Class Of Hope & Change

Shantel is from Oak Park, Illinois and was living in the western suburbs of Chicago at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “going to work, coming home, trying my best not to bring any of my work home…and on the weekends, making sure I find somewhere really good to eat.”Shantel’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Spend an Obscene Amount of Money on Food"We began the conversation by talking about what amount of spending counts as an “obscene” amount of money for her. We also discussed the influence that street wear culture has had in her life, including the top sneaker purchases she has made in her life so far.Shantel shared some of her earliest memories of Twitter, and she spoke about the most important people she follows on social media.Towards the end of our conversation, Shantel shared her thoughts about the current state of Chicago, the U.S., and her generation’s ability to unite and bring about change.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee pho

Massamba was born in the U.S and spent his childhood in Senegal and New York City. He was living in New York City at the time of his interview. His typical daily schedule was “work, work out, pray…and movies.”Massamba’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Affect Many People, Especially Teenagers"He reflected on what gives him the ability to connect with teenage youth, and explained why he plans to focus on teenagers specifically.Massamba talked about the benefits of traveling, shared his explanation for the nearly worldwide acceptance of American pop culture & entertainment, and recounted some his experiences from his time studying abroad in Sweden.We spoke about what he sees when looks out at our country and our world, and Massamba ended the conversation by asking if he could have the last word…which he did:“My last word is that I would [encourage] people to travel more and be more curious….Have the habit of double-checking. Be more curious, [don’t] just listen to whatever [is being] presented.”----------

Dante is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of his inter-view, he was living in New York City and spending his days “working on an app with a team, running around the city, and traveling.”Dante’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Make a Major Impact on His Friends & Family"He explained why his goal is to impact his friends and his family as opposed to “the whole world”, and talked about the most important people he follows, on-and-offline.We spoke about how his priorities have changed over the past few years, and Dante explained why he’s optimistic about the future.-------------------------------------------------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/ep16-dante/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Ashley is from the Chicagoland area, “the Western suburbs… the ‘Wood, specifically,” and was living in the suburbs of Chicago at the time of her interview. She was spending her days, “working my 9-to-5, and doing work for a master’s program … so that’s where all of my time goes.”Ashley’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Take It One Day At a Time"She explained how she’s come to that perspective on life, and spoke about how her sense of self has evolved over the past few years.Ashley talked about why her family is so important to her, and she explained what she means when says she does not 'follow' anyone 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/ep15-ashley/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Leodus is from Chicago, Illinois, where he was still living at the time of his interview. He spent his days “renting [out apartments], doing construction, talking to tenants, talking to investors, and building this startup I have called Styleteq.”Leodus’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Become a Billionaire"He recalled the point in his life when he became interested in running his own business, and explained how it made his perspective on college different from many of his peers.Leodus shared his journey of personal growth since he graduated from college, and discussed how learning from the example of successful entrepreneurs motivates him to succeed.-------------------------------------------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/ep14-leodus/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Toshawna is from “a small but really prominent village” in Guyana, South America. At the time of her interview, she was completing her final semester of college in New York City, living in Brooklyn, and spending her days “planning, organizing, [and] trying to get a lot of work done for multiple projects.”Toshawna’s “Most Likely To” Is: Most Likely To Start Something NewShe spoke about what has changed for her over the past few years; including appreciating certain things more now than she did in the past, and learning to embrace being in a new setting instead of fearing it.----------------------------------------------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/ep13-toshawna/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Steven is from Brooklyn, New York. He was still living in Brooklyn, New York at the time of his interview, and was spending his days “either at work or with my family.”Steven’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Succeed"As the first person we’ve featured who used the phrase “most likely to succeed”, we asked Steven to explain why he chose those words.He reflected on his journey of personal growth during the past eight years; including how he chooses who to follow, both on social media and in real life.Our conversation concluded with a discussion about what Steven sees when he looks at his city and our country.----------------------------------------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/ep12-steven/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Faith is from Brooklyn, New York, where she was still living at the time of her interview. She spent her days “working, preparing to back to college, and being a full-time mom.”Faith’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Be Inspirational"We talked about how she chooses who to interact with on social media, and she explained when she started thinking of herself as an inspirational person.Faith described her journey of personal growth over the past few years, and we talked about what she sees as looks at her city and at our country.-----------------------------------------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/ep11-faith/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Aquillia is from Palmdale, California and grew up in Chicago, Illinois, where she was living at the time of her interview. Her “days, nights, and some weekends” were spent teaching ninth grade reading at a high school in Chicago.Aquillia’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Reinvent Herself"She explained what kind of reinventing she’s doing at this point in her life, and why she embraces the label ‘awkward’.We talked about the power of families that find a way to work together, and the impact her family upbringing has had on her life.Aquillia explained how she uses social media, and discussed the different elements she sees within 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/ep10-aquillia/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Jason is from Brooklyn, New York, “by way of Grenada, West Indies.” He was a third-year college student living in Washington D.C. at the time of his interview, and spent his days “studying and doing lots of reading.”Jason’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely To Be At A Crossroads"He explained why he believes strongly in the importance of learning about his cultural history, and talked about his experience as a student at an HBCU (Historically Black College & University).Jason talked about the most important people he follows, both in his life and on social media, and he concluded our conversation by describing what will need to occur in order for change to happen.----------------------------------------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/ep9-jason/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Joshua is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of his interview, he was completing his final semester of college in New York City, and spending most of his days “studying for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam.”Joshua’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Have a Stable & Steady Career"We began our conversation by talking about the moments when he is the "stable one" among his friends, and whether he is “all the way stable” in every area of his life.Joshua gave a powerful tribute to his mother’s accomplishments as a Haitian immigrant to the U.S., and explained how her experiences helped him to identify with the life struggles of people who are different from him.He concluded our conversation by sharing his reflections on his travels through Europe during his study abroad semester, including his thoughts on the benefits of traveling out of the US.----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at h

Maryka is from Brooklyn, New York. She was a third-year college student living in western Pennsylvania at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “usually working, dancing with my dance team, and spending time with my family.”Maryka’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Be Successful"She spoke about the role mentors have played in her life, and the role celebrities play on her social media feeds.Maryka also talked about the natural hair journey she was on at the time of the interview, and reflected on what "going natural” has meant to 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/ep7-maryka/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Maya is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has lived in Chicago, Illinois “for the majority of my life.” At the time of her interview, Maya was still living in Chicago and was spending her days, “trying to figure out precisely what it is I want to be when I grow up.”Maya’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Not Care What Other People Think"Maya shared some of the lessons she’s learned from her journey to figuring out what (and who) she wants to be, including valuable lessons she has learned from previous breakups.We spoke about the different kinds of people she follows on social media; and Maya talked about how her friends have impacted how she understands what's going on in the world and what's possible 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/ep6-maya/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggTha

Malika is from Brooklyn, New York. She was living in upstate New York, completing her final semester of college at the time of her interview. She spent most of her days “running organizations, working as a resident assistant, participating in poetry communities and [other] campus involvements like crazy.”Malika’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Speak Her Mind"She spoke about her passion for spoken word poetry, the role it plays in her life, and how it inspired her to start a poetry club on her campus.Malika talked about the balancing effect that people she follows on social media have in her life, and she explained how they helped have helped her on the path to becoming a more confident person.She reflected on some of her experiences growing up as a bi-racial Afro-Latina, including a powerful story about the moment "I was able to stand in front of the mirror and tell myself that I loved myself."-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJoSee photos of our guest, an

Haniyyah is from New York City, “born in Queens, but raised in Brooklyn.” At the time of her interview, she was a graduate school student living in upstate New York. Her days were spent “at work, then school, then the library…then rinse and repeat.”Haniyyah’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely to Do Something"Haniyyah explained how she breaks down the different levels of her social media connections, and talked about why she says she follows “people in general”.We spoke about life as a grad school student, adulting, and keeping it all together. Haniyyah reflected on the role of mentoring relationships in her life, and described what she would like to see more of in the world.-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep4-haniyyah/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Neiko is from Chicago, Illinois, where he was living at the time of his interview. He spent his days “working, taking care of his three children, and coaching students.”Neiko’s Most Likely To is: "Most likely to Be The Man That He Never Had In His Life"Neiko reflected on his days as an “18-year old, immature kid” who joined the U.S. Navy after he graduated from high school. He explained how his time in the military has impacted his life, and shared some of his memories from his military service time spent working at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba. We talked about his journey of personal growth over the past 7-8 years, and about the values that have always been important to him.Neiko shared some of his thoughts on life in Chicago, and his ideas for how struggling communities can move forward. He also spoke about the proactive steps he and his wife take to create a healthy and safe environment for their children.---------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from

Phillip is an indie documentary filmmaker based in the St. Paul-Minneapolis area. A native of Chicago, Phillip is the founder of Monarch Melanin Films, and uses his work as “a visual griot, sharing stories for my ancestors to be proud and watch.”We sat down with Phillip a while back, when he was at the beginning of his journey as a storyteller and filmmaker.Phillip’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely To Be Focusing On My Craft of Photography / Documentary Work"He gave us some insight into how he understands his identity, and talked about his relationship with his family.Phillip concluded our conversation with a story of the everyday people who helped him during a critical moment in his life, and how their kindness impacted his path of personal growth.-----------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep2-phillip/Keep up with Phillip's filmmaking journey on Instagram: https://bit

Krystal is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of her interview, she had recently graduated from college, was living in the Bronx, and spent her days “adjusting to being a grown up.”We talk about her memories of moving from the concrete of the Bronx, to the “bikes, roller skates, trees, and grass” of her childhood days in Maryland. She also talked about the realities of life after college.Krystal’s Most Likely To is: "Most Likely To Be Most Improved"We talked about her days growing up as a “normal girl” in New York City, and she explained why she doesn’t think she follows anyone “too important”.Krystal spoke about learning to grow as a person as time goes on, and shared some of the lessons she’s learned so far.She concluded our conversation touching on the importance of being appreciative and loyal to those who have supported you, and offered her vision for the country and for her city.------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up