INDIANAPOLIS — A new podcast in Indianapolis looks to put the city’s youth in the spotlight.
“Get their voices heard. They want to be heard,” said Tyler Alexander, a mentor with New Breed of Youth, or "New B.O.Y."
The podcast is called “Chess Not Checkers.” It’s part of a literary arts and entrepreneur program that New B.O.Y. launched last year with grant money.
“Let’s have these kids put their pain not only in a play, not only in a book, not only in a recording studio, but on a podcast in front of a camera,” Alexander said. “Don’t look at the camera. Don’t worry about the camera. Just focus and talk to me.”
The program runs every Friday evening with several kids and teens involved. They tackle the biggest issues facing young people in Indianapolis.
Most recently, they talked about how social media influences their decisions.
“Have both of you been dissed on social media before?"
“People are always dissing on my people. So I did not feel comfortable with that.”
"He posted on his story, and he tagged me and said, 'Every song you make, I am going to report you.'"
Alexander said those comments rarely stay on social media. Many times, they boil over into real life and lead to fights and violence.
“A lot of these children are in pain. A lot of these children are going through a lot. A lot of these children need help. They are crying for help," Alexander said. "When they commit these crimes and they do these different things, they are just crying for help, and they are trying to find a safe space."
Sixteen-year-old James Henderson III joined the program about a year ago.
“After I came out of residential housing, my caseworker talked to me and said, ‘You are going to start having a mentor.’ I said, ‘What is a mentor?’” Henderson said.
Henderson said the program has changed his life and kept him on the right track.
“I think I would probably be dead or in jail,” Henderson said. "They are like family.”
The name of the podcast also plays a role. It serves as a reminder that in the game of life, the moves you make matter.
“Chess takes patience. It takes time. You have to think a step ahead. You can’t just think about your next move. You have to think about your next, next move,” Alexander said. “What piece are you playing right now on the podcast? Are you being a pawn and just want to be like everybody else or do you want to be that king and open up?”
The podcast also teaches kids how to work behind the scenes with production, lighting and editing. The plan is to start posting episodes on YouTube in the coming months.
In the future, Alexander hopes the kids will run the show on their own.
“We don’t sugarcoat it. We keep it live. Very intentional and very authentic,” Alexander said. “It’s their time to shine. It’s their show.”
If you are interested in getting involved, you can find more information here.