Even as a child, Roderick always seemed more interested in reading a book or watching some educational program on television rather than partaking in activities becoming of a child, such…

Robert Kabera was named to the 2018 Global US Forbes Under 30 List in the Energy Sector. Under the Obama Administration’s Power Africa Program, Robert was the Chief Consultant for…

Fatima Busaat Loeliger was born on October 21, 1989 to her jubilant East African mother Sadiya Alilire in Salinas, California. Fatima’s mother knew that Fatima was born to shake the…

Neveen Mahmoud, from Aldan Pennsylvania, graduated from The Agnes Irwin School and went on to attend Stanford University where she earned a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Mind, Culture,…

Nicholas Newsome, from Oakland, California, graduated from the University of Southern California in 2011, with a degree in Business & Cinematic Arts. Shortly after, Nicholas moved to the mountains of…

Catherine Ntube, from Austin, Texas, attended Lanier High School and then went on to graduate summa cum laude from Harvard University in 2011, with a degree in History and Literature.…

Flown to the Northeast by hurricane Katrina, Alan Wesson Suárez, a New Orleans native, graduated from Yale University and currently works as the Public Purpose Program Director for a private…

As an individual whose life has taught him lessons in the value of perseverance and free thought, Derrick tries to incorporate these ideals into both his thoughts and his actions.…

Peter is a Partner at General Catalyst; a venture capital firm that invests in powerful, positive change that endures. Since joining General Catalyst in 2013 as one of the first…

Though her life goals have changed over the years, one thing has always remained constant: her desire to improve her society for herself and for future generations. She understands that…

Raymond's passion for life, education, and success comes from one person: his mother. Emulating her resiliency and dedication, he has turned a life of struggles into the food for his…

Kani is a Vice President at TPG Capital, focused on private equity investments in the Industrials sector. Prior to TPG, Kani spent eight years at Goldman Sachs, six of which…

Her small frame, an embodiment of diversity, with African, Iranian, Scottish and Chinese blood rushing through her veins, Osha was born in the Osho Ashram of Pune, India. She arrived…

Faced with adversity at the immature age of five years old, Daren gained a sense determination and self motivation early in life. He was challenged academically and had to prove…

Ethan Monreal-Jackson is a tech entrepreneur whose startup, Zenny, is working to increase savings and wealth among underbanked and underserved people.Ethan has spent the majority of his career working in fintech,…

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..." Jeremiah…

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Bradley looks at each of his life’s obstacles as an opportunity to better himself. With each passing day he works to grow…

Jonté’s childhood in rural Franklin County, Virginia was marked with a great degree of exposure and he quickly developed an interest in reading and computers, somewhat simultaneously, both of which…

Sebastian Flores was born to a home brimming with love, but afflicted by many of the societal pressures common to low-income households throughout the United States.  Drug abuse was perhaps…

At a young age, Aaron was always “that kid” who wouldn’t keep still, constantly bursting with energy and always eager to participate in anything that would keep him on his…

Alexandra Sailsman has spent seven years working with metal, ceramic, and composite materials. She received her BS in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT in 2013. Her work has ranged…

The product of a selfless mother and grandparents who taught him to keep God first, Rashawn was blessed with a strong support system. The oldest of four with his father…

Frederik is a Partner at Storm Ventures, an early stage focused B2B venture capital firm. At Storm he focuses on leading investments outside of the Bay Area that focus on…

Danai is an undergraduate student at Harvard University, concentrating in Molecular and Cellular Biology. An aspiring neurosurgeon, Danai has conducted research at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine as…

Javaughn is an investor at Eniac Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm. Eniac Ventures is a $100m fund that investors in audacious entrepreneurs building the future with technology; it's portfolio includes Airbnb,…

One definition of the word lyric reads “having the form and musical quality of a song.” Lyric McHenry’s life is a very eclectic song. She loves hip-hop, especially Lupe Fiasco;…

When Melanie was younger, her father told her that she could one day go to Harvard, and that despite the odds, she could be successful in whatever field she desired.Growing…

Joshua Sibblies has always been curious. Most of the stories of his childhood involve him tinkering with something: taking apart all the remote controls in the house and trying, with…

The youngest of three girls growing up in Baltimore, MD, Maya Torain learned from an early age the value of rising beyond set expectations. Deeming them all “smart, pretty girls,”…

Reared in Brooklyn with very Caribbean values, Dextina’s mother instilled in her a hunger to succeed very early, which was only strengthened when her family moved to Guyana. While in…

Desmond Garner hopes to take advantage of every opportunity that Vanderbilt University has to offer him while having a blast all the while. He aspires to combine his interests in…

Maia has come to believe that the term “terminally unique” describes her better than she ever could have imagined. She is a black American woman raised in a female-headed single…

Zachary Hall is an optimist. That is one of the most defining features about him because he tirelessly tries to find that beauty which surrounds him, not that which could…

November 4th, 2008. On this day, the spirit of a nation and the struggle of a people culminated in a grand display of perseverance and patriotism. On this day, the…

Esther Owolabi is a senior at Georgetown University studying Government with minors in Education, Inquiry, and Justice and African American Studies. As the daughter of a teacher in Chicago’s inner-city,…

To Clover Park High School senior Hana Page, the most important purpose in life is to obtain the best education possible and use the education she acquired to help others…

Robert Poole is more than his hair. Clean cut, professional, and short – yes, but he is a fun-filled toy box of possibilities. He is not his height, eye color,…

While still in her mother’s womb, it was prophesized that Brianna Sullivan would be a blessed and gifted child. Growing up, she has been nothing less than that. She has…

From birth, Aubrey and his triplets siblings, Charles and Nicole, have always pushed one another to succeed. They competed in nearly everything: from who could complete the summer reading list…

Most people know her as Chigozie. In fact, her closest friends call her Chicki, Chuck, or Chika. In reality, her full name is Victoria Florence Chigozie Nwamaka Akah. Chigozie was…

April 14th, 1994, was a day like any other day, except for the Bent family, who had just added their 3rd child, a boy named Alister Bent.At the age of…

Born and Raised in inner-city Cleveland, David Boone Jr. is the inaugural salutatorian at MC2 STEM High School, a Minds Matter participant and a school record-holding runner. David’s interests are…

If you asked SallyAnn Garvey-Lumumba about the most formative decisions that she has made over the last eighteen years, she would reply that one of them was as simple as…

William Humphrey graduated from Brown University in 2016 with a B.A. in Health and Human Biology with a focus on social contexts of disease and health. While immediately jumping into…

Her name is Faith Angela Imani Tamara Hope Nebechi Jackson. Her first five names are an acronym for FAITH, and yes, they all appear, along with her other two names,…

Miles is a 2016 graduate of Harvard College, where he studied Social Studies with a focus field in intergenerational social mobility. After graduating, he served as a Peace Corp Volunteer…

Throughout her life, Kelsey Miller has learned that life is often a journey in taking what we are given. Her own personal journey has been a series of gifts both…

An Aspiring Physician Scientist, Tyrell Russell has worked tirelessly to become an exceptional individual both within his school and throughout his community. Early on, Tyrell noticed that science stood out…

Mohammed was born in the forest region of Guinea, a region wedged in between Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast and Liberia, where his parents sought refuge for about sixteen years from…