On the debut episode of the Savannah Youth Mentoring HUB Radio Podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Alonzo Amon Truitt to discuss Truitt's non-profit I Is We Incorporated.

Truitt talks about what inspires him to live out his mentoring lifestyle and how he opened his own "chop shop" in his grandmother's basement as a child.

More information about I Is We Incorporated can be found at iisweincorporated.org.

On the 2nd episode of the Savannah Youth Mentoring HUB Radio Podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Harold "Zion" Edwards of HOPE Initiative.

Edwards talks about HOPE Initiative, embarassment that comes from live performance mishaps, and the various ways that youth mentoring can happen.

More information about HOPE Initiative can be found at bullstreet.org/ministries/the-hope-initiative.

On Episode 3 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with friend, basketball coach, mentor, advocate, native Savannahian, and all-around gem Victoria Moran.

Victoria talks about her various involvements around Savannah, how she stays motivated, and her fulfilling work with organizations Youth Advocate Programs and Park Place Outreach.

Lean more about Park Place Outreach at parkplaceeyes.org and Youth Advocate Programs at instagram.com/yapinc1975.

On Episode 4 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Danica Rubenstein, Executive Director of The Front Porch.

After spending many years as a regular visitor, Danica became a Savannahian in 2024.

Danica talks about her career in public education, how mentors helped shape her early life, and why Stevie Nicks means so much to her.

Lean more about The Front Porch at frontporchchatham.org.

On Episode 5 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Lesli Ott, Executive Director of Girls Code Savannah.

Lesli was 12 years old when she was introduced to computer programming. While this interest made her a bit of a unicorn as a young girl living in the South, it also sparked a lifelong journey.

That journey has shaped Lesli's life and those of the young girls she now mentors through her nonprofit Girls Code Savannah.

Learn more about Girls Code Savannah at girlscodesavannah.org.

On Episode 6 of the podcast, Shawnessy Cargile – podcast host and creator of the Savannah Youth Mentoring HUB – talks about his career-long dedication to supporting & advocating for at-risk youth.

His 20+ years working with youth ranges from youth in schools to foster care to the juvenile justice system to those he now assists in his role as Family Engagement & Activities Coordinator for The Front Porch.

Shawnessy candidly shares what drives him, why little quirky positive interactions can have a big impact, and how a memorable mentoring disaster and mentoring misstep from his college and early career days taught him what NOT to do as a youth mentor.

Lean more about The Front Porch at frontporchchatham.org.

On Episode 7 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Gabriella Marvaldi, Development & Volunteer Manager for Tharros Place.

Gabriella was raised by Olympic figure skaters and became a figure skater herself. She learned how to manage her levels of discipline and commitment and is now focused on fighting human trafficking.

Lean more about Tharros Place at tharrosplace.com.

On Episode 8 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Socks Rizk, Youth Action Coordinator for Deep Center.

“Armed with curiosity” is a three-word approach that Socks takes into daily interactions with the world around them. As an organizer and a person, Socks is an explorer of art, community, and nature.

Though they didn't have the mentor they needed in their younger days, Socks is trying to be the influence that is now needed in their work with youth through the Deep Center.

Lean more about Deep Center at deepcenter.org.

On Episode 9 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Ankita Pattanath (Anki), Fashion Designer & Youth Mentor.

Anki came to SCAD after Googling it from her home in India. She was looking for a way to take her love of design, mix it with an ethical framework, and weave together a sustainable framework for her career and interactions with others.

Along the way, she has found a new passion in mentoring children as an afterschool tutor.

Lean more about SCAD Serves here.

On Episode 10 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile looks back at the 9 guests we have featured so far.

He also looks at some famous mentoring relationships you may not know about, including:

Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays and
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan

Doris W. Jones and Chita Rivera

On Episode 11 of the podcast, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Chef Jack Jackson, founder of A Seat At The Table Cafe.

Listen as Chef Jack talks about motorcycle clubs, small business ups and downs, how his father mentored him throughout his life, and how A Seat At The Table Cafe is training the next generation of chefs.

Check out A Seat At The Table Cafe here.

On Episode 12, host Shawnessey Cargile sits down with Bill Monroe, long-time youth mentor & tutor with L.O.V.E. Mentors.

Growing up in New York, Bill was surrounded by various ethnic communities near his family's Bronx-area home. One day, while at his father's store, Bill stepped outside to hear Malcolm X deliver a speech to a group of onlookers, not knowing what he had just witnessed.

In the early 2000's, Bill & his wife & kids moved to Savannah in hopes of easing into an early retirement. In the midst of it, Bill found himself actively engaged as something he never imagined...a tutor for elementary students.

And so began an over 20-year commitment to mentoring & tutoring younger learners through Bill's involvement with L.O.V.E. Mentors.

Learn more about L.O.V.E. Mentors here.

On Episode 13, in anticipation of the "Pray 4 My Hood" HOG MOB Ministries mega-event on April 26th in Savannah, host Shawnessey Cargile reviews his earlier interview with Harold "Zion" Edwards.

Learn more about HOG MOB Ministries here.

Watch the promo video for "Pray 4 My Hood" here.

On Episode 14, host Shawnessy Cargile discusses the origins of the word “mentor”.

The first recorded instance of the word “mentor” is in the story of The Odyssey.

While he doesn't take a deep dive into the story itself, Shawnessy looks at the word's origins and how it has become a part of pop culture. He also talks about the importance of setting, adjusting, and accepting varying levels of expectations in mentoring relationships.

On Episode 15, host Shawnessy Cargile sits down with the magnetic Ambria Berksteiner, Founder & Executive Director of Operation One STEM At A Time.

Shawnessy & Ambria discuss women engineers, the empowering mission of her organization, mentoring youth through STEM, being a twin, and Girl Scout cookies.

Learn more about Operation One STEM At A Time here.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

On Episode 16, host Shawnessy Cargile looks at a few ways that you can support the mental health of a child.

On Episode 17, host Shawnessy Cargile interviews his stepdaughter, Tallulah.

They discuss hot topics like skincare, youth mentoring youth, and the intellectual disconnect between owning a stuffed pig and eating bacon on a regular basis.

On Episode 18, host Shawnessy Cargile takes a trip to Charleston, South Carolina in the summer of 2015, days after the #theemanuel9 lives were tragically taken.

You will hear "man on the street" interviews with Charleston residents and visitors to the city on the day of the memorial.

We are thinking about the members of the Mother Emanuel AME Church today.

#charlestonstrong #lovewins

On Episode 19, host Shawnessy Cargile revisits what it means to be "Armed with curiosity" with Socks Rizk from Deep Center.

Socks gave us the "Armed with curiosity" daily mantra when we sat down for an interview earlier this year. Three basic words that, when combined, make for a powerful philosophy to live by.

In this eposide, we revisit part of that conversation and highlight an important youth opportunity that Deep Center is hosting at the end of June.

Learn more about Deep Center here.

On Episode 20, host Shawnessy Cargile sits down with Marisa Arnold, the Director of Youth Programs for Deep Center.

Sometimes you have to leave your hometown before you can appreciate what it has to offer. This was the experience for Savannah-native Marisa Arnold.

Since returning, she has figured out ways to incorporate her love for the arts into the mentoring she does through her role as Director of Youth Programs for Deep Center.

Learn more about Deep Center here.

On Episode 21, host Shawnessy Cargile sits down with Jimmie Johnson, the Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) for the City of Savannah.

Jimmie talks about his newfound love of Savannah, his passion for Memphis, and his desire to be the type of mentor that he had during his teenage years.

Since Jimmie is involved with vital youth work through the ONSE (Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement), we will let it slide that he is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Learn more about ONSE here.