Teens in Crisis celebrates 10 years
Erika Estes is no normal university student, in Pre- Law at University of North Texas, Estes recently lead a group of nine students from the Cedar Hill Ninth Grade Center in an eight-week Peer Teen Mediation program.
Estes began Teens in Crisis in September of 2010 after working as an AmeriCorps community volunteer “I enjoyed working with the youth, the experience allowed me to see many needs of teens in the urban communities.”
Her goal when founding Teens In Crisis was to prepare youth for college, find summer employment and life skills.
“Throughout the years,” she says “I found myself helping adults as well therefore I extended my program to not only teens, but also whomever I could help with the motto ‘Helping One Person at a Time.'”
Estes says the idea of Teens in Crisis is dear to her heart because it is her way of giving back.
“If that [means] needed guidance, mentoring, or someone there to say it will be okay and look at your future not your past. I understand how our actions towards others could change their live, I know because my mentors throughout my life have helped me be the best Erika I was created to be. Therefore, it is my duty through grace to help all that I can.”
It was after she completed a college course Alternative Dispute Resolution that she felt comfortable integrating mediation to students naming it Peer Teens Mediation. So far she has taught students how to mediate conflict, peer pressure and bullying while also teaching them life skill tools to help them at school and home.
“Secondly, after meeting and completing some community collaboration work with Senator Royce West I adopted his Bill SB1477,” Estes says. “The SB1477 could help people expunge their criminal background and allow them to be able to find jobs, apply for an apartment and student loans without being turned away.”
Working only in Dallas County at the moment, Estes has the goal to reach three other cities Chicago, Detroit, and Atlanta, primarily working alone, she adds.
“I work alone, however I collaborate with other city leaders. For example, EEOC rights against being discriminated for the criminal background in the work place; Belinda F. McCallister, EECO Supervisory Investigator and explaining the Senator’s Expunge Bill with Kelvin Bass, Legislative Aide Senator Royce West as well as educating the community on voting rights and clearing all myths with Elections Administrator, Toni Pippin-Poole and [I work with] other volunteers that are my dear friends to help me sign people in.”
Coming up Estes is holding seminars at UNT Law School Downtown Dallas once a month on Parole and Pardon applications, which enable people to get their Expunction in addition to the Expunction and Non-Disclosure clinics.
For her Teens in Crisis, Estes who is the President of the University of North Texas Pre-Law Society, says donations are appreciated and she is also available to teach Peer Teen Mediation for teens and host Expunction, Pardon and Parole application seminars.
For more information contact her at Esteserika@gmail.com.
