Testimonials, success stories and entertainment all part of annual event

Published in the Oct. 2-15, 2013 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Dori Prado grew up in a dysfunctional home. Her mother was in and out of her life, her dad in and out of jail. She and her sister were raised by their grandparents, her two brothers by her uncles and mother. She received no guidance and was bounced between her grandparents and her mother. She rarely attended the same school two consecutive years. At 16 she got pregnant with her first daughter, and by 20 she had her second daughter. When her youngest daughter began hanging out with what she thought was the wrong crowd, she blamed her daughter’s friends. And it was those early lessons and the realization that perhaps her daughter’s friends didn’t have the support at home her daughter had that prompted her to found Living Above the Influence.

So, after coming to the realization that a lot of youth have little or no parental guidance, Prado asked her father, a recovering gang member and addict who Prado has a close relationship with, to speak at Sobrato High School. They were going to use the auditorium, but he was put in his granddaughter’s room instead, where his message fell on mostly deaf ears, Prado said.

“It really didn’t work,” she said. So she asked him if he’d repeat his message at a barbecue at Community Park. They were expecting 15-20 people and about 75 showed up.

That was the beginning of what is an annual event. Now in its seventh year, this year’s theme is “Influential People Making a Difference.” The goal of the event is to educate youth, parents and the community of the dangers of coping with life pressures negatively, and showing them healthier strategies for dealing with life’s pressures by bringing them real-life testimonies, success stories, and stories from some who still struggle. It also lets them know there is another way to live their life and another way to express themselves through music, art, dance and poetry.

“Coming from a dysfunctional home, my passion has been helping children,” she said. Despite her background of abuse and living in a dysfunctional home, Prado said deep down she always knew she wanted more out of life.

“A big eye opener for me was when my brother passed away from a drug and alcohol overdose and he was a casual user and a counselor,” she said. “He was my absolute best friend. He’d always tell me I’m a good mom, a good person. We were ashamed to tell people what he died from. I went into a depression but realized we need to share this.”

That sharing comes at this community event, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 19. It is expected to bring about 300 people to Galvan Park to hear speakers, listen to music and watch performers of all sorts. It will also provide a host of nonprofit booths where volunteers will be available to deliver resources and hand out literature related to each issue a teen could be facing.

“It’s a community event open to everyone,” Prado, now 41 said. “It’s all about connecting the community to resources they need.”

A lot of youths experience life issues today without the resources or skills to navigate them properly, Prado added. They struggle with a number of life forces that are difficult to manage, such as peer pressure, body image issues, family issues, and they often don’t know how to deal with these pressures.

Coping by using unhealthy means is an alternative for them. Many get involved in things they don’t realize will have a negative effect on their life. Some are getting involved in gangs, drugs, excessive alcohol use, and too many wind up in prison. Worse, she said, some are dealing with inner pain and low self-esteem that is causing some to consider suicide as a possible alternative.

Prado said she’s a big believer in the generational cycle, but also believes that cycle can be broken.

“Just because someone is brought up in a dysfunctional home doesn’t mean they can’t get out,” she said. “They just haven’t heard anybody tell them there’s a better way to live. It’s all about choices and making the right one.”

And those correct choices are being made by some.

Last year, after the event, she got a call from parents who took their 17-year-old daughter to the event, Prado, a project manager at Cisco Systems, said. She was a cutter, someone who cuts their body to relieve themselves from an emotional pain. She heard one of the speakers talking about suicide and the depth of depression they felt and it hit home for her. The teenager connected with a suicide prevention group.

Another year, a 16-year-old boy came up to Prado asking for help. She connected him with Advent Group Ministry, a recovery program for 12 to 24 year olds.

“If we connect just one person, that’s worth it to me,” she said.