It’s true what they say, “Not all superheroes wear capes.” Many of our change agents and transformational leaders can be found right in our communities. Meet Samora Coles, the founder of The Alex House Project, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is based in Brooklyn, New York. The Alex House Project is deeply rooted in service, with an objective to support the expectant and parenting population, specifically young mothers from marginalized communities. Samora Cole’s warmth and transparency is so refreshing, and it gives me great joy to introduce Samora Coles to the FEMI Magazine community.
FEMI Mag: I want to start with The Alex House Project. I am completely blown away. As the founder and executive director, in your words can you share with FEMI what “The Alex House Project” stands for?
Samora Coles: The organization was built from my story and is named after my son Alex who I had at 17 [years old]. So, it’s my duty as someone who was in the trenches and raised her son to go to college and do well for himself, to show others how it’s done. You can do it with the support of your peers. The program means that you’re working on yourself, you’re your own project. I’ve been there, now I want to help these moms get themselves out of the same trenches.
FEMI Mag: The expectant and parenting teen population is statistically a group of people that fall in between the cracks academically and receive little to no support from social service agencies and have a very limited support circle. What inspired you to implement a program that focused on the growth and development of young parents and their children?
Samora Coles: Again, this is based on my own experience. I had no idea how anything worked when I had Alex at 17. I lived with my grandparents who took care of me my entire life. Food stamps, any government systems, doctor’s appointments, school, Medicaid, the little stuff, I was clueless and navigating things as a marginalized person is tough. Learning how was a huge challenge. I eventually learned that the best people to learn from are people like you, in terms of circumstances. This is why we have the train-the-trainer program.
Peer mentorship is the best avenue for our moms. After studying some of the curricula out there, I created our Train-the-Trainer program to allow young moms to teach other young moms. It’s worked ever since. They go from a “damsel in distress” to being in a leadership role. This program is our secret sauce.
FEMI Mag: If there are any young parents reading this interview, what advice would you like to give them?
Samora Coles: You don’t know what you don’t know. But contact us at The Alex House Project. We can help. You’ll have the support of these young moms around you. They’ll support you and your choices. And you do not have to live in NYC to take advantage of the resources we offer. The pandemic caused us to go virtual, and now we can work with young moms everywhere. We can also get you started on a pathway of helping others, whether it’s education, daycare, social work, anything parenting-related that begins with us. So, get on the phone and call us. We’ll help! The best advice I can give [to a young mom] is to find a group of people like you to support you.
FEMI Mag: What was your experience like implementing a COVID – 19 vaccination outreach program?
Samora Coles: Whew! It was tricky. There were a lot of moments where I just had to breathe and wipe the sweat off my face! But we keep going. We want to keep the people we serve safe and keep the people who serve the people we serve safe. We have wanted to provide support and education so no one gets lost in the sauce.
FEMI Mag: The Covid – 19 vaccination is a very hot topic, how have you been able to deal with individuals that have conflicting views about the vaccination?
Samora Coles: The great thing about us is that we have other organizations to support us. They gave us resources to educate people on the vaccine. I was hesitant about the vaccine at first too! I’m older; a vaccine was the last thing on my mind. Being able to research and partner with doctors and pediatricians to provide resources and information was a great help. Because of them, we can better deliver the message to those who weren’t or still aren’t sure [about the vaccine]. Everyone has to make their own choice but providing them with the right resources can help them make better-informed choices. It’s that simple!
FEMI Mag: If any FEMI reader is interested in providing outreach with your organization, what would be the best way for them to connect with you?
Samora Coles: The contact form on our website at www.alexhouseproject.org
is your best bet. The next best thing for immediate contact is my cell phone number – which I shouldn’t give out, but – that’s how I connect!
FEMI Mag: Is there anything that you would like to share with FEMI Mag readers?
Samora Coles: Doing this is rewarding and challenging. I’ve had to learn how to set boundaries so eight people aren’t calling my phone all at once. I want people to know we’re growing. We focus on so much more than just young moms; we have programs for young Dads too. We want to build a better community and set these kids up for excellence. That is the overarching goal – to change the trajectory of the children of our young parents towards excellence. Through education and jobs and the other resources we offer, we are impacting generations, and also, we’re looking for space. (I said we’re growing.) We’re in a shared workspace, which isn’t working. We aren’t office people, we’re community people. We need to have community! We have some great spaces we’re looking at. We have a crush on this one space in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn; hopefully, that works out. If anyone knows of any commercial spaces, is interested in helping us acquire a new home, or wants to support us in any way, call me on my cell phone!
Stay Connected to The Alex House Project!
- Website: https://www.alexhouseproject.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexhouseinc/
