Washington D.C.’s Ward 8 may not be a neighborhood known for its affluence. But five of America’s most prestigious universities are fighting for one 17-year-old, born and raised in the D.C. area typically characterized for its neglect, proving difficult circumstances can't keep you from being Ivy League material.
Avery Coffey has been accepted to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, and University of Pennsylvania -- a feat difficult for any high school senior to achieve no matter where he or she is from. The high school senior is poised to graduate from Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, an institution known for its exceptional track record with college acceptance rates. The school has had a perfect track record of 100 percent acceptance for every graduating class since its first in 1984.
When asked by Fox News what his dream job would be, Coffey -- who holds a 4.3 GPA -- said he hopes to be a CEO of an investment or management consulting firm, overseeing fortune 500 companies. He's still unsure which university he'll ultimately choose to attend, but with such esteemed options, it's safe to say he can't make a bad decision.
Coffey said he doesn't see his background as a barrier to ultimately gaining a position of influence in the world, and he wants other young people to know it too.
“You can go anywhere you want to, pursue any career that you want to, and you shouldn’t let anybody hinder you from trying to reach your goals.”
We're officially adding Coffey to our list of amazing young people.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/31/avery-coffey-student-accepted-to-5-ivy-leagues_n_5063782.html
Monday, June 30, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
From Homeless To Harvard (And Beyond): Khadijah Williams Starts New Life In NYC (VIDEO)
In 2009, Oprah met Khadijah Williams, a driven young woman who grew up in homeless shelters but never stopped believing in herself and the power of education. Though she went to 12 different schools in 12 years, she managed to graduate high school with honors and was accepted into Harvard University. Four years later, she graduated with a degree in sociology and even got a shout-out from Oprah during her 2013 commencement speech.
Williams -- who says she was in the bathroom when a friend came running in to tell her Oprah was talking about her on stage -- now has quite an impressive reference. "Just to have someone like Miss Winfrey acknowledge you and say, 'You did a great thing,' … it's not only a great confidence booster, but it's also something I can send to employers like, "Look! Oprah talked about me, here's my recommendation!'" Williams says.
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" recently caught up with Williams in New York City, where she landed a job and moved into her own apartment after graduation. "Right now I am a project manager at an education technology firm," she says. It's a very adult job, I have actual responsibilities – which is a little bit scary, but it's exciting."
"Just being able to have my own apartment and make adult decisions -- or try to, anyway -- is very empowering," Williams says. "And I absolutely want to give back. I will give back. And right now I'm just setting that foundation so I can do that."
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on OWN. Programming note: In 2014, "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs on a new day and time. Catch up with past "Oprah Show" guests, newsmakers and celebrities on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET, beginning Jan. 3.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/24/khadijah-williams-homeless-harvard_n_4493490.html
Williams -- who says she was in the bathroom when a friend came running in to tell her Oprah was talking about her on stage -- now has quite an impressive reference. "Just to have someone like Miss Winfrey acknowledge you and say, 'You did a great thing,' … it's not only a great confidence booster, but it's also something I can send to employers like, "Look! Oprah talked about me, here's my recommendation!'" Williams says.
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" recently caught up with Williams in New York City, where she landed a job and moved into her own apartment after graduation. "Right now I am a project manager at an education technology firm," she says. It's a very adult job, I have actual responsibilities – which is a little bit scary, but it's exciting."
"Just being able to have my own apartment and make adult decisions -- or try to, anyway -- is very empowering," Williams says. "And I absolutely want to give back. I will give back. And right now I'm just setting that foundation so I can do that."
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on OWN. Programming note: In 2014, "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs on a new day and time. Catch up with past "Oprah Show" guests, newsmakers and celebrities on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET, beginning Jan. 3.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/24/khadijah-williams-homeless-harvard_n_4493490.html
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Black tech innovators blazing a trail in South Florida
By Felecia Hatcher
Brian Brackeen, Founder / CEO, Kairos
Tandaleya Wilder, Founder, She Got Game Global
Tamar Lucien, Co-founder, CanUStart2day.com
Andre Kay, Founder, SociallyBuzz
Imani Hinton, CEO/Founder, GreenAsYouWannaBe
Source: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/the-starting-gate/2014/02/in-honor-of-black-history-month-9-black-tech-innovators-blazing-a-trail.html
As many cities look to duplicate the model of Silicon Valley, it’s important that we don’t also duplicate the diversity issues especially as it relates to African Americans and women. Because South Florida has a large population of Caribbean and African Americans, I wanted to celebrate Black History Month by highlighting 10 emerging African American startup founders who are helping to not just reshape the ecosystem in Miami but also promote diversity and access.
DiversiTech is a social enterprise dedicated to fostering the growth of underrepresented communities (ethnic minorities, women, youth, LGBTQ) in technology, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. It leverages relationships with national industry leaders to connect our network with the resources necessary for startup success. http://www.iamdtech.com/
Jurnid is a journalism platform, where freelance journalists and digital newsrooms collaborate on publishing stories. Journalism students use Jurnid to create portfolios and connect with professionals for mentorship and growing their personal brands. Readers follow or subscribe directly to their favorite journalists, students and newsrooms all in one place. Stories on Jurnid are delivered to users’ mobile and tablet devices in a simple interface that is easy to read and engage with. https://www.jurnid.com
Splyst is a platform and social interest network for discovering, organizing and sharing interests that revolutionizes the way information finds people. The big data company smartly analyzes user’s interests/context to deliver personalized information to them. http://www.splyst.com
Kairos is a B2B facial recognition company based in Miami. Its flagship product, Kairos TimeClock helps companies identify their employees who are clocking in for the day, with just their faces. In 2013, Kairos was the first facial recognition company to release an API providing retailers the opportunity to customize shopping-experiences. www.Kairos.IO
MustAttend.co is an online marketplace to find discounted business events and a platform where event organizers can both manage (ticketing and registration software) and market their events. Subscribers have the opportunity to get discounts ranging from 15-70 percent. MustAttend focuses primarily on business events including conferences, conventions, networking meetings, charitable functions, and professional/continuing education forums. www.MustAttend.co
Urban.Us funds and helps startups that help cities. The company is building a global network of enablers that help connect startups to resources and cities. Its tools help startups learn more about how to best work with cities and helps cities learn how to enable startups. www.Urban.us
She Got Game Global is a digital media empowerment startup. The aim is to advance "girl power," in developing and third world nations such as Haiti, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia, by offering young women living in these areas of the world an open, more visible platform to share their personal stories through the use of internet radio, video, photos, and even personal blogs. The topics will vary and include music, sports, health, entrepreneurship, political empowerment, gender-based inequities, culinary and tech. http://www.shegotgame.com/
CanUStart2day.com is a Saas platform that does all the candidate vetting work for restaurant and hospitality managers. Candidates complete a one time profile and create a 1 minute 30 second video pitch to showcase their expertise and charm. Their system immediately and continuously works to match employers and to the right candidates making it a search free process for everyone. It's accessible through mobile devices.www.CanUStart2day.com
SociallyBuzz is a social media and reputation management mobile app created to help restaurant and retail owners easily manage Yelp, Google Places, Facebook and Urbanspoon in one place, anytime, anywhere. The app allows users to protect relationship with customers, manage social networks and online reputation on the go. It is a powerful, intelligent and easy-to-use.http://www.sociallybuzz.com/app
GreenAsYouWannaBe is a self-managing marketplace for people who sell goods that are sustainable (eco-friendly) and/or created on the principles of social entrepreneurship. GreenAsYouWannaBe is a hub for consumers who are looking for environmentally friendly products, looking to support social entrepreneurs, and looking for products that have a special uniqueness. Currently in Beta. www.GreenAsYouWannaBe.org
Felecia Hatcher is co-founder of Feverish Ice Cream and Code Fever.
Source: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/the-starting-gate/2014/02/in-honor-of-black-history-month-9-black-tech-innovators-blazing-a-trail.html
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Universal Talk Laws
KINJADIXON.COM Everyone who's attained wealth, regardless of how, had to SPEAK to someone. Whether the aspiration was to start a company, acquire a promotion or seal a multimillion dollar deal, it was by means of skillful communication that their lives were forever changed. The most influential person you know has a way with WORDS that causes everyone to be drawn to him or her no matter what the situation. We have all heard of the person who can SELL anything to anyone at anytime with seemingly no effort. The secret to how these people do this is in your hands right NOW •How to gain disciplines and create actions to ensure that each day of your life is productive •How to vitalize your family's core value with proven mindset principles dated back as far as the 18th century •How to recognize and utilize opportunities in your current role as preparation for your next position •How to manage all fears •How to become self-reliant in a sales environment and in life •What Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Andrew Carnegie, and many more successful people have in common •How to turn each of your employees into independent bosses •How to live a more joyous life regardless of your conditions •How to turn pain into positive production. Kinja Dixon is a motivational speaker, life coach, and sales guru with more than a decade of consistent sales excellence. Most recently awarded the 2013 Stevie Award for Sales Represenative of the year and 2013 ARDY for Inhouse Salesperson of the year. Kinja has personally helped thousands of families from all over the globe enhance their quality of living by spending more time together away from home.
Source: http://www.kinjadixon.com/
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