On June 11, 2020 the National Liberty Museum held a virtual celebration to recognize the students and schools who participated in the 2019-2020 Youth Heros Outreach Program. Braeden Mannering, founder of 3B Brae’s Brown Bags, delivered the keynote talk followed up by a Q&A session.
To the young heroes…
Your interest in wanting to learn more about social justice is something I wish we could bottle up, pour into the clouds, and then make it rain down onto the world. Beyond your desire to learn, is your passion for activating change and it is that characteristic that sets you apart and makes you extraordinary.
The Youth Heroes Outreach Program empowers students to speak up and take action against social injustices. Each year we are amazed at the number of participants and their passionate responses to important topics like gun violence, bullying, human trafficking, and homelessness to name a few.
Hi everybody! I know my Mom has been doing a lot of the writing on the site these days. But I thought I would put up a few things real quick.
One is that I am now finished with the 7th grade at Gauger-Cobbs. I am very happy to be starting summer break!
Another thing is that we have had some really cool things happening. Like the Caravel Cares Club packed 100 bags on their last day of school as part of being a 3B Ripple Student Chapter which is really awesome. They were able to give the bags to a church who was able to use them. I’m really glad to know they plan on continuing to be an active chapter with our 3B Ripples program.
Me, my mom and Representative Longhurst
Last week I attended Nonprofit Advocacy Day at Legislative Hall with my Mom. Governor Carney talked for a little bit and then my friend Senator Bryan Townsend and also Representative Valerie Longhurst. Both of them said very nice things about me and 3B, but more importantly they talked about how important nonprofits are to the State of Delaware. Nonprofits are at the heart of many important social issues and can help to be the bridge the state needs to make sure people get the right services to help them. I thought that was good to hear and I am glad I was able to go. Especially since Senator Townsend then ended up scheduling a time for us to play minigolf, which we did over the weekend. I want a rematch, haha. No, it was a good game, VERY HOT THOUGH, and Senator Townsend won. But like he says, we had fun and we’re both winners!
So I am thankful to the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement for setting up the advocacy day and thankful to my Mom for letting me go even though it was on a school day. I think I learned a lot and I think it was a good experience.
So then on Saturday my Mom and my Gram went with be to Girard College in Philadelphia for the National Liberty Museum’s Young Hero Outreach Program Celebration. I was the keynote speaker for the event which was really cool, I liked being able to talk to everyone. But I also think it was great to meet all the kids who participated in the young heroes training program. They worked very hard on their projects and I got to see all the research they did and hear from them on their ideas.
Elbert-Palmer Elementary School created a Homeless Bill of Rights and that is a concept I think is very much needed and very important. I am very proud of them! My project and my story is in the young hero training curriculum. So the kids all learned about what I am doing. When they saw me at their event they seemed really happy which made me feel good. A lot of them wanted to take selfies with me and I have to admit that was kind of cool! I’m really grateful to the National Liberty Museum for staying in touch with me and for including me in this event. I had a great time!
We’re planning for the 4th Annual 3B Summer Celebration. I hope all of you reading this will be able to join us for our event. It is always a lot of fun and this year will be awesome!
Mom’s going to add in information about sponsorship to the end of this post. If you or your company wants to help sponsor the event I really hope you’ll think about it.
Thank you!
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There are three levels of sponsorship available, they each some with their own perks. You can download our sponsorship form here, please email christy@braesbrownbags.org if you have any questions! Sponsorship packets are DUE BY AUGUST 4, 2017!
I can’t think of other things to say to explain that you really don’t want to miss this event. We are very grateful that the Bear-Glasgow YMCA has offered use of their outdoor space and pavilion. Super psyched that 93.7 WSTW will be there with their prize wheel and music! We have a HUGE obstacle course from Inflatables R’ Fun for the kids!
I have been working on my speech to give to the guests, because there is so much to say and so many people to thank, but also because we have big news to share about the future of 3B and we want you to be involved.
It makes me so happy to know tall we have accomplished and largely because of your help and your encouragement.
So bring the kids, bring your neighbors and COME ON DOWN! (Or up, depending on where you live) The first hundred people to attend will get a free snow cone from Kona Ice which is sugar-free and vitamin infused!
When you think about what being a hero means to you, what do you think? I guess most kids my age think about Batman, he is my favorite super hero because he doesn’t really have any extra powers, he’s just out to catch the bad guys. Anyway, there are a lot of kinds of heroes and you can have more than one. Usually I think people consider a hero to be someone they look up to because the person inspires them to do more and be better.
On Wednesday, August 6th, I was named a Young Hero by the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I can’t really explain how that felt. I toured the museum and saw exhibits about great people like Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa and saw all the people who died trying to help others after the 9/11 attacks in New York. Then later in the afternoon I was on stage receiving a medal of honor from this same museum. They will have my picture and my story about Brae’s Brown Bags in their museum as an exhibit. It doesn’t really seem right but at the same time it feels good.
There were 13 other kids honored who are all making big changes in the lives of the people around them. There was a boy who is helping mentor his peers and also raising money for pediatric cancer because he has had cancer and he lost a leg during his battle. There was a girl who is helping people who are in the LGBT community in her high school. She is helping fight against bullying and show people to be accepting of each other. One of the girls creates gardens all over to help war veterans have a place where they can find peace. I stood on the same stage as a young girl who stood up out of her wheel chair with braces on both her legs as we heard the story about how she petitioned the American Girl doll makers and told them there should be a doll with a wheel chair. All of these kids, all of them, definitely heroes, doing great things. Me though, a hero? Really?
My Mom said she nominated me for the award because I’m showing all kids in my community that it doesn’t matter how old you are, if you see a place where change is needed and you set out to make that change, then you’re a leader. She said I help her to want to be a better person and that when she sees me being a leader and helping to feed the hungry then that also makes me her hero.
I would like to thank TD Bank who sponsored the event at the National Liberty Museum and also all the people at the National Liberty Museum who said really nice things about me and everyone else. I hope they know they make us kids want to do more because they encourage us.
To all the kids I stood on stage with, trying to take selfies! All of you are pretty cool people and I hope we meet again.
If you follow 3B on Facebook than you most likely have already heard the BIG news.
I’m on the far left wearing my White House bag at the Julia Child FOOD exhibit July 2013.
I have been asked to attend the 2014 Kids’ State Dinner at the White House to be their guest speaker and introduce our First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Last night my Mom and I had a conference call with ladies from the White House and they asked me a little bit about what I might like to say.
I feel like I could probably answer them better today than I did last night because I’ve been jotting down some notes. I’ve also been thinking about it after hearing that they said about how the speech should include elements about healthy eating since that is that the Kids’ State Dinner and Healthy Lunchtime Challenge are all about. So now I have a much better idea on what is expected and on what I would like to include.
So next week, on Friday July 18th, you can tune in and watch the Kids’ State Dinner live from the White House to see and hear me talk but also to see all the new winners 🙂
Other very cool and exciting news is that I will be receiving a Young Hero Award from the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia. “This annual award, sponsored by TD Bank, recognizes young people who have championed liberty through their actions.” They will be taking my picture and putting it, along with my story, in their museum as an exhibit. WHAT! Isn’t that so cool? Thank you, thank you. This is really a great honor.
Oooo and I read about something called the Social Good Summit. It is happening in New York in September and the link I clicked on is asking for speakers. Do you think they’ll let a kid be a speaker? Because I’ve used the #socialgood hashtag before and I think I could give them a new perspective.
