“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” -Nelson Mandela

Resilience is born from the courage and strength to keep going even when the world is saying “give up.” It is also the perfect word to describe the founder of Jai6 Youth Foundation, Dinesha Neal. Jai6 Youth Foundation is a local nonprofit aimed at securing opportunities and resources for at-risk youth in the Cumberland County area. Its mission is to “gather mentors and specialists to inspire, educate, and empower at-risk youth through character building, innovative thinking, and entrepreneurship. Along with fostering personal responsibility and accountability by empowering our youth to actualize their potential and productively contribute to society.”
Neal is a Fayetteville native and E.E. Smith High School graduate and a woman of many hats and talents. Her current roles include founder, head coach, and mentor, but her most important role is that of mother. A mother to six beautiful children, Neal has always made the care and wellbeing of her children a top priority, even making the hard but brave decision to put her oldest two children up for adoption.
This is a choice that she does not regret when she’s sees videos and pictures of her children thriving in the homes she handpicked for them. Her love for her children and the understanding that life doesn’t always go as planned and children need resources outside of their parental units is a big part of the reason she started Jai6.
“The thought of the foundation started as a teenager in high school going through the trauma and emotional and physical abuse that I endured within my family and the group homes and foster homes in the North Carolina system. Or just being a person aging out the system with no life skills or support system,” Neal said.
When naming her organization, Neal knew there was only one choice with the work she would be doing, an homage to her children, she explained, “Jai6 stems from all 6 of my kids and their names being Jai.”
Nonprofits are the grey area that help when situations aren’t black and white, but there aren’t enough to help with the need. This is a lesson Neal learned very early in life. Neal’s childhood was a bit of a roller coaster. She spent various amounts of time in foster care and group homes. These experiences left Neal discouraged and oftentimes advocating for herself, as a minor. Not to see anyone go through what she went through, Neal has made a conscious effort through Jai6 Youth Foundation to make sure that other children don’t fall through the cracks and provide not only resources but love, even if that means “tough” love.
“[The idea behind the foundation was] making sure I could be a guidance or a person that can prevent the next child going through what I had been through. Teach life lessons, skills and be the community I wish I had,” Neal said.
Jai6 Youth Foundation provides a safe environment for youth that are considered at-risk: children of low income households, children in foster care and group homes, single parent homes, children with incarcerated parents or deceased parents, children labeled as difficult, etc.
The foundation offers mentoring for girls and boys ranging from age 7-17, with a focus on self-love and redefining what their future can look like. Monthly meetings range from group discussions to paint parties. Youth can also choose between two programs that are umbrellaed under the foundation: the Dynamic Jewels and Dynamic Gentlemen. Dynamic Jewels are a dance and cheer team for girls aged 5-17. The group meets four days out of the week for practice and performs at local events, including parades and entertainment events at the Crown Complex.
This year saw the girls hit the stage at the Harlem Globetrotters game at halftime and more recently the Fayetteville State Homecoming parade. The girls can also be found giving a helping hand and a good performance for other nonprofits, like Drumzup Gunzdown and First in Families.
The Dynamic Gentlemen is a mime and spoken word team for boys ages 7-17. The group has performed at events hosted by the organization and several churches in the area.
This year has been one of growth, from performances and new experiences to installing a new board and having its inaugural Empowerment Ball.
For more information on the Jai6 Youth Foundation, Dynamic Jewels and the Dynamic Gentlemen, check out the website at https://jai6youthfondation.org/. The organization is currently looking for male mentors and a space for the Dynamic Jewels and Gentlemen to practice weekly. If you would like to help, send an email to jai6youthfoundation@gmail.com.