to go too far down that road out of respect for that, but I will say this as it relates to the children One of the great challenges that we see is children who are doing it themselves, or even children who are doing it with people who don't know as much as they think they know will make the decision to attend a school that they simply cannot afford.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:How are you starting to have those conversations earlier with the scholars? Because it's clear that the moving mafia part is part of the process, a very important part, but not the story, yeah, so in the end, that's a great question.
Speaker 2:So, with Moving Day Mafia, one of the things that we've implemented this year because don't get it twisted, I need everybody to understand we're new. Like we started in 2022 with 13 scholars at one HBCU 2023, we did 31 scholars at five HBCU 2023, we did 31 scholars at five HBCUs. This year, 44 scholars at 19 HBCUs. So we're learning, growing, evolving, developing. You know, hitting our head against the wall, figuring out what worked, what didn't work.
Speaker 2:So what we have implemented this year, though, is during the interview process, I have a real conversation that point blanks ask them how are you planning to pay for school? And they either can tell me that they've got grants, they've got loans, or I started to start gauging what level of understanding do they have about you know how much this school is going to cost? And, quite frankly, you know I had to decline a student this year that when I even asked him, do you know how much this HBCU costs? And he was like no. I'm like okay, we're not big enough to handhold you on that level. I need you to come through at least having an idea. But then the mafia momentum team steps in knowing OK, student A at Clark. Now we need to walk them through trying to maybe find some more scholarships so they don't have to take out this hefty loan. Our student at Morehouse. So there is a very individualized approach now. So they're not showing up to school with a big surprise balance.
Speaker 1:So I'm sure you do this, but in some states where the children are in the foster care system, they have a worker, and in some of those states when they go to college it is paid for. So do you? Do you talk to their workers as well?
Speaker 2:So that's the beauty of like you know I'm. I won't say that I'm versed in all the states yet no, no, no, but I know.
Speaker 1:No, I am not either.
Speaker 2:But Texas takes very good care of their foster kids in that they pay for them to go to college, as long as they're going to a public university, and then it is a state requirement that every college has to have a person designated for just this population. Good, good, good. So we tend to like. For instance, prairie View has an incredible Fosters for Success I think the program is called. We work directly with him to then tell us what scholars you know he can send to us. They know that their you know their education is paid for, but they may have other fees or something that is required. So it depends on the state that the kids are coming out of. Some states don't have the budget to be you know that specific, but Texas is one of those states that I can say they genuinely are caring about, you know, giving these students the best leg up that they can.
Speaker 1:I love what you're doing because it speaks to a very important niche. It speaks to a very important niche, a gap and service that could, to the casual observer, seem frivolous, but to someone who truly understands that the complications of being poor it's, it could be the whole thing. Yeah, because so many of the children don't feel like they fit on a college campus anyway, so to get there you can't even put a poster up. You may or may not have deodorant, you may or may not have feminine products. You got a couple pairs of clothes that you got to run through pretty regularly. And you know a lot of our schools children who can do, and they, you know, they dress up a lot which can make, can remind somebody of their earned poverty. But I want us to.
Speaker 2:But I want us to, before you say that, I also want people to understand something that I learned about this population. Dr Perry, that was really a surprise to me that this group of kids are some of the most compassionate, generous kids that you'll ever get a chance to meet. And so at Prayer View, for example, I had several scholars at Prayer View last year, but I could have taken on more had they applied. So when I flew to Prayer View to check in on our nine, we were in the office of the you know where the foster care kids hang out, and we did a pizza party. And so there were kids that I didn't recognize.
Speaker 2:And so Mr Norman, who was head of the department wonderful, wonderful job he's doing. I asked him, mr Norman, why don't know these kids? And he was like I'm going to show you. And so he called one in there and said Brian, you remember this program, move In Day Mafia that I told you about, that would help with your dorm rooms and other supplies? And Brian was like yes, sir, yes, sir. He said why don't you apply? And what this baby said just knocked the wind out of me. He said because I thought someone else may have needed it more. That is the mentality of these kids. But with prayer view we've had to go around the block and almost trick them because they won't apply if they're thinking they're going to take a spot from someone else. So with prayer review we've had to have Mr Norman nominate them, because then they don't feel like they're taking a spot. He's nominated them, but that just gives you the insight to their mentality.
Speaker 1:Some people are just better than the rest of us, like really Some people. I mean, let's just call it what it is Some people are just better people. Some people are that was my non-foxer son calling um but some people are just better than other people and when you get the chance to be a part of the work that you're doing, it actually is better for you than it is for the kids.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, okay, you got me there is. Let me tell you something there is no greater feeling than when I'm standing there and this is especially for my young men who are, like you know, probably hard, and you know, and I'm standing there next to them about to reveal their room, I I'm making them wait. I'm, you know, making them even more nervous and antsy. And when I finally take the blinder off so they can see their room, they don't say anything, they freeze, and then they just grab me in a big old bear hug and I can feel them trying to hold the tears in. Because you can't let them see you sweat, you can't show weakness. So I'm just standing there holding them and letting them, because we always exceed their expectations. They're not, they're coming in with very low expectations, so that ain't hard.
Speaker 2:But because our rooms are each room is professionally designed by Nikki Klug Design Group, who's been our partner since day one, and she actually custom designs each of these rooms. So they're blown away that. We've paid attention to that. They are gamer, so we've got gaming Leon signs in their room. They are blown away that I learned that they're into vinyl records, so we've taken the time to put vinyl records, stick them all over their walls and so when they see this, they're just so overwhelmed. They're trying to process it and then also, you know, trying to keep the emotions at bay, and there's just like I'm even trying my best to stay professional and not let you see me cry because thinking of we both don't cry in a minute.
Speaker 2:Just thinking of what these kids have overcome, you know, we have kids that have found their parents dead. We have kids that lost both parents right before move-in day. We have kids that are just being disowned by their parents for whatever reason. We have kids that are living in their cars waiting for move-in day and so to see that we're giving them a space that's theirs, we're giving them a space that is things that they have chosen. This is often the first time that these students have chosen what's in their space the colors. One young lady was so surprised that we asked her what are her hair products? Her hair products? Because she has big, thick afro or whatever, and she's handed some Pantene. Ain't nothing wrong with Pantene, but Pantene ain't do nothing for this baby's hair and not for her hair.
Speaker 2:Right and so just to see that they are blown away, that we care, that we care enough that they are getting what they want, and that's why I cannot ask enough Please go to moveindaymafiaorg. Donate, help us take care of these babies, because they're worth it. We are educating and walking beside the next Dr Steve Perry. We are educating and walking beside the next Dr Steve Perry. We are educating and walking beside the next Thurgood Marshall. So these kids are worth the investment.
Speaker 1:Just help us to understand how, if somebody wanted to start because I know that it's got to be hard because the move-in dates don't always coincide, so for you to get from one place to another it's a lot you become Mrs Claus and we appreciate that. But I think that I hear that your mission is to make sure that every single child gets to experience this, not so that you have to beat every single one, but to create it. Okay, so let's say, someone down at Bethune or FAM or somebody at Morris Brown wanted to start a chapter. Could somebody on campus? So, for instance, could a person who works on campus or could fraternities or sororities do a peer version of this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's supposed to be getting to happen. So that's what's beginning to happen.
Speaker 2:That's what's beginning to happen. I'm not comfortable of them starting a chapter right now because we're still building what our processes are and for the integrity and the way we take care of these students. We haven't reached that capacity, but what is happening is now we're having team leads in this area. You mentioned Bethune-Cookman. I didn't go to Bethune-Cookman. I didn't have time. I forget where I was. I think I was at Wiley College or somewhere, but I had a team at Bethune-Cookman and so we're now building out our volunteer processes. We're building out and our volunteers have been amazing. We are all 100% volunteer run right now and the way these people have shown up and been committed to be boots on the ground to make sure that this room is set up over here. We have a team in Texas from the Jack and Jill Foundation who now have taken control of Texas.
Speaker 1:Okay, Jack and Jill. Yeah, the Texas kids.
Speaker 2:A young woman just called me the other day who represents the Department of Labor, the D9 Infinity Group within the Department of Labor, reached out what kids do you need us to take care of? So, then, that is what is beginning to happen as we grow and develop our processes. It's not necessarily they're starting a chapter, but we're starting with learn how we move these kids in. You know, be in charge of this particular demographic of students at this school.
Speaker 1:So I saw your story schooled.
Speaker 1:So I saw your story. I was moved by it, because there's so many people on this here internet who want to be insta-famous for things that don't really move the needle, and there's a population of children who are often overlooked. They've been overlooked their whole lives and they're special special, these kids who you are working with are. They're different, they're built different. Um, if you are fortunate enough to have one or two or three of these children be part of your life, you, uh, you've reallyed out and in your case, you're working with an entire family of them. So I want to congratulate you on the work that you're doing. If someone wants to get in touch with you, can you tell us again how to do it? Yep.
Speaker 2:Moveindaymafiaorg. You can donate. We take credit cards, zelle Cash App, snail Mail, everything and then, if you want to volunteer, moveindaymafiaorg we need volunteers all year round because we need skill sets to grow the organization, we need fundraisers, we need people skilled in logistics, we need people skilled in processes, and so there's a spot for you in Move In Day Mafia if it resonates and you want to see how we can expand. So we moved in 44 this year. My team is gonna cringe when I say this. Maybe we can move in 88 next year that's their job.
Speaker 1:Their job is to cringe and your job is to make. Your job is to make them cringe. And let's put out a challenge, right, uh? If you are fortunate enough to be able to send your child to historically black college and you are someone who can support your children, then maybe put a couple dollars in the direction of move-in day mafia. So they can do the same thing on that same campus? Uh, because you never know that little girl or that little boy may be your son or daughter's roommate yeah and uh, wouldn't it be nice for them both to have a super cool room.
Speaker 1:You know, my team is gonna.
Speaker 2:They're gonna cringe when I say this publicly, but there's this internal thing that we laugh about is tj is gonna get on the poll. If y'all don't raise this money, she she's going to have to go down to Magic City and do a couple of sets. So this year we have a campaign poll.
Speaker 1:Let's keep TJ off the pole.
Speaker 2:Let's keep TJ off the pole. That's the campaign it's called Keep TJ Off the Pole. We are going for 1,000 donors to commit to doing at least $20 a month with us to keep me off the pole, because I ain't above. If we get enough donations I'm making council, my city tonight. I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1:We will do what we can. Folks, if you want to give, go to moveindaymafiaorg, that's moveindaymafiaorg, that's moveindaymafiaorg, and keep TJ off the pole and let's make sure that we provide for these amazing kids who she is clearly willing to go the distance for. Sis, this is a real pleasure talking to you and, I guess, re-meeting you. The time at TV One was fun, and this is super cool too. So thank you so much for all you do, sis. We're going to stay in contact with you and whatever way I can help out, we're going to do what we too. So thank you so much for all you do, sis. We're going to stay in contact with you and whatever way I can help out, we're going to do what we can too.
Speaker 2:So thank you so much. Well, I got to say it was not only a pleasure for me, like I said, I meant it. It was an honor to begin to meet people and somehow attract them into my orbit that I've been fans of from afar for many, many years. I'm just really tippled by it all.
Speaker 1:So thank you for having me to talk about something that is very, very dear to my heart. It means a bunch to me. And finally, for those families who you may know somebody in your church right now who is in a foster care system. You may know somebody in your mosque. You may know somebody on your son's basketball team, a daughter's. You may know somebody in your mosque. You may know somebody on your son's basketball team a daughter's cheer squad. Can you tell them how they could apply for Move-In Day Mafia when they go to school next fall?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so just go to moveindaymafiaorg. Everything starts stops at moveindaymafiaorg. Applications, you know, obviously are closed for this year, but we will reopen back, probably around May, right around graduation, where people, you know the kids, are just determining what schools they're going to commit to, but definitely movendaymafiaorg will have the application on there.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, sis. You have a great night.
Speaker 2:Bye, dr Perry. I appreciate you. Hug yourself for me, thank you.
Speaker 1:Likewise. Thank you, Dr Perry. I appreciate you. Hug yourself for me. Thank you Likewise. Thank you.