>> SORRY, WHAT WAS THAT, JAY? >> SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST
>> SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST
RENOWNED BALLET DANCERS, FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE NAMED
PRINCIPLE DANCER HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE.
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE.
BEFORE THE FAME ON STAGE, MISTY
GREW UP ATTENDING BOYS AND GIRLS
CLUB. JOINING US ARE MISTY COPELAND
JOINING US ARE MISTY COPELAND
AND YOUTH OF THE YEAR WINNER
JOSIAHS FROM BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT THANK YOU BOTH FOR
CONNECTICUT THANK YOU BOTH FOR
BEING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> MISTY, I AM GOING TO START
WITH YOU.
THIS ORGANIZATION MEANS A LOT TO YOU.
HOW DID IT HELP SHAPE YOUR
FUTURE TO BECOME THE WOMAN YOU
ARE TODAY? >> WOW, UM, YOU KNOW, I JOINED
>> WOW, UM, YOU KNOW, I JOINED
MY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT 11
YEARS OLD. IT WAS A PLACE FOR MY MOTHER TO
IT WAS A PLACE FOR MY MOTHER TO
HAVE HER FIVE CHILDREN, ONE OF
FIVE CHILDREN, SIX CHILDREN GO TO FEEL IT WAS A SAFE PLACE.
TO FEEL IT WAS A SAFE PLACE.
WHILE SHE WAS WORKING AND
STRUGGLING AS A SINGLE MOTHER.
IT HAS GIVEN ME AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A LEADER,
OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A LEADER,
WHAT IT IS TO ACCEPT GUIDANCE.
AND TO BE NURTURED AND OF COURSE
INTRODUCED ME TO CLASSICAL
BALLET AT 13. I FEEL LIKE IT IS COMMUNITY
I FEEL LIKE IT IS COMMUNITY
CENTERS LIKE THE BOYS AND GIRLS
CLUB THAT ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO
BE ENRICHED AND TO GUIDE SO MUCH OF THE YOUTH IN NURTURING THEM
OF THE YOUTH IN NURTURING THEM
TO BECOME LEADERS.
THAT IS WHAT JOSIAHS HAS BECOME.
A LOT OF IT IS OWN PERSEVERANCE AND TALENT AND EFFORTS.
AND TALENT AND EFFORTS.
BEING NURTURED AND LED BY THE
BOYS AND GIRL’S CLUBS PLAYED A
HUGE ROLE FOR HIM.
>> JOSIAHS YOU WERE CHOSEN FOUR
MILLION CLUB MEMBERS.
TELL US ABOUT OUR PERSONAL
JOURNEY TO RECEIVING THIS AWARD?
>> IT HAS BEEN A WILD ONE AT
THAT.
I SHOULD START OFF WITH HOW I
CAME TO THE CLUB IN THE FIRST
PLACE. I WAS 15.
I WAS 15.
A FRIEND OF MINE ACTING AS THE
RUNNER OF ALL THE STEM PROGRAMS
HERE AT THE CLUB.
HE WAS LEAVING TO COLLEGE AND NEEDED SOMEBODY TO TAKE HIS
NEEDED SOMEBODY TO TAKE HIS
PLACE.
HE ASKED IF I COULD HELP OUT AND VOLUNTEER.
AT FIRST EXCITED.
I HADN’T BEEN IN A PLACE OF
LEADERSHIP.
I AM ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. I HAVE SUFFERED A LOT OF
I HAVE SUFFERED A LOT OF
DISCRIMINATION AND BIAS FROM
PEOPLE WHO JUST WANTED TO MOLD
ME INTO THEIR STANDARDS OF WHO I
SHOULD BECOME. BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TOOK ME AND
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TOOK ME AND
DEVELOPED ME INTO A LEADER.
STARTED OUT AS A FOLLOWER.
THEY SHARPENED ME TO THE INDIVIDUAL I AM.
INDIVIDUAL I AM.
I HOPE TO USE THIS PLATFORM TO
SHARPEN OTHER CHILDREN AND GIVE
THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HEARD. THE PROCESS TO YOUTH OF THE YEAR
THE PROCESS TO YOUTH OF THE YEAR
WAS EVEN WILDER, IT IS DURING A
PANDEMIC.
SO I STARTED OUT IN THE LOCAL
LEVEL HERE AT THE CLUB.
I MOVED ON TO STATE REGIONAL AND FINALLY NATIONAL.
FINALLY NATIONAL.
I AM REPRESENTING ALL THOSE
CHILDREN AROUND AMERICA.
>> THAT IS WONDERFUL. SO HAPPY FOR YOU.
>> NOW MISTY, PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN
PERFORMANCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE
THIS HAPPENED? WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
>> YEAH, IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT
TIME.
YOU KNOW, AS A CLASSICAL BALLERINA, OUR LIVELY HOOD AS
BALLERINA, OUR LIVELY HOOD AS
DANCERS IS PERFORMING IN THE
THEATRE, LIVE THEATRE. IT HAS BEEN REALLY HARD AS
IT HAS BEEN REALLY HARD AS
SOMEONE EXTREMELY ATHLETIC AND
ACTIVE.
IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO KIND OF SHIFT GEARS.
SHIFT GEARS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALLOWED ME
TO DEVELOP SO MANY INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE HAD ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A COUPLE OF
THE BACK BURNER FOR A COUPLE OF
YEARS, WAYS OF EXPREZZING MYSELF
WHETHER IT IS THROUGH MY PRODUCTION COMPANY AND HAVE A
PRODUCTION COMPANY AND HAVE A
VOICE AND TO BRIPG MY LENS AS A WOMAN TO THIS PLATFORM IN
WOMAN TO THIS PLATFORM IN
TELEVISION IS INCREDIBLE.
HELPING TO CREATE SWANS FOR
RELIEF IS A COVID-19 RELIEF EFFORT I BROUGHT TO FRUITION
EFFORT I BROUGHT TO FRUITION
WITH 32 BALLERINAS FROM 14 COUNTRIES WHERE WE CAME TOGETHER
COUNTRIES WHERE WE CAME TOGETHER TO PERFORM A VARIATION.