I am DOPE

08/02/2026

Big Happy Birthday to a great friend of the program! Enjoy your day Sade' Smith-Tillman

07/24/2026

🎯 Most people avoid conflict. Leaders learn to handle it.

EmpowerU Workshop: Handle Conflict Like a Leader

Disagreements happen — at school, at home, with friends. What matters is how you handle them. Join guest speaker William McKee for a free workshop on managing conflict, communicating clearly, and turning tension into growth.

📅 August 1, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Riverside High School, Durham, NC (in person or virtual)
🎂 Ages 13-18
🆓 Free to attend — breakfast provided for in-person guests

From money smarts to leadership power, the 2026 Empower U workshop lineup is all about building your future! Select your workshops below and reserve your seat today.The 2025/26 Fall-Winter Empower U Workshop schedule: Mar. 14, 2026 – Hands-On Future: Exploring High-Demand Skilled Trades – A work...

07/10/2026

A young athlete should not have to sit out because the cost is too high.

This July, the Bull City Bruins and Lady Bruins are raising funds to help our players travel, compete, grow, and represent Durham with pride.

For many of our middle and high school athletes, basketball is more than a sport. It is where they learn discipline, confidence, teamwork, leadership, and how to keep pushing when life gets hard. Your donation helps cover travel expenses, team-building activities, and scholarships so more players have the chance to experience the full season.

Triangle community, we need your support. Every gift, whether $10, $25, $50, or more, helps put a player in position to succeed on and off the court.

Donate today:
https://support-bruins-basketball.raiselysite.com

Your support can help a Bruins player get in the game.

07/08/2026

Could you survive your first month living on your own?

Find out at Smart Money Habits for Teens – Part 2 where Mr. William Fisher, Coastal Credit Union Community Impact Officer, will lead you in an interactive real-life financial simulation and experience the choices adults make every day.

Build the confidence and money skills you'll need before life hands you the bill.
Reserve your seat today!

📅 Saturday, July 18, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
👥 Free for teens ages 13–18
📍 In-person and virtual attendance available (location provided upon registration)
🍳 Free breakfast for in-person participants

Sign up now:
https://calendly.com/ddmcdonald/empoweru-workshops-2026?month=2026-07

06/10/2026

Would you know how to make a great first impression at a scholarship banquet, job interview lunch, networking event, or formal dinner?

I Am DOPE invites teens ages 11-18 to join us for Dining Etiquette: Confidence at the Table, an exciting EmpowerU Academy workshop featuring guest presenter Ms. Jeanine Holland!

Students will learn essential dining etiquette skills while building the confidence to navigate professional and social settings with poise and professionalism.

Saturday, June 13, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
✔️ Durham, NC (location provided upon registration)
✔️ In-Person & Virtual Options Available
✔️ Free Breakfast
✔️ Kahoot Competition with Cash Prize
✔️ Table Setting Demonstration
✔️ Free for Youth Ages 11–18

This workshop is part of the EmpowerU Academy series, designed to help teens develop the life skills, confidence, and professionalism needed for success after high school.

Reserve your seat today!

Durham, NC Delfiscio (Coach D.) McDonald, Executive Director

06/09/2026

Would you know how to make a great first impression at a scholarship banquet, job interview lunch, networking event, or formal dinner?

I Am DOPE invites tees ages 11-13 to join us for Dining Etiquette: Confidence at the Table, an exciting EmpowerU Academy workshop featuring guest presenter Ms. Jeanine Holland!

Students will learn essential dining etiquette skills while building the confidence to navigate professional and social settings with poise and professionalism.

Saturday, June 13, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
✔️ Durham, NC (location provided upon registration)
✔️ In-Person & Virtual Options Available
✔️ Free Breakfast
✔️ Kahoot Competition with Cash Prize
✔️ Table Setting Demonstration
✔️ Free for Youth Ages 11–18

This workshop is part of the EmpowerU Academy series, designed to help teens develop the life skills, confidence, and professionalism needed for success after high school.

Reserve your seat today:
https://calendly.com/ddmcdonald/empoweru-workshops-2026?month=2026-06

Durham, NC Delfiscio (Coach D.) McDonald, Executive Director

06/02/2026

Thank you to our guest speakers, Mr. Christopher M. Young , federal criminal defense attorney, and Mr. Joseph Ross, Trial Supervisor for the Eastern District of North Carolina Federal Public Defender’s Office, for sharing their knowledge and passion for civil rights and law enforcement interaction education with our EmpowerU students. We would also like to thank retired Officer B.J. Council, owner of You and Five-O, for providing her valuable insight from the law enforcement perspective.

Students learned about important topics including constitutional rights, consent, searches and seizures, de-escalation, and respectful communication during law enforcement interactions. One major highlight was the mock trial demonstration, where students experienced courtroom roles and decision-making firsthand.

Our top takeaway: young people should understand both their rights as citizens and how to interact calmly, respectfully, and confidently with law enforcement.

Special thanks to the Riverside High School Athletic Department for partnering with I Am DOPE to bring this important workshop to teens in our community free of charge.

Bull City Bruins Bull City Lady Bruins

05/27/2026

How should teens handle real-world interactions as they gain more independence and begin driving?

Join attorney, Christopher Young, for our EmpowerU workshop, “Know Your Rights,” where students will learn about respectful communication, responsible decision-making, and understanding their rights during interactions with law enforcement.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Riverside High School, Durham, NC

Free breakfast provided. Attendance is strongly encouraged for all teens, especially new and future drivers.

Reserve your seat today:

From money smarts to leadership power, the 2026 Empower U workshop lineup is all about building your future! Select your workshops below and reserve your seat today.The 2025/26 Fall-Winter Empower U Workshop schedule: Mar. 14, 2026 – Hands-On Future: Exploring High-Demand Skilled Trades – A work...

05/27/2026

How should teens handle real-world interactions as they gain more independence and begin driving?

Join attorney Christopher Young for our EmpowerU workshop, “Know Your Rights,” where students will learn about respectful communication, responsible decision-making, and understanding their rights during interactions with law enforcement.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Riverside High School, Durham, NC

Free breakfast provided. Attendance is strongly encouraged for all teens, especially new and future drivers.

Reserve your seat today:
https://calendly.com/ddmcdonald/empoweru-workshops-2026

05/27/2026

How should teens handle real-world interactions as they gain more independence and begin driving?

Join attorney Christopher Young for our EmpowerU workshop, “Know Your Rights,” where students will learn about respectful communication, responsible decision-making, and understanding their rights during interactions with law enforcement.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Riverside High School – Trailer 2
3218 Rose of Sharon Rd., Durham, NC

Free breakfast provided. Attendance is strongly encouraged for all teens, especially new and future drivers.

Reserve your seat today:
https://calendly.com/ddmcdonald/empoweru-workshops-2026