[MUSIC] Welcome back to this edition if Essence Live, joining me now, two women I've spoken about quite a bit over last couple of months. One is the cofounder of Pitcch In Foundation and also the reason why I am running the New York City marathon, Miss Amber Sabathia, how are you? Hello. Welcome. Thank you for having me. I don't know how I feel about you right now. I don't know. You're lucky you're pretty. [LAUGH] That's what I'm saying. No. [LAUGH] And of course joining us again, no strangers to the Essence Live stage, Ursula Steven. Hi. Who also doesn't like me. [LAUGH] Who also doesn't like you Amber, but is also another reason [UNKNOWN] I'm running the New York City Marathon. She volunteered me. I'm questioning everything about our friendship. Just so you know. But, Amber, welcome. Thank you so much for taking the time to Thank you. have me as a part of your team. As well as take the time to come here, and speak with Essence Live about the Pitch in Foundation. Thank you. So you could you please tell us a little bit about the Pitch in Foundation, and what inspired you? So many years ago my husband and I co-founded the pigeon foundation, and it's about promoting self esteem amongst inner city youth. There's so many kids out there from the inner city that, single mother raised households, you know, most of there parents didn't go to college College. They have the drugs, alcohol abuse. They see it all and sometimes that hinders them and their self esteem and they feel they can't get out of that. Um-hm. And TeeTee and I are both from single parent households. We both dealt with alcohol and drug abuse when we were younger and here we are today. So we want kids to know, you follow your dreams, you can become whatever you want. But change costs and Pitch in Foundation, We are out there fundraising, hence why I have you two lovely ladies out there running that marathon. Running. And we're making change. And so can you tell us a little bit more about some of the programs you do? Recently you did the backpack drive, but what are some of the programs that your foundation does throughout the year? Very proud. We have three major ones. We do a lot of major events, but three major ones. We do the backpack program, we've given out 25,000 backpacks to date. That means we've touched 25,000 children's' lives. Cici's mother was a single mother, and the one thing she said she always worried about, back to school. Right, supplies and things. It was one of those things she said she could never afford. She couldn't afford the new clothes, the back to school supplies. So we started the backpack program. Every child gets a backpack full of school supplies, everything that's on that parent's list, to start them off right for the school year. Mm-hm. We also renovate little league fields. So C.C. says he wouldn't be where he is today if it wasn't for that little league field. And someone to get him out of the streets and on the field. Right. So we're out there renovating fields in California and New York. And also we have clinics where we take the kids and we teach them the fundamentals of baseball so they're interested in baseball. Right now in baseball, African Americans are lacking in that sport. That is true. And so we're out there, about we're pushing them to get back out there and have the interest in baseball, and learn the game, and love the game. And I think it's also so important too just to get kids out of the house, and off of their cell phones and social media and actually out. And playing and interacting. And Pitcch In is the official charity of the New York City Marathon. I want to call that out. Why do you think this marathon was such a great fit? So last year I did it. And this is our third year of being one of the official charities. And the first year I had a team, and I was out there rooting for them. And I was on Twitter and I was tweeting, and I was like, oh are they done yet? God, how long does it take to run a marathon, right? Girl. Right. I had no idea. As we're discovering. [LAUGH] No idea. And the next year I said you know what? If I can push them to do it, I'm gonna do it. My husband laughed at me. What? And he said You're not an athlete. Oh, shade, C.C. It was so much shade from C.C. Oh, shade. He said, there is only one athlete in this house, I said, no, there's two. [LAUGH] And I'm gonna get out there and I'm gonna run this marathon, and I did it. And I knew that it was more to it. We're out there, we're raising money, we're fundraising. We're giving back to the youth, and we're out there running for the kids. But we're also giving ourselves something. Something that You know you can't get. It's so fulfilling to cross that finish line, and I'm so excited for you guys because you guys have no idea what you're about to encounter. Really? I'm about to crawl across that line. Okay. You know Angie was on the team. She said well She called me, she was like I'm going to have to get on your back to cross this finish line. Angie Martinez, she did it last year. She was on my team and she did it and she finished it and she raised a lot of money. And I know you guys can do the same. We will. Now how did you get Ursula, convince Ursula. To do this. Because Ursula's like me, she has her thing going on, she's all into hair and beauty and whatnot, but she's got that inner athlete in her too, and I saw it. She's competitive. Yes, very. She's right, she's right. She's competitive. So, Ursula- Ursula's a strong woman, I knew she'd She can do it. She's a beast. I'm glad she made me do it though. I was talking, excited about her, when she did it last year, oh, I wanna do it. I would love to do such a [UNKNOWN] in the [UNKNOWN] for me. And lo and behold, that email came through. [LAUGH] And I was like, oh my God. I can't say no. So, Ursula, how did you start to motivate yourself to take on This journey because we have to start, we start low. Those of you out there don't realize that myself and Ursula, we were not runners. At all. Before she signed me up. So how did you start to motivate yourself? I just felt like even before we started the official training I just started to do my own thing because I knew that no matter what anybody said, or what training I was given, I had to really Find my own pace, and my own rhythm. So I just started slow, and just went out, and just ran, and didn't worry about the time or whatever the case may be. I didn't look at the watch. I just ran, and it helped me to prepare for the actual training. So I think just small things like that. Definitely, definitely. If you wouldn't mind looking into this camera here, and sharing with our Essence audience, where they can find more information on the pigeon foundation as well as donate or volunteer and get involved. Everything to donate for you, and for Ursula, cause you guys we need to get some fundraising up for the ladies Please go to Pitcch dot org, and it's with two c's so P i t c c h dot org, and all the information is on the website. So, get involved volunteer please show some love and support november second if you see myself and Ursula on the street. First. November 1st. I know November 1st is the marathon, but November 2nd the day after when we have our medals. Oh, yeah. Oh, right, right, yeah. And we're calling which is also Ursula's birthday. Yes. Please be sure to give us a big applause Yes. It really is though. It's a good gift. It's a very good gift. You're giving back. You're running. It's a good gift. Amber, thank you so very much for joining us. Don't be a stranger here. Ursula, we'll see you again next time. [MUSIC]