Inspiring Conversations with Lynn Gilkey of Rise Up For Youth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Gilkey.

Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
David and I came from different backgrounds, David grew up in a two-parent household, and I was from a one-parent household. My mother died when I was 3 years old, leaving my father to raise 8 children alone. Growing up, we both had our struggles. We grew up not having a lot of material things, but we cared for ourselves. At the age of 5 I was sent to live with extended family members and in that house suffered from childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse. David grew up in a Godly home and attended church often. He graduated high school and went to college. I barely graduated high school. Growing up, we both separately started doing drugs. First, it was marijuana, alcohol, then eventually cocaine. Our paths crossed in 1998, and we became a couple. Two addicts are trying to do their best while fighting a raging addiction. Crack became our world, our life. I entered the relationship with two sons from a previous unhealthy relationship, but David and I were committed to making our relationship work. David and I had a lot of stints of going in and out of jail. In the meantime, I became pregnant with David’s daughter. Unfortunately, that did not stop the addiction. We both were very blessed and grateful to have family that helped our children through our addiction.

In September 2000, our house was raided by the SWAT TEAM, and we both were hauled off to jail. Both were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell. David had a previous conviction of possessing drugs with intent to sell and was facing 17 years to life. I was looking at 15 years to life in prison. This lengthy sentence was due because someone stole my ID and used my name while being arrested for the exact charges I was now facing. My attorney had to prove that I was innocent of the 2nd charge and that this was my first possession offense.

We both began to pray in our separate jail cells. Not knowing what each other’s fate would be. We both begged for a second chance, a chance to start over, and a chance to rewrite our story. Unbeknownst to each other, we both prayed a simple prayer that if we got out of the situation we were in, we would change our lives and help teenagers make better choices and not end up like us.

Due to the technicality in my case, I received 18 months of probation. David received 3 years’ probation. The world would say it was because of the technicality in my case that I received only 18 months of probation. We both know it was an answer to our prayers. David and I were given a second chance to rewrite our story. Our prayers were answered. In 2001 they released us both from the Sedgwick County Detention Facility in Wichita, Kansas. Our probation stipulated that we could not have contact with each other. We had to be honest and tell our lawyers that we planned on getting married.

Our Judge, Mr. Terry Pullman, was angry with our choice. He stressed his anger in court. He made it very clear in the courtroom. He said loudly that he did not believe two addicts could make a life together. So he made another stipulation in our probation. If I relapsed, David would have to do my sentence of 15 years; if I relapsed, I would have to do David’s sentence of 17 years. Those words resonated with us and were enough to keep us both sober. Upon our release, David entered an all-male Drug Recovery Facility. I went to a St. Anthony’s Family homeless shelter with my 3 children. We both started over with nothing. We started attending CA (Cocaine Anonymous) meetings 7 days a week. We both got a sponsor and joined a local church. Together we learned to live a life of sobriety. David and I have been clean of crack cocaine for 22 years. Upon our release from jail, David and I went to a few local high schools in our community and asked if teenagers were making bad choices, They asked us to come back the next day, and they met us with an auditorium full of teenagers. We shared our stories, and the students related immediately. Some had parents suffering from addictions. Some had parents incarcerated. Some students had been sexually, emotionally, or physically abused. They trusted us! We never forgot our promise.

Our programs are called Brotherhood and Sisterhood. Rise For Youth Mission is: To inspire and motivate the next generation to unlock their full potential through education, mentoring, and empowerment. We became a nonprofit in 2014, becoming Rise Up For Youth. In Wichita, KS. David and I have mentored thousands of teens in our community; some students were not even on track for graduation. We now have a staff of 10 whom we call champions. We serve 6 high schools, 96% of seniors graduated, and 89% of our students have post-secondary enrollment or entered the workforce. We can reach more teens and make a bigger impact. And have given over $5000 in education scholarships.

In 2016 I was recognized and given an award from President Barrack Obama for Champion of Change. David received many local awards and NAACP Person of the Year in 2008 for his work with young men of color. Together we are making a difference in the lives of countless teens in our community.

Our motto is, “It is better to build strong teens than restore broken adults.
Lynn Gilkey

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As the saying goes, Nothing worth having is easy. We have had what I call growing pains. Everyone that has a grassroots organization has suffered obstacles/challenges. We have learned to surround ourselves with people with the experience and knowledge we may not have, and together we figure it out. Finding people who believe in your mission and vision is significant. Our biggest challenge is learning to hire staff with a passion for mentoring young people and not having enough hours in the day to meet the needs of all the students we serve. While we faced many challenges over the last 2 years, it is a testament to our strength and passion at Rising For Youth that sustained us through it all. We could not only survive but thrive through the most challenging global and economically impacted year.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Rise For Youth is a charitable organization that mentors high school students in the Wichita, KS community, impacting hundreds of students yearly for over 7 years. We are committed to raising the bar as we continue to help students achieve a high school diploma and go out into the world with a personalized plan for success to become successful and self-sufficient adults capable of taking care of themselves and giving back to their community.

Our top 3 Initiatives are Sustainability, Community Connections, and Applied Learning Experiences. What sets us apart from other youth mentoring programs is we meet students where they are. Our program is not a 9 to 5 job. We are there for our students 24 hours a day 7 days a week, when they are in need. We want people to know that we empower students to unlock their full potential to change their world.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I believe always being open, honest, and transparent is always the best way to find a mentor. Letting people know your need and seeing the right person you can connect to has always worked for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: riseupforyouth.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/riseupforyouth/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/riseupforyouth
• Twitter: twitter.com/riseupforyouth
• Youtube: rise up for youth wichita ks