Class Of Hope & Change

Stephanie is from Chicago, Illinois. She was living in the Chicago suburbs and spending her days “working…and when I’m not working, I’m with my son and with my family.”When we sat down for this interview, Stephanie had recently finished reading Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, and we were excited to talk with a first-time reader of the Brazilian author’s classic work.Stephanie’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Be All Over the Place"In The Alchemist, the main character (who is only referred to as “the boy”) is a shepherd, and this is central to how he thinks about his life, his possibilities, and his dreams; and we talked with Stephanie about what has been the driving force in her life.Throughout the book, the boy encounters an interesting cast of characters. These characters have a way of either showing him something he needed to know, or helping to reveal something to the boy about himself. Stephanie talked about the people who were only in her life for a season, but had a big impact on her.The main characte

James is from Chicago, Illinois, and was living there at the time of his interview. He was spending his days “working, working out, and trying to better myself.”James’ Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Push Himself Way Too Hard"James described his daily routine for making each day better, and we talked about where he gets the motivation to do better.He explained why he says he works out “like a martial artist”, and spoke about why he thinks young boys need an “alpha male” in their lives.We wrapped up our conversation with a discussion about what James sees going on in certain neighborhoods in Chicago.--------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep37-james/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Khalid is from Brooklyn, New York. He was serving as a United States Marine, based in North Carolina, at the time of his interview. His days were spent “either working out, reading books, or going to work.”Khalid’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Get Out of the Military in a Few Months and Start School"Khalid shared his approach to balancing his military identity with his personal one, and he explained why the tough-guy image of a Marine does not conflict with his desire to enter the medical or nursing profession.We talked about some of the unique bonding experiences he went through while in boot camp, and Khalid explained the difference between coming home during his first year in the Marines and coming home in his final year.He also spoke about what it’s been like to be serving in the military while so many justice and protest movements are taking place around the country.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of

Kasim is from Brooklyn, New York, and was in his third year of college in New York City at the time of his interview. He spent his days “usually working…working takes up most of my time. When school comes back, that takes even more time, but I still try to have my downtime and hang out with my friends.”Kasim’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Work Towards the Lifestyle I’m Trying to Live"He explained why talking about his rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn is “bittersweet”.Kasim shared some of his memories from his childhood days as an “innocent” kid, and reminisced about how his life goals shifted after his childhood plans to become a doctor “went through the roof”. We also talked about the difference between his “social media friends” and the friends he spends time with on a regular basis.------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music - Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep35-kasim/Join t

Safiya is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of her interview, she was living in Brooklyn as a third-year college student, and spending her days “working out at the gym, going to school, and staying at home typing up scripts and stuff.”Safiya’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Win Some Kind of Award for Creative Writing"We spoke about the role that writing has played in her life, and explained why winning an award for her writing is one of her goals.She explained how seeing the achievements of her friends and peers inspires her to do more, and how “the broke life” of being a college student motivated her.------------------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep34-safiya/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Kiana is from Brooklyn, New York, and was a third-year college student living in upstate New York at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “doing nothing, I don’t really have a life. If I’m not in school, I’m not really doing anything…but hanging with friends.”Kiana’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Make A Great Change"She talked about life in a small college town, and about how the organizations in her college’s ALANA community have come together to respond to some of the movements happening around the country.Kiana also spoke about her journey of personal growth, and discussed the importance of acknowledging the people who’ve helped us become who we are.We concluded by talking about what she sees in our country now, and why she thinks a “great” change is necessary in the world.----------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep33-kiana/Join the conversation on Twitt

Katie is from Oak Park, Illinois. At the time of her interview, she was living in the Chicagoland area and spending her days, “just trying to make the world a better place through volunteerism, and then I try to save the world at night as a superhero.”You can keep up with her latest musings at her blog, Think rich/Look poor: https://bit.ly/2Z1i04uKatie’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Wonder and/or Wander"She explained what’s going on with her wondering and wandering, and talked about why she thinks volunteering makes the world a better place.Katie explained why she doesn’t follow many celebrities on social media, and spoke about the most important people she follows on social media.We talked about the phrase “Black Girl Magic” and what it meant to her to be raised with a strong sense of identity.------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep32-katie/Join the conversation on

Jared is from Oak Park, Illinois, and was living in the western suburbs of Chicago at the time of his interview. He was spending his days “either working, or taking care of my five children.”Jared’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely To Bump His Head But Come Back To Make A Difference"We talked about what it was like for him to grow up as an adopted child: Jared talked about the people who have the biggest influence on his life.We talked about what it feels like, as a man, to be incarcerated. Jared explained what gives him the ability to get back up after “bumping his head”; and we talked about the importance of the idea of “coming home” for people who have served time.Towards the end of our conversation, Jared talked about the love of his children and his love for his children. He also offered some words of advice for young people who are on the verge of deciding which way to go in life.----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your cop

Courtney is from Chicago, Illinois. She was living in the western suburbs of Chicago at the time of her interview, and her days were spent "working and raising her two kids with her husband."Courtney’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Take a Nap"We talked about her journey in motherhood so far, and the difference between the perception and the reality of raising small children.Courtney talked about the “blend of people” that she follows on social media, and how she separates reality from perception on those apps.Our conversation concluded with a discussion about what she sees as she looks at her city – and at our country – in this moment.--------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep30-courtney/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Erica is from Harlem, New York City. At the time of her interview, she was living in Brooklyn and spending her days “working, being heavily involved with the young people’s ministry at my church, spending time with my sister, and reading a lot more.”Erica’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Impact Change"She explained what kind of change she plans to be a part of, and how her experiences in college helped shift and shape her outlook on life.Erica shared how her faith has changed her life, and the path to the young woman she is becoming.We discussed what books Erica is currently reading, and she concluded our conversation by talking about what she sees for her generation.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep29-erica/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Devin is from Brooklyn, New York, and was still living there at the time of his interview. His days were spent “being a superhero, fixing people’s computer problems.”Devin’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Change the Tech World"Devin shared how he found and maintained his love of technology while growing up in Brooklyn, and reflected on the role that the New York City gaming community played in his youth.We discussed whether the depiction of friendships between techies and geeks on the popular TV show The Big Bang Theory accurately reflects how he sees people interact. We talked about some of the important people in Devin’s social media life.He explained why he still gets excited when new Apple devices are released, and shared some thoughts for young people who may be interested in technology.---------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep28-devin/Join the conversation on T

Noor is from Saudi Arabia, where she was living as a journalist, educator, traveler, CrossFitter, and aspiring screenwriter at the time of her interview. Her days were spent, “meditating, reading, and trying new things whenever I can.”We talked about her journey of personal growth over the past few years. Noor described how she likes to begin each day, and reflected on some of the people who inspire her.Noor shared some of the things she has learned from her travels to different countries, and spoke about some of the people she follows on social media.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep27-noor/Keep up with her latest thoughts on her blog, Behind the Saudi Veil: https://bit.ly/2P8m7qSJoin the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Casey is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of his interview, he was a third-year college student in New York City and was spending his days “either studying for my economics exams, at the movies with my girlfriend, or just hanging out with my friends.”Casey’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Follow His Own Path"Casey talked about the moment in his childhood when he realized he was “somewhat different, personality-wise”, and how his outlook on life has changed over the past few years.He spoke about some of the people he follows on social media, and we concluded our conversation with a discussion about the potential future effects of the resurgent prominence of African-American / Black-centered entertainment and art.-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep26-casey/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks fo

Rima is from Brooklyn, New York and was living in Norfolk, Virginia at the time of her interview. She spent her days “on YouTube…but outside of that, I read.”Rima’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Succeed and/or Panic"Rima shared some memories from her childhood years spent living in Senegal, what it was like to be home-schooled, her love of Young Adult fiction, and the types of books she likes to read.We also talked about her path of growth and maturity over the past few years, the people she follows on social media, and what she sees in her generation.---------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJo See photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep25-rima/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Joshua Jackson is from Jacksonville, Florida. He was living in Los Angeles, California, and had recently authored his first book, How to Pimp Corporate America ( https://bit.ly/2KVteNV ), at the time of his interview.In his book, Joshua takes an extensive look at the steps it takes to reach the highest potential of success. By combining his experiences with those of friends and family, Jackson has created a strategic plan on how one can effectively “pimp” themselves in order to achieve great success in their everyday 9-to-5.During his spare time, Joshua “loves to write poetry, loves to write novels, loves to write anything.” He spends a lot of his time traveling to different cities, and loves to eat. A self-described foodie, Joshua “definitely enjoys eating different foods and different cuisines from all over the world.”Joshua’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Succeed"He talked about when his love for writing began, how his priorities and values have changed over the years.Joshua spoke about how encouragin

Atisha was born in Guyana, South America and spent her early childhood years there before moving to Brooklyn, New York, where she spent her teenage years. At the time of her interview, she was living in New Jersey and spending most of her days “drawing a lot.”Atisha’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Succeed Creatively"Atisha talked about the difference between the person she is today and the person she was 7-8 years ago. She spoke about the kind of art she does now, and how her family and Facebook friends have influenced her art.Our conversation concluded with a discussion about how she is coping with the incidents of human suffering that have appeared in the news over the past year.-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep23-atisha/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Amadu is from Brooklyn, New York, and had recently moved to the Silicon Valley region of California at the time of his interview. He was spending his days “acclimating to the California environment, watching movies, hanging out with friends, and building my network with people out here.”Amadu’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Become Enlightened"He explained what “becoming enlightened” looks like to him, described what it means to “walk around unconscious”, and spoke about how he avoids that state of mind.Amadu shared how he dealt with the academic culture shock of being surrounded by top-performing students when he first arrived at college, and we would up in an interesting discussion about strategies for helping young men deal with the micro-aggressions of daily urban life.---------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep22-amadu/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/

Christina is from the Chicagoland area. At the time of her interview, she had recently moved into her first home in the western suburbs of Chicago.Christina’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Be In School" She shared some memories of her childhood years spent in Indianapolis, Indiana; and talked about her strong support system, her circle of friends.We also talked about her life as a “career student”, the setbacks she has overcome to reach her career goals, and Christina explained where she gets the strength to deal with life’s challenges.----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep21-christina/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Mikal is from Toronto, Canada. At the time of his interview, he was living in New York City and spending his days “hoping Kanye [West] will call and sign me.”Mikal’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Eat a Bowl of Cereal Before This Episode is Finished"He began our conversation by sharing his favorite cereal combination, and we talked about what it’s like to be from Toronto ‘post-Drake’.Mikal talked about the most important people he follows on social media, and the lessons he has learned from the way rapper/actor Donald Glover uses social media. He also explained why he doesn't like placing sub-genre labels on different types of hip-hop.-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep20-mikal/Check out some of his latest music: https://bit.ly/1tsoexKJoin the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Daphne is from Brooklyn, New York, where she was living at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “planning, writing [ideas] down, scheming on the next big idea, the next big goal, the next big dream.”Daphne’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Smile"She began our conversation sharing some of her childhood memories of life in Haiti. We discussed her path of personal growth of the past few years, and Daphne talked about the roles that love, giving, and passion play in her life.Daphne talked about the importance of a smile, who she’s following on social media; and we concluded our conversation by speaking about what she sees in her city and in our country at this moment.--------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep19-daphne/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!