Bridges is fortunate to exist in a community with people who want to make a difference. These people are bridges - bridges to peace, bridges to hope, and bridges to a better future.
They help BRIDGES reach thousands of individuals every year in support of our mission - to build a community of leaders to advance racial, economic, educational and environmental justice. They are people of all ages and from all walks of life, here to make our world a better place.
Frankie Dakin is a restorer - and a bridge
(Frankie's story is part of our latest Annual Report for 2010-2011. Download a digital copy.)
For
Frankie Dakin, deciding to take part in Bridge Builders® was more about strengthening his college application than learning how to be a leader and advance justice. At the time he saw himself as a pretty progressive guy. He soon learned that the experience was going to be a lot more.
“Before Bridge Builders I considered myself to be against many of the ‘isms’—racism, sexism, classism—but after I realized that it wasn’t enough to passively resist negative and bigoted views,” Frankie said. “Bridge Builders challenged me to critically reflect on my views and ways. I realized that if you are not actively fighting against those forces, then you are actively perpetuating them, and there is no way around that.”
After graduating from both from the program and from Millington Central in 2010, Frankie discovered a newfound sense of pride in, and responsibility for, his hometown.
“Its an amazing thing how Memphis is today in light of all of the negative events that have happened here,” he said. “But there is still plenty of work and reconciliation to be done. I'm proud to be one of the many who are dedicated to the betterment of our already amazing community—and I believe Bridge Builders laid that foundation for me.”
That foundation makes for a busy life. He’s a member of the BRIDGES College Corps and a Bridge Builders Change intern coordinator, at least when he’s not studying neuroscience and urban studies at Rhodes College.
He’s a member of the Bonner Scholars program, which is aimed at developing students that are passionate about community action into advocates for social justice, and he serves as Recruitment and Philanthropy Chair for the Epsilon Sigma chapter of Sigma Nu. He’s also President Pro-Tempore of Rhodes Rebuilds, the alternative Spring and Fall Break program that sends over 40 students every break to New Orleans and Joplin, MO, to aid in reconstruction and community building.
If all that weren’t enough, he was recently appointed Chairman of the Deangelo Williams Foundation, and is currently helping organize and promote a celebrity softball tournament to take place at AutoZone Park in May.
In short, Frankie lives the lessons he learned in Bridge Builders every day.
My name is Frankie Dakin and I am a bridge because I have the opportunity to strive to live a life of creative altruism.
Bridge Builders Alum Gives to Ensure Others are Transformed
When
Susan Rainey chose to take part in the Bridge Builders program back in 1990, the program was still young and her only thought was that it was going to be fun. But like any good Bridge Builders story, there was something about the program she wasn't expecting.
"The whole experience was great as far as getting to know people from other parts of the city, but also for developing leadership skills," said Susan, who graduated from Briarcrest AND the Bridge Builders program in 1992. "It actually showed me that I could be a leader. That was not something that I thought about myself."
Her discovery of her "inner leader" and her other Bridge Builders experiences have followed her through college, law school and into her life now, working as an environmental lawyer in Dallas. She even worked on the Bridge Builders staff for a few summers, until her studies became more demanding. And even though she's not living in Memphis, she's an enthusiastic BRIDGES donor.
Check out a video of Susan below.
