One such organization making change is located in Texas. Texans ya'll have a gem living among you, and her name is Tequita Odom.
About Young Mother:
Young Mother Magazine is a magazine unlike any other parenting magazine because we assist adolescent parents with living day to day life as a parent and youth. The purpose of YM is to cater to the financial, economic, life, and educational needs of adolescent parents ages 13-25 through parenting classes, research based articles, and promoting positive mentoring amongst their peers. YM Magazine believes in strengthening our community by approaching weaknesses proactively with research based information, mentoring and volunteer involvement. In just 2003 alone, Fort Worth had one of the highest rates of still births in Texas and it will continue to rise without magazines and other businesses like my own that continue to teach young mothers about the consequences of not being fully educated on the life they've created. We want to help educate young mothers on the effects their lifestyles and decisions have on their children´s future and health, to equip them with tools that will assist them in good decision making, and stressing the importance of being a positive role model for their families. At our magazine we also teach the old saying "it takes a village to raise a child" because we believe if we are going to change the lives of our young women and their families, we all have to do our part in making it our business to care. Our vision is to create a more positive, healthier, and stable life for the parents and children. We are rooted in Fort Worth, Texas so if you here a "ya´ll" in any of the articles, you know it is just a cultural thing. Our website is www.youngmother.org.
About Tequita Odom:
I am Tequita Odom, Founder and Publisher of Young Mother Magazine. I started this magazine because I saw a real need for positive guidance in the lives of the young women I worked with and their children. I have worked with at-risk youth for six years and within that time period I have become very close to my work and the girls in it. Their trials and tribulations also sparked my desire for change in our community and in their lives. I was also one of those girls with no initial guidance on what kind of mother to be or how to raise normally functioning kids. I am a college student, a mother of a six year old by the name of Tauje, a mentor, a christian, a full time worker, and full time Editor in Chief of YM Magazine. Looking to make a change early on in my career, I looked towards more education by going to child development courses, as well as pursue my degree in Organizational Management with a minor in Public Administration. I love what I'm doing and would not trade it for the world. It is truly a blessing to be a part of enriching someone's life.
It is my pleasure to use Smell Goods '98™ as a tool to assist Tequita in her endeavors for young mothers. From September to November, Smell Goods will be donating 40% from the sales of Stay Sweet Sugar Whips* to Young Mother Magazine. Show your support and be a part of the solution. *Any other product(s) added to the Stay Sweet line during this time will go towards Young Mother Magazine.
