REPORTER AVA RASH TELLS US MORE ABOUT THIS NEW PROGRAM. IT’S ALL ABOUT HELPING KIDS RIDE INTO THEIR FUTURE. FOR DETECTIVE DOROTHEA LEFTWICH, SHE’S USING HER LOVE OF HORSES TO HELP EMPOWER INNER CITY KIDS AND HELP TEACH THEM LEADERSHIP. MY GOAL WAS TO BE THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE, WAS TO RIDE HORSES. A LOVE FOR HORSES PULLED DETECTIVE DOROTHEA LEFTWICH TO THE CITY’S MOUNTED UNIT. IN TURN, SHE IS NOW THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN ON THE TEAM. SHE’S USING THAT PASSION TO INSPIRE OTHERS. PLANT A SEED INTO A KID IS MY GOAL. THAT THERE’S ALL KINDS OF JOBS WE FIND BETWEEN THIS HORSE ARENA, AGRICULTURE FIELD AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I WANT TO EXPOSE THEM TO AS WELL. THIS SUMMER, SHE LAUNCHED THE RIDING INTO THE FUTURE PROGRAM. IT’S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT ALSO INCLUDES FOUR H AND SUNNYVALE STABLES AT THE WELCOME BREAKFAST, ABOUT TWO DOZEN KIDS GOT ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THEY’RE GOING TO LEARN TO HORSEBACK RIDE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY FOR FREE, WATCH THE KIDS GROW FROM MAYBE BEING AFRAID TO WORK WITH THE ANIMALS AND LEERY OF BEING AROUND THEM TO BEING ABLE TO LEAD THEM. AND WE’RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS TO A LARGER GROUP OF KIDS, TO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO LEARN HOW TO RIDE HORSES AND PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR THEM TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE, IN THE IN THE COUNTRY AND GET THEM OUT OF THE CITY, BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH GOING ON WITHIN THE CITY. THE PROGRAM, HELPING KIDS LEARN AND THRIVE, FULFILL MENTAL ASPECTS THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN THE HOME. THEY MAY EVEN, AS AN OFFICER, FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH COMMUNICATING CRIME THAT’S GOING ON AND TALKING. SO THERE’S SO MANY AVENUES THAT CAN BE HANDLED WITH THIS PROGRAM. THE RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY IS OVERWHELMING. WELL, THEY COULD ONLY ACCOMMODATE 20. THE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT A BIGGER PROGRAM EACH AND EVERY YEAR, AND THE PROGRAM WILL END AT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR.
News We Love: Detective uses horseback riding to empower inner-city youth
Det. Dorothea Leftwich, the first African American woman in Pittsburgh’s mounted police unit, is using her love of horses to launch a program aimed at empowering inner-city youth through horseback riding and leadership development.”My goal wasn’t to be the first African American female. It was to ride horses,” Leftwich said.The Riding Into the Future program was launched this summer. It is a collaborative effort between her, 4-H, and Sunni Bell Stables. At a welcome breakfast, about two dozen kids learned how they would get the chance to go horseback riding for free. There are seven sessions they will participate in.”To plant a seed into a kid is my goal; that there’s all kinds of jobs between this horse arena, agriculture field, and stuff like that I want to expose them to as well,” Leftwich said.Sonya Bell, owner and head trainer at Sunni Bell Stables, expressed her enthusiasm for the program.”To watch the kids grow from maybe being afraid to work with the animals and leery of being around them to being able to lead them, and we’re just really excited to be able to bring this to a larger group of kids,” Bell said.Leftwich highlighted the importance of providing children with opportunities outside the city.”To have that ability to learn how to ride horses and provide something for them to do outside in the country, and get them out of the city because there’s so much going on within the city,” she said.The program also aims to address challenges children may face at home and in their communities.”Fulfill the mental aspects that are going on within the home. They may, even as an officer, feel comfortable with communicating crime that’s going on, and talking, so there’s so many avenues that can be handled with this program,” Leftwich said.The community response has been overwhelming, and while only 20 kids could be accommodated this year, the goal is to expand the program annually.
Det. Dorothea Leftwich, the first African American woman in Pittsburgh’s mounted police unit, is using her love of horses to launch a program aimed at empowering inner-city youth through horseback riding and leadership development.
“My goal wasn’t to be the first African American female. It was to ride horses,” Leftwich said.
The Riding Into the Future program was launched this summer. It is a collaborative effort between her, 4-H, and Sunni Bell Stables. At a welcome breakfast, about two dozen kids learned how they would get the chance to go horseback riding for free. There are seven sessions they will participate in.
“To plant a seed into a kid is my goal; that there’s all kinds of jobs between this horse arena, agriculture field, and stuff like that I want to expose them to as well,” Leftwich said.
Sonya Bell, owner and head trainer at Sunni Bell Stables, expressed her enthusiasm for the program.
“To watch the kids grow from maybe being afraid to work with the animals and leery of being around them to being able to lead them, and we’re just really excited to be able to bring this to a larger group of kids,” Bell said.
Leftwich highlighted the importance of providing children with opportunities outside the city.
“To have that ability to learn how to ride horses and provide something for them to do outside in the country, and get them out of the city because there’s so much going on within the city,” she said.
The program also aims to address challenges children may face at home and in their communities.
“Fulfill the mental aspects that are going on within the home. They may, even as an officer, feel comfortable with communicating crime that’s going on, and talking, so there’s so many avenues that can be handled with this program,” Leftwich said.
The community response has been overwhelming, and while only 20 kids could be accommodated this year, the goal is to expand the program annually.
