The heart of our Durham YMCA is our members, volunteers and staff. We are blessed with staff members who take great pride in our YMCAs and serve with a heart for the mission and building a stronger community. Shameeka Thomas brings a unique warmth and creativity to our branches and is a valued member of the "BCMET" (aka Bull City Member Engagement Team). We're immensely blessed to have her on our team, and so glad that she agreed to share a bit of her Y story...
I started working at the Durham YMCAs in June 2021. Before that, shortly after quarantine lockdown, I was working at Duke University. I was discussing with one of my colleagues about how I wanted to start volunteering and helping in my community (especially the Black Community). She told me about a group called Sankofa Village who were teaming up with the Chapel Hill - Carrboro YMCA, working with children who were out of school physically and at a center for online schooling.
I participated in the after school portion of that program and taught the children (who were mostly Black and Hispanic) about their culture and teaching them to love themselves and others. Each day, we would recite affirmations and learn about African kings and queens, Black inventors, inspirational black leaders, and create cultural arts & crafts projects. It was like “night school” or “school, part 2” but FUN!! We wanted these kids to feel proud of their cultures and themselves.
Around May of 2021, the children were transitioning to going back to school in August 2021, so the program was ending. I enjoyed working with the YMCA staff in this program and wanted to continue working with the YMCA so I applied to work at the Durham YMCAs (which is closer to where I live) and the rest is history!
I love the YMCA members and staff! I look forward to seeing you all every day. I’m a people person so I love interacting and helping people, and the YMCA is a great place to do both things!
Outside of the YMCA, I LOVE to travel (*see below), cook/bake and watch movies! I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and moved to Chapel Hill in 2011. One of my goals this year is to explore more of what North Carolina has to offer (from the mountains to the coast). I LOVE North Carolina and there is so much to discover and learn about this place, especially Durham! I also LOVE to cook and try new recipes. My favorite meal that I make is chicken marsala with mashed potatoes and green beans! I LOVE to bake pound cakes and cookies as well. My vanilla poundcake is “muy delicioso!” I also LOVE movies. My LOVE for movies started long ago while working at Blockbuster Video (remember that place?). Some of my favorite movies are: Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, Nightmare Before Christmas, all Bruce Lee Films, Juice and more recently The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Netflix).
Shameeka's Travels
United States: All over the Midwest, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, New Orleans, Virginia, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California.
International: Jamaica, South Africa (her favorite place on EARTH!), China, Montreal, Canada
"I want to travel the WORLD and all 50 states. I have a long way to go!"
Fan Club Quotes
"Shameeka is such a wonderful person! She has a warm, caring spirit. Our members and staff love to see her when she is at the desk. She always reaches out and offers help where needed no questions asked! Shameeka is creative and innovative and continues to take time out to decorate the YMCA Branches whenever it’s time to celebrate a holiday. She is overall a great person, and we are so lucky to have her as part of the YMCA Team!"
-Christee Wilson, Member Engagement Director
"Shameeka is a rock of our BCMET team! At both DT and HVF she has built great relationships with members and a consistent, great experience every morning! But through all of that consistency - Shameeka is dreaming, programming, and implementing ways to celebrate all of the unique cultures and communities of Durham here in our branches. Shameeka does an amazing job researching, developing, and decorating so that our branches lift up, and engage our Durham YMCA communities. Shameeka is a leader amongst our staff team, and is always there to support fellow staff, and lift up situations, and ideas to make sure that everyone is in the know and able to be at their best! "
-Zach Fisher, former Senior Member Engagement Director
