Fourddo Building Bridges: Denver & Dylan on Amplifying Young Voices

Transcript auto-generated from the episode audio; formatting has been cleaned up, but wording is verbatim.

Hi, I'm Cynthia Marks and I head up the Holistic Psychoanalysis Foundation, established by my late husband, Doctor Bernard Bail. Welcome to and now love, brother and sister Denver and Dylan Humphrey have been kind enough to break from their busy schedules as co-founders of their nonprofit organization named Fourddo in order to spend some time with us today. Denver is in Orlando and Dylan is in Boston. Their mission is to amplify the voices of today's youth and address pressing issues that affect them. It's an awesome goal, and they are coming at it from all kinds of directions.

So let's hear what they have to say. Welcome. Hi, Cynthia. Hi, everybody. Thank you so much. Yeah, it's. So happy you're here. And I know that what you're doing is fabulous. And I really want our audience to hear more about it. And I think it's so important. And it's not unusual for me to think this. That people your age have a voice that's heard, and what is being said or thought about is super important. After all, we were all once your age. If we're not your age now. So it's important for people my age to think back on on how strongly we felt about things and what disturbed us and what we were afraid of, and think about whether or not we felt like we had a voice.

And it's important for us to respect that in everyone. And we're here to help you talk about your audience. So what is 4D? Do? Well, what we do is our nonprofit platform that Denver and I started six years ago. This is your number six. And it started off as like, just us kind of work with different initiatives and things that we were passionate about. And now a certain kind of like a nonprofit hub for young people to help amplify and accelerate them even further. What do you do? It's, great organization that was started in 2019. We were like we little babies, and now we're a bit older little babies, but we're kind of going to college and and high school and little things now.

So it's exciting. But 42 is grown with us. It's pretty amazing that somewhere in there you you found this motivation or you understood that there was this great need. How did you come to that motivation or what did you see happening where you thought, wait a minute, wait a minute, this community isn't being heard, or we feel like our peers are stifled or are afraid to speak or don't have the opportunity. I mean, I know you've been in situations as intimate as family dinners and and you've taken care to, to show us, you know, how important it is to communicate, even in that sort of close knit situation.

What motivated you to get here? I'd say that, that motivation or I don't know, that feeling kind of finds you, if anything. And I and I think it's being in these spaces and being different people and you're like, there's like a little gap that you can like film, like the work that you do that just comes so innate to you. You just realize if you keep doing it and you work with people that you trust and talk to young people and be in their spaces and really meet them where they're at, you find out that that's a big part of the work itself. You start doing it inherently.

And I also think it's like we we started it. I mean, we had the opportunity to perform on this really large stage together. And from there we kind of grew like a social platform and all of that and started advocating for causes and all of that. But and I also know the importance of, you know, where is it? Awareness week thought what? How are we use that on our own platform and use that for good? So we had a small little platform and thought, well how about we use it. So yeah. And I think that kind of came about to be 42. And from there we were like, yeah, I think it's a nonprofit, but also it's a club for young people where they can share their stories, we can share ours.

And it's just an overall social good platform. So. So you say you started this, you were on a stage and you were you two speaking to an audience about something specific or or were you part of a larger group and you were just noticing that the audience had questions or a curiosity that made you think, there's something here. Well, we grew up homeschooled, and a big part of that is that, like, we didn't have social media, and then we kind of created a joint social media account like we would post. We played tennis, we sang, we swam, we did. We did all the things that were like, this is gonna be our little camera.

We can, like, show off the things that we're doing each day. And if we can just talk about, hopefully inspire a young person who's watching. That was really our only goal. And then as we grew and our platform expanded, we started getting interest in different brands, organizations. We started doing different performances. We're just like, how can we make this connected with something that's important? I mean, from there, put it, it was born realizing that this platform could turn into an actual like agent for change endeavor. And I could just, you know, help facilitate that and also amplify it further.

So your first recognition then came from your social media presence, and you guys didn't really know that much about social media firsthand because you you weren't paying attention to it at home. Right? And then you just started posting about yourselves and it just kind of took off, like, here are two regular people doing regular things. Kind of. We were just always young kids doing different things. And then we were like, let's just this is a way that we can meet people also show our story a bit more and almost like crack open the window a little bit, right?

Yeah, I think from a young age on that both been like big storytellers and it's kind of been kind of how 42 is kind of a broad looking use to kind of be like Dylan and I, but it has like evolved over time to be like this social platform for other young people to share their stories and to connect. Crazy at that age and that you that it caught on and that brands started to come to you like you guys have something to say. We made like Lego movies and we just we were very communicative, knew the importance of communicating. And then as we go on to the arts and try out different spaces, we were like, oh, we can kind of move very freely through that.

And, and we hope young people know that they can also do that. But we also know that it's important that we want to share a story because quite. Why not? And I think that's just the important thing that we've realized. So yeah, we're figuring out. Yeah. Well, I think one of the cool things about what you're doing is that I think you guys are coming to social media from a place of authenticity and honesty and joy and concern and helpfulness, and that needs a bigger, bigger, bigger presence on social media. So that you're doing that and you have an audience is fantastic.

Absolutely. And when you when you do different things and you're in different spaces, you're constantly performing or doing something right. And so social media becomes a tool you can utilize to further your work. And when your audience or the people that you choose to serve are engaging with Fourddo, what are they doing? What is the process? How are they benefiting from their engagement with you? Yeah, honestly, a big part that I've seen is just staying in touch like Denver. And I, I know this summer. And there was like, you were just having a zoom calls every day with kids from Montana, kids from Florida Kitchen Alabama, or those from Florida, like, you name it.

We were just talking about the work they were doing and how important it is for it to just be interconnect and to just stay connected. So, so an individual in Wisconsin makes an appointment to talk with you, and you set up a time. And why is he wanting to talk to you? Is he looking for help? In terms of I'm really interested in painting, but I don't know where to go with that. Or is it more a conversation about I'm scared or I'm unhappy or I, I don't know how to help myself. I've noticed that it's often a mix of those conversations. Right. And then our goal is not to specify.

Right. I think that's the whole point. Like we can pivot between different spaces and different conversations because all these issues impact on people. And so I also want to add, I think it's like we'll just love to check in and like we love talking scheduling a call or like DMing us like we don't. I think it's it's so needed to love on each other and check in on each other. Like the whole point is that I see you, I see you, and I think it's so important, I think done. I really prioritize that with Fourddo like just because, you know, you're a part of this event that we had in New York doesn't mean that you can never, like, reach out to us like we want to stay connected with you, your partner Fourddo, you know, for forever.

So so then you might have the ability to help somebody in Boise find an outlet in Boise that they can become part of. Is that right? Absolutely. And then always keeping that line open. Right. I've had the the 9 p.m. text be like, hate doing, can I hop on a call? I'm like, yeah, let's chat. I'm just leaving the dining hall. So we walk in, I'm walking. We can just have a conversation about it's life stuff and you just stuff and also just it's an additional, oh, are you okay? Right. Also, I think a lot of it's like resource allocation and kind of figuring out, you know, if you want to be involved with this organization, we've probably worked with them.

So, you know, we'll put you in touch. I mean, I've done easily dozens, a lot of times of just like young people reaching out, I have this project, I have this initiative period will highlight you for our socials, but we'll also give you, you know, some tools and resources that may also benefit you. So a lot of individuals have discovered that they that you're a great resource. I'm struggling with something. I don't know where to get this information. I don't know how to get involved. I shouldn't get involved. I'm too shy. I think young people right now, we hear a lot like they got it.

Like I have it, figure it out. But you're giving us access to rooms that we didn't build, so we're not sure, like, okay, this table, thank you for the access, but what do I do next. Right. And so helping them understand how to move forward and not feel alone in that process, that's a big part of it. I love all I doing just said yeah. Not alone in that process, because we've had a lot of times of what to do or just doing. I have had to kind of figure out how to move forward, but like alone or by ourselves and, you know, maybe, you know, having this thing to do or having this initiative and you don't know how to like progress.

So I feel like A42 or a lot of times people bounce off ideas or just come to us with something and like, I feel like it's always difficult because you have to almost. I think as people, we feel like we have to lead in silence or kind of lead alone, and you don't have to. I think it's important to know you have community in that. You can do it together. I don't know how you're going to keep up with this, though. How do you manage your own lives when you're you must be getting contacted constantly. Well, one thing I've noticed is that there's never too much connection, right?

And you can also bounce that. Right? Like you be very real and upfront, like what your plate can handle. I mean, oftentimes I've had a connection be like, hey, you know, there's this other connection that actually lived in the same state as you like a few blocks away from you. Like, I kind of built that bridge. Right. And then after that, it was like, okay, my back up now there, now as I'm talking with each of them separately, I'm like, okay, y'all are building something really exciting and you kind of see that from afar. And I love, I love the joy that come from this moment.

You're building bridges, you're setting up means of communication with other individuals, connecting them and giving them a place to express themselves. That's one of the big goals. And another one is, how can we use our platform to hide these important initiatives? Right. So we designed these campaigns that are talking about, you know, shouted hunger, racial inequity and art like an expression like we're using our platform as like, here's what's going on right now and here's how you can engage and feel involved in the movement. So that was one of the major things that we worked on this year, specifically was, a campaign called Days of Mindfulness, which took us around several states nationwide to spread mindfulness and spread joy and talk about mental health and well-being for youth.

And that's so great. So, for example, this event that took place in New York, a mindfulness event, what was that? What was that like? So a big part of that event was like, let's just stop versus right, let's stop all the the noise, all the chaos of life and stress. And let's just gather, you know, like physically in a space and let's just see what, like, what we can get up to. And so we had some young people we had like expressive dance. We had stumbles like we just had a lot of movement and a lot of play, a lot of physical. We had young people who were just on with their exams, thinking about college.

We had they were very stressed out and they're like, oh, I like needed this moment to just reset it and not only reset, but see that other people needed to reset as well. Like it was just a just a communal need for peace, fostering spaces that are made just for that is a big part of our work. Do you feel like a lot of individuals feel just like that? Individuals, in a way, nobody but me is going through this. Whatever this is. I feel like we're all feel like we're on like this journey by ourselves. And I think it feels like you're the only person in the boat and like nobody else is in the boat with you.

And we kind of just want to open up that space because, like, I know I saw some kids walk in and it was just present and they became present. And I think that's so wonderful to see that, you know, we all we're connecting with each other and just dancing and having a good time. And it just makes me emotional thinking about it at Fourddo we want to make sure you, youth know that you're not alone? We have kind of asked ourselves, like, where are the safe spaces, right? Like where are our spaces that are not challenging them? You know, like not just allowing you to come in, be you and just exist, right?

Like every space that we have in the society is set to challenge how we function and make it difficult and stress the little things. Right. And so how can us, you know, Denver and I Fourddo in our work like facilitate spaces to like prevent isolation? I feel like and you know more about this than I do because you're your age and I my age that it's hard for a lot of younger people to have a voice that's heard that home life, whatever that is, puts them in a place where they do have to operate from a place of isolation for whatever reason. And we come to think that that is how everyone is, and that is how we're supposed to be, and that it's probably not okay to step outside and ask for help.

And maybe it's not okay to have a voice because everybody's so busy they don't have time to hear you. There's just a lot of how can we give young people what they need without asking what they need? And about listening to what they might want. I also think we live in a world where where a lot of people lead by assumption and kind of don't really. Yeah. As Tom was saying, ask for young people need or kind of assume what young people need. And I think that as young people were trying to are aware of what other young people want, but we also know it's important to ask, what do other young people, maybe in rural or suburban or just different communities, need?

We want to make sure that we're we're listening to all the all voices, especially the underrepresented voices as well. Our whole mission statement is we don't subscribe to being niche. And but we also want to make sure that we're aware of what's going on. Because if you don't have awareness and none of this really matters. And when you say you don't subscribe to being niche again because I'm not your age, what does that mean? In this social media world. You can move freely. You can move freely, like you mentioned a little earlier, like whether it's in civic education or mental health or racial inequity, or whether you're in Boston or Florida or California, like, you have a state, right?

You can be in any of these spaces. If you're a young kid in middle school, you can talk about how you're not feeling too and how you wish you could, you know, speak to a therapist or find a mental health provider. Right? That's mental health. If you feel uncomfortable with what's going on in your in your environment, that's civic education, right? You can talk and move freely through each of these spaces and not feel from the get to choose one to kind of hunker down in. And also like you can do a national tour, then also make a documentary. So it's like you don't kind of have to stay in your one lane of doing things, and that you can kind of make impact in various ways.

Yeah, that makes sense in my world, it's like being a general contractor, you know, lots of different areas and you have some expertise in each. And they're all important to the to the whole. It's nice for all of us to have a respect for civic education and mental health and wellness. So it's I think that you're allowing or helping individuals understand that all of that is important and worthy is awesome. And to do something which I think is unusual in that I don't think a lot of us have time for it anymore to truly listen. So the person on the other side feels truly heard.

That is hard to come by. So what do you do with your future in this organization of yours that's growing and taking up more of your time and doing more and more fabulous things? What's what's coming next? Yeah, I mean, there's so many amazing things on the horizon Fourddo. We have like a lot of core programing that's coming up and just innovative ideas and coming in 2026, we have like exciting couple projects called Four Stories, which is socially conscious essays and a couple of other, you know, great works like the theme for 2026 is like Days of Discovery, which is kind of restorative retreats for young people.

We have a lot of things, a lot of cool partnerships in the works, and just excited for young people to just be engaged and involved and really reach a lot more communities. So I love that you've come up with this, this restorative retreat. It sounds really great and I'm curious to know how that works. You can't be at all of these events you're creating. Do you set something up in given communities and figure out how people can access that? Yeah, that's the answer. A big part of wellness and finding yourself and expression and thought discovery.

Honestly, is expanding your worldview, right? I think we all have that moment in like the 16 to like 20 age group where you just have a week or like a few days or just like, I just want to change how you see things, you know, and kind of change your outlook. And so how can Fourddo provide that and support young people and potentially like providing a connective opportunity that enlightens and also like can just widen your eyes a bit more. And I also think like especially for those in those rural communities, those who, like you mentioned Idaho, like Montana and North Dakota, like spaces that might not, might not feel like they have access to things like this.

How can we, like, go directly to them and be like, we want you in this space, other young people connecting and creating things. Yeah, but you can't be present at all of these retreats. You're you're developing developing them in communities. Yeah. I think for Dylan and I were very busy people. I think we're we're going to make the time if we can, but I think we also know that, putting it in the hands of local communities and developing the framework and also making sure we're we don't want to be that's a big thing. Yeah. Like, you want to able to contribute to the spaces that are entering.

So like okay, you bringing people together. What project will they make together in that space, that comment on what's going on right now. And so, I think a big part of this is we may not be there physically, but we will be there in spirit. I think a big part of, you know, the vibe, as young people say, is just the vibe. And we want to make sure that what we do has that vibe that I think comes from our selling relationship growing up, being conscious of one another. And so how can we improve that into a physical space for young people? That's I think, so.

Well said. I feel like a lot of what happens that's great in life. The experiences where we're learning or growing truly come from having a feeling where you say, that's it. I need to work from this feeling to create what it is that feels good. What about this feeling? Do I want to really take out with me, you know, to bring into the world this this is a a good thing. This is something I want to work with. And and that you I have this unique relationship, the two of you where you as a team, you can work really well. So much better than a lot of us can.

So thank you for that. That's unbelievable. And I do think that you, because of that connection, because of that feeling you have, you can see it when others come to it and not invade their space but help them go with it like, yeah, you got this. You're on to something. Absolutely. And this like to touch on that when you grow up so close with a sister and you know, there's a four year age gap. We just did everything together really. Like I will always approach things with my own approach and then be conscious of hurts. Right. And so I think we just need more of that more, convergent thinking, like thinking about her off this perspective, about about something else, or just being mindful of the other perspectives in the room and how, we should seek those out.

Because at the end of the day, it just makes it so much more fruitful. Yeah. I also think you really realize how much sibling this is rooted in the foundation of what you do. Like, it's just always thinking about the other person and kind of having that like two person or just more people mindset, not just yourself. And I think it's just very I think it's really rooted in what you do, and I really love that. So I'm just excited for us to take that into 2026 and other community, you know, rooted aspects so that we can really touch on, you know, a lot of different things.

Well, I think what you're doing is really, really fresh and new and such a positive way to use social media and that you can use social media to kind of get to the grass roots of things that people can't get to on their own, sort of without social media. But you're opening a window for them and saying, no, you you don't have to look at this from afar. You can take part. These things that you're seeing are things that you can actually have, I promise. I think that's a beautiful thing, because I think a lot of us just sit back in our chair and hold space between you and me, let's say.

Yeah, if we're not giving people the reins. Right, like you're not giving up the reins. There's just a feeling of helplessness will come. They're watching life in society. And our times move and circulate around you. If you're not giving them a say or at least, a space for them to say what they feel. There's just so much untapped potential there. Oh, I know, and now, more than ever, of course, we're going to say that 35 years from now and now more than ever. But as the world changes and grows and all of that is happening more rapidly, we have little space for, you know, our youngsters and little space for our new ideas.

And the youth is going to carry us on in the future. And man, we've got to listen to those those ideas, those thoughts, those questions. There are so many important things. All of us can learn from each other, no matter our age. And and there's no dismissing it, no dismissing it. And I feel like there's a lot of that going on and it's not okay. Yeah. No, I want to add because I think it's so important because I think, yes, what I do is kind of founded and led by youth. But I think there's also it's amazing intergenerational aspect to us that I don't think that should ever be lost.

Like, I think listening to older perspectives and different, like older generations in even younger generations, I think having the intergenerational perspective and yes, we're you led by youth, but we also have, you know, advisors who advise and mentor to mentor and ask to say, I just love your what you said, because I think it's important to know that just because we're Gen Z doesn't mean like we know everything about Gen Z. Like it's okay to listen to other perspectives and, you know, be be aware of those perspectives as well. That goes for the world at large.

It's youth listening to the their elders and the other way around, and Republicans listening to Democrats and the other way around and, you know, really hearing each other and finding a place to respect one another and, and grow as communities. You guys are just so cool together. What was happening at home? Were you were you were able to develop this relationship where you really respect each other and listen to each other. Were you always like this? I think, I was four years older and I remember, you know, Denver's arrival and I was just like, I don't like your four, right?

I don't know what I'm going to do next, but boy, isn't it so much more fun when you're going with somebody else. And so any way that I could include or just be there or but also realize that like, there are times where I can't just leave, like I never have let me before. Two there are going to be times where you're you're confused, you're struggling, and so just being very wary of one another. Right. And also how we have fluid, you know, we are as people like we're made out of water, like we're supposed to be fluid and are supposed to move and change and adapt.

And so being mindful that, you know, in our relationship and just allowing us it has just kind of be circular with one another, not define or or identify or term, you know, what it has to be or who you know who we are becoming. I think we just gave each other that much grace growing up and continued to do so even more nowadays. Well, I think we love to hold space for each other, even through, you know, thick and thin and just like. And that's not to say that we don't have, you know, our battles, but I definitely think that like it. It's important to listen to each other well.

And and you mentioned that fluidity, which is so true. And I mean, relationships are dynamic. They're always becoming this or that and going back to the other. And so to, as you say, hold space or take a deep breath and continue to love, which that's how we all came together in the first place, was we were talking about love. And we all need to start from a place of love and really understand what that is. And I think a lot of us have an idea of what we think love should be, and we, some of us, pretend to love and and it's a treasure to really feel love or feel like you can love, be love or love.

You two, I think, are giving people a place to really know that feeling and spark it enough where it's one of those things where you think, wait a minute, wait a minute, that felt so good. I want more of that. How can I get there? So that's that's so great. I mean, you're just opening the little doors and big doors for a lot of people who don't have a lot of good sources and to be able to show them that there are good sources that they can get to. So thank you very much. That was work fabulously. It was almost like gossip was swinging. Okay. No, I was just so, Well, thanks.

It's a box. Like, you know, all these relationships are like, they're boxes, but you also have a choice in, like, how big they are or how close or how small they are. Like, what it can feel look like. And so I, I couldn't ask for a better teammate in the office. We're cool now. Yeah. I just love the whole theme of love and how just like it's a foundation for a lot of things like empathy and love. That's a big thing about I just love love. So I think it's just a really in for and I love this podcast. So yeah. Thank you. So we're we're we're on the same wavelength that's for sure.

So where do people find you if somebody is now so curious and I'm sure plenty of us are. Yeah. You can check us out on Instagram at 42. Oh you are. You could also, you know, that me in Denver on LinkedIn or in the in the DMs or, you know, find us. You can never have too much connection. And so feel free the doors open, the windows open. Also if your brand or organization wants to work with Fourddo we love to collaborate. That's kind of what we didn't mention in this interview about collaboration is at the root of our organization. So yeah, just hit us up and go to our website.

Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you both so much. Continue on with the fabulous stuff you're doing. Thank you. Thank you so much. To, you know. Thank you for listening. Come back and pay attention to these guys. Watch them. They're doing great things and it's always evolving. Bye for now.