The Bob Elliott Show Ep. 39 - Desiree Cook

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The following content provided in this show belongs solely to the host and guests, and does not represent the opinions of Live The Dream Media. The content provided in The Bob Elliott Show is for educational and entertainment purposes only.

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In a world of titles, positions, and unfiltered city noise, we forget that people make the job. The job doesn't make the person. Before the success lies an unwritten story. From Wildcats legend and NBA veteran to Tucson community leader, Bob Elliott goes beyond the resume to uncover the heart, grit, and real unedited stories shaping Southern Arizona.

Welcome to The Bob Elliott Show, exclusively on the Live The Dream Media Streamverse Network.

Bob Elliott (1:04)

Hello and welcome to another edition of The Bob Elliott Show. You know, we love to bring non-profits into the show, so you get a chance to find out what some people are doing in our community. Maybe you might really like to get involved. Maybe you might want to be a volunteer. Maybe you might do a donation. And during this time of the year, maybe you might even do a tax credit. So from last year, we have a returned member coming to the show, Desiree Cook for I Am You 360 Desiree, welcome to come back on the show.

Desiree Cook (1:34)

Thank you so much for having me, Mr. Elliott. I appreciate it.

Bob Elliott (1:37)

And, you know, last time, we were able to get more into your life at first, but at least give a summary of where you were raised, how you, et cetera, so people can kind of feel like, okay, who is this Desiree Cook that's the president and CEO of I Am You 360?

Desiree Cook (1:53)

Thank you so much again, I appreciate it. So East Coast Baby, born in Newark, New Jersey, from two parents that were entrepreneurs, and my dad was just really a thinker and thought big. And so I grew up in that kind of a household. So my mom was big on culture, and museums and operas and all the things. She really just wanted to invest in me as the only child. And growing up, I graduated early, everything was looking good for my future. But at the age of 17, I saw my father take his last breath from cancer. And with that, that really shifted some things in me and my decision making, my self-esteem.

Became a teen mom, went from selling drugs to becoming a full-fledged heroin and crack addict. Four of my children placed in foster care, two being raised by my mother. So a mother of six, mother to none.

But at the same time, that gave me the ability to have a clearer lens where I'm at today through transformation and redemption to birth I Am You 360 12 years ago.

Bob Elliott (2:56)

And see, and I think that people will understand sometimes your past leads you into your present and your future. And no doubt, your story of where you came from and where you are now is a definite reflection of I Am You 360 and what you're doing. So tell us about I Am You 360

Desiree Cook (3:15)

So I Am You 360 is a grassroots nonprofit, literally starting in my living room 12 years ago, with the concept first of hygiene, dignity first, and seeing my own children with my visits in foster care.

And I feel that children should never look like their circumstance, and that bothered me. And then especially African American children, right? There's certain things that we need for our hair and skin, but I wanted to serve all. So making sure that we serve full new hygiene culture related, not one and done, but every six weeks to build relationships. And so we have now are growing and so happy to announce that we will be replicating our hygiene dispensary. We'll actually share that partner's name coming out soon.

And then, you know, our curriculum is really growing and thriving and helping to unmute the underserved population. And then our housing. Our residents are thriving. We have CDL drivers, hygiene, I'm sorry, dental hygienists is what I wanted to say. One young lady just got also hired on her internship. She's working with children that have special needs and will soon be a speech therapist. I mean, they are thriving, not to mention they have almost $4,000 as we promise when we cut the ribbon towards their home ownership.

Bob Elliott (4:39)

Yes.

Desiree Cook (4:40)

And so excited to be on the show to share, not only with you and the listeners, that we will be replicating our housing movement as well with an anonymous donor. That's great. And we'll soon be able to talk about the address as well. So we get the community involved and invested in our small home experience number two.