Date:

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Fox 5 News' Good Day NY interviews our 3-year long match, Little, Dolma and Big, Lucy in honor of National Mentoring Month. The pair discussed BBBS of NYC's impact on their lives and the opportunities mentoring opens up for young people.

CLIP

FULL VIDEO

TRANSCRIPT (check out photos from the event below)

Antwan: We're back this name you know, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City it is a legendary shining example of the power of mentoring. Lucy lopez is here along with her little sister to tell us why that is. How long have you been involved with big brothers bigs?

Lucy: I've been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City for eight years now. And it has been a fantastic experience.

Antwan: How long have you known Dolma?

Lucy: Third year and a match.

Antwan: Tell me about the match, how did it come about?

Lucy: Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City tries to match the right mentor with the right little. There're questions asked to make sure our backgrounds are compatible and she's now a senior and now we have found that we have quite a number of things in common. Very different backgrounds, but quite a number of things in common.

Antwan: You mentioned backgrounds only you're originally from Tibet when did you move here? In about 2007. Five years -- and English wasn't your first language, right?

Lucy: No? First Tibet

Antwan: How was that, learning English? Challenging?

Lucy: Very challenging. Yeah. [laughter]

Antwan: I was born here, sometimes I can't get through it. [laughter] When you first met Lucy, tell me your impression was Lucy?

Dolma: I was excited because I know she's like a lawyer. And like professional. So I'm excited and great to meet her.

Antwan: What inspired you, Lucy, to do this? Were you mentored as a young lady?

Lucy: I wasn't. I'm sure looking back that there were informal mentors. I also came to the United States from another country. I had to learn English, and I think I could have used some help and guidance, and I've always wanted to give something back. I've gotten tremendous help as an adult, and I felt that I wanted to give something back. There're so many kids in New York City who could use a responsible adult in their lives to provide guidance and be a mentor. I thought, this is something I had to do and it was a no-brainer for me.

Antwan: Do you get one Little? You know or multiple?

Lucy: It is a single match. As I've said, she's been matched since she was a sophomore. We've been working together for two and a half years. Before Dolma I was a mentor to two other young women who I can proudly say are now in college.

Antwan: So there's impact here?

Lucy: Tremendous impact!

Antwan: If you have to convince someone that this is something, whether it is [?] whom we just talked with, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, someone that you wanted to try to convince to become a mentor, what would you say? And how would you present it?

Lucy: I would say there’s very tremendous impact in what Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City does both for the Little and for the adult mentor. For the little, the statistics are astounding. 97% of the Littles go on to the next grade. Right? That is astounding in New York City. 97% of the Littles in this program get -- go to the next grade. 97% of the seniors graduate, and for those seniors who are in the Workplace Mentoring Program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, 100% of them are graduating high school. Astounding! and Then of that 100%, something like 86% are getting accepted into college. It is an amazing statistic, such tremendous impact for the Little. And then for the Big, for me, I see hope every time I see Dolma. She has a great smile. So for me, I have hard day at work, and then I go to a mentoring session with Dolma, she gives me this smile I'm inspired, alive like I'm doing something impactful. It is exciting.

Antwan: We get you to smile as much as we can on this show. How have you changed; tell me about the impact your relationship with Lucy has had on you.

Dolma: She had a lot of impact on me. Like such as going to college, work. First I was like nervous of going to college. I was like, going to college or not. Should I go to college or not? And then she gave me feedback. I should go to college, and very good opportunity, and she encouraged me to go to college a lot of times. So at last, I decided I should go to college.

Lucy: I'm a broken record about going to college.

Antwan: So what field will you be studying. What is your major?

Dolma: I was thinking about nursing to help other people.

Antwan: If you have to give advice to kids you know who may come here from another country, you know, and face intimidations and things you said didn't make you feel at ease. But now looks like you're comfortable. What would you say to another kid? Or young person?

Dolma: When you're facing difficult things, think of more difficult things such as homeless people, then you see your problems as small problems. Like -- you're facing something, but so small when you see big. Bigger problems. That other people are facing, so makes my life much easier, and more easier to face.

Antwan: You did a good job here. [laughter]

Lucy: She comes with this. This is why, you know, for the mentor, it is amazing. No, she inspires me. Like I can tell you Dolma gave me a birthday card. She wrote Lucy you've given me hope, and I can't tell you how much hope she gives me. I see the future and it looks like this little, young person, we're in good shape.

Antwan: I think you're both giving everyone watching a little hope. Nice to meet you both. This was awesome. All right so nice to meet you.

Lucy and Dolma: Nice to meet you.

Antwan: Good luck in school.

Dolma: Thank you.

Antwan: We'll be seeing you, and more many big brothers and big sisters in New York.