“When I was growing up my family faced several challenges, including drug abuse and domestic violence. A college education didn’t seem possible for me as it had not been for past generations in my family. In spite of this, as I approached my sophomore year in high school, I was determined to lead a different life.

I joined Juma Ventures without fully knowing what to expect – little did I know it would put me on a path toward college– a dream I was slowly starting to believe might come true. One year later I was awarded a full scholarship for college. Although I no longer needed to earn money to fund my education, I still chose to continue working at Juma. This experience helped me develop not only great customer service skills but provided the safe space to reflect on the value of human connection and empathy.

Years later, realizing my dream as a college graduate, I knew I wanted to impact the lives of young people the way my life was impacted by Juma. Today, I work at Juma as a Youth Development Coordinator managing a cohort of thirty-five amazing and hardworking high school students, empowering and supporting each student in reaching their dreams.”