Class Of Hope & Change

Camille is from Brooklyn, New York. At the time of our interview, she was a college student living in Brooklyn at the time of her interview, and was spending her days “either working, going to school, or sleeping.”Camille’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Not Give Up"We talked about the difference between students’ mood they first get to college and their mood after a couple of years, and about what she says to visiting high school seniors. Camille explained why "not giving up" best describes this moment in her life.She described the important role that her family plays in her life, and how her social circles and support system complement each other.We also discussed why she’s “not really there” for social media, and we talked about how she practices self-care in this moment.-----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" by AbJoSee photos of our guests, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep58-camille/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://b

Tobi is from Lagos, Nigeria. At the time of her interview, she was living outside of London, England, and had recently launched The Book Banque, a social enterprise using literature to develop young people in Nigeria.When we met for her interview, she was spending her days, “…that’s a very complicated question. There’s no day that is the same for me. But I would probably say I’m working part-time, and I’m also running an organization. So I try to do a bit of both.”Tobi’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Mobilize People and Empower Youth"We talked about who tends to be surprised that she’s Nigerian. She shared the story of how she wound up living in England and explained how she developed a passion for helping young people.She spoke about the people who have had a big influence on her life, and described the benefits she has received from traveling to different countries. We also discussed how she deals with moments when it doesn’t feel like she’s winning and everyone else on social media is.----------------

Patrick was born in Jamaica and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was living in Alaska and serving as a member of the United States Air Force at the time of his interview.He spent his days “[waking] up at 5 o’clock in the morning, going to work at two jobs, coming home…this winter, I want to get into doing some ice-fishing and trying snowboarding.”Patrick’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Settle Down and Start a Family"We spoke about how starting a family helped him adjust to life in a new setting, and how being married has affected his friendships.Patrick explained how he balances his family identity with his military identity, and he talked about the biggest misconception he sees in civilians’ view of the military.He went on to reflect on his path of personal growth over the past few years, and shared some of the hopes he has for his son.----------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guests, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classof

Shanai is from Brooklyn, New York, where she was living at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “working as a manager at a medical practice.”Shanai’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Inspire"She explained why inspiring people is important to her, and how different friends can provide different forms of inspiration.Shanai reflected on her journey of personal growth over the past few years. We spoke about the ups-and-downs of adulting, and talked about why time has become more important to her.We discussed what she sees when she looks at her city and the country, and how she’s trying to respond with her 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/ep55-shanai/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Salihah is from New York City, and was a graduate school student living in the Bronx at the time of her interview. Her days were spent, “[at] school and work…that’s pretty much how I’ve been spending my time as of late.”Salihah’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Take Risks"We talked about the perceived hierarchy of New York City’s boroughs, and she shared her feelings about the Bronx.Salihah explained what kinds of risks she’s taking at this point in her life, and spoke about her journey of personal growth.We spoke about the role spirituality plays in her life, and why she said her life priorities haven’t changed much over the years.---------------------------------------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/ep54-salihah/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Quaneesha – better known to friends and fans as Mimi – is an NYC-based actor who is a member of the quartet of young Black women at the center of the new movie trilogy, She EVIL.We sat down with Mimi a little while back, at the beginning of her acting journey. At the time, she was spending her days “just working…I work every day. And if I’m not working, I’m either in acting class or I’m at home hanging out.”Mimi’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Be Trying to Balance Everything"She told the story behind how she began taking acting classes after graduating college. We talked about the many aspiring actors who arrive in New York City and Los Angeles every year, and about the biggest misconception these young hopefuls should check at the door while chasing their acting dreams.Mimi talked about her path of personal growth over the past few years, and spoke about how she maintains boundaries around her personal life while remaining active on social media. We talked about her experience growing up with a twin sis

Silver is from Brooklyn, New York. He had recently graduated from college at the time of his interview, and was living in Brooklyn as an animator and illustrator. His days were spent, “at this point…I spend most of the time just trying to find work, like I think most recent grads are.”Silver’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Work in Television"We talked about the different levels of talent of people who go to art school, who is cut out for it, and what it’s like to look for a job after graduating from art school. We talked about “artist radar”, and how to tell who might be an animator.Silver spoke about why artists have to appreciate life differently, and explained how he dealt with the “Be Practical” speech many young aspiring artists receive throughout their childhoods.---------------------------------------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/ep52-silver/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2

Bernadette is from Chicago, Illinois, and was living in the city’s western suburbs at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “advising college students, to build motivation in them, and to try to push them towards something greater in their lives.”Bernadette’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Be On a Mission to Save Money"We began talking about the difference between the way she sees Chicago, and the way the city has been portrayed by some in the news media.Bernadette described her journey of personal growth over the past few years, including the joy of never paying the full price for things. She explained how the life goals and priorities of her close friends have also evolved along with her own over the past few years.She discussed some of her disappointments with much of the national discourse about the social issues in our country, and shared her thoughts about what she would like to see in our public and private conversations.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega

Raven is from Brooklyn, New York. She had recently completed her third year of college in Massachusetts at the time of her interview, and was spending her days “currently…getting adjusted to this 9-to-5 life. I’m interning in [New York City]. I pretty much just go to work, take naps, and try to eat.”Raven’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Pressure Herself Into Being Perfect"We began by talking about some of the differences between Boston and New York City; which led to her sharing her reflection on her multi-country, multi-month personal tour living, studying, and traveling in Europe.Raven spoke about her path of personal growth over the past few years, and described what her version of perfection looks like now.She reminisced about the range of people who have invested in her, and discussed why she feels like her group of friends are in a good place in life.----------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion

Alberto was born in New York City, raised in Providence, Rhode Island, and spent most of his teenage years in the Dominican Republic. He was beginning his first year as a transfer student at an Ivy League university in Rhode Island at the time of his interview.Alberto’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Work Hard Towards Becoming Successful Without Forgetting Exactly Where He Came From"Alberto began by sharing some of his memories from his childhood days in Providence, Rhode Island.We talked about how he earned his GED in two months, enrolled in community college one week later, and fought through the challenges of adjusting to college life.Alberto described the camaraderie he found with the students at his community college, and why he believes success is connected to hard work.We finished with a discussion about what he sees going on in the world now, and what he hopes to see in the future.-------------------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our gues

Ebonee is from Brooklyn, New York. She was living there at the time of her interview and spending her days, “being a mother…being a friend. I recently got my license to be a childcare provider, so that’s kinda cool. I watch kids all day. I love the kids.”Ebonee’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Succeed"Ebonee began by sharing some of her memories of what the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn was like when she was a child.We talked about how she is raising her daughter to have a strong sense of self-worth and self-love, and about how much of herself she sees in her daughter. She explained what she means when she says that she is seeing “a lot of motherless children”.She also spoke about her journey of personal growth over the past few years, and described what success means to her now.-------------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book athttps://classofhc.com/ep48-ebonee/Join the conversation on T

Jasmine is from Brooklyn, New York, and was living as a first-year graduate school student near Baltimore, Maryland at the time of her interview.Her days were spent “on a very strict routine, during the school year. I go to work, come home, do my work, and go to class. I try and squeeze a gym day in here and there, but it’s mostly studying and going to work.”We began by talking about the difference between summer vacations in high school and summer vacations in grad school.Jasmine shared how her plan to go to medical school took a detour, and how she got through a period in her life when her dreams started to look shaky.She described her journey of personal growth over the past few years, and explained where she gets the confidence to trust and follow her own voice.----------------------------------------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/ep47-jasmine/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and

Erin is from Brooklyn, New York, and was still living there at the time of her interview. She spends her days, “right now…cooking, cleaning, getting ready to go back to work, living life, loving life, and spending time with family.”Erin’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Stop Procrastinating, Take Responsibility for My Actions, Live Life, and Make My Parents Proud"We began with a conversation about food, and Erin recounted the story of how she learned to cook.She talked about the how her social circle changed during the time when she was getting to know herself, and Erin gave her new definition of the word ‘friend’.Our conversation ended with Erin's powerful tribute to her grandmother, and the words of wisdom she shared during Erin's youth.She described the period in her life that motivated her to stop procrastinating: ---------------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para MimSee photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep46-erin/Join the conver

Kevin is from Chicago, Illinois. At the time of his interview, he was living in Chicago and spending his days “working…and when I’m not working, just with the kids, being a family man, trying to do as much as I can possibly do on my weekends.”Kevin’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Help Someone That Needs Help"Kevin talked about what having children has meant in his life, and shared the biggest lesson he learned from his father.We talked about his journey of personal growth over the past few years; including his experience getting laid off from his first corporate job, and how he bounced back.--------------------------------------------------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/ep45-kevin/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Felice is from Brooklyn, New York and was living in Atlanta, Georgia at the time of her interview. She was spending a lot of her days “trying to make this money.”Felice’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Succeed"She explained what the biggest transition was for her in moving to Atlanta, and we talked about the hot-or-cold reception some New Yorkers encounter after moving to the South.Felice spoke about what being successful means for her, and about the benefits of having a positive social circle.Felice shared some of her experiences growing up with a disability, and the role her parents played in helping her develop a strong sense of self.----------------------------------------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/ep44-felice/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Janelle is from Brooklyn, New York. She was preparing to graduate from college in Washington, D.C. at the time of her interview, and she was spending her days “mostly…I’m going to be completed honest, I’m tired all the time. That’s become a part of my personality.”Janelle’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely To Not Sit In An Office Behind A Computer and Desk"We began with a conversation about HBCUs, and makes her alma mater (Howard University) a special place.We talked about finding communities of like-minded people after graduation, and about the difference between friendships formed in college and the ones formed during the childhood / teenage years. Janelle spoke about dealing with the “So what are you going to do now?” question that often came up after someone found out that she was about to graduate.She talked about the evolution in her understanding of the world, and of her personal identity, over the past 7-8 years. We talked about the phrase “checking my privilege”, and about how social privileges are di

Amanda is from Haiti, and was living in Queens, New York at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “working in an OB-GYN office…and applying to graduate schools.”Amanda’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Empower Black Women…hopefully sooner than later"We talked about the benefits of being multi-lingual (Kreyol, English, French). Amanda shared about her experience of being a young, Black, American woman in Europe, and about what it takes to truly appreciate Paris.Amanda spoke about some of the women who inspire her, reflected on the ways her priorities have changed over the past few years, and recounted the period in her life when empowering young Black girls became a goal for 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/ep42-amanda/Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPggThanks for listening!

Ethan is from Brooklyn, New York. He was living in Brooklyn as a third-year college student/filmmaker at the time of his interview. He spent his days “doing what I believe to be the most crucial thing to do at this point in my life, and that’s learning and laughing.”Ethan’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Have Fun"We talked about the benefits of setting big goals at a young age, and Ethan described the moment in his childhood when his goals changed.Ethan explained where his ‘learning & laughing’ philosophy comes from, including some of the people in entertainment who inspired him, such as comedian Kevin Hart.He shared his thoughts about the relationship between the definition of art and the craft of art. Ethan also discussed how he balances his “the party should be wherever you are” approach to life with the fact that so many creatives use pain and sadness as inspiration for their work.----------------------------------Intro Theme Music: Chega Para Mim by AbJoSee photos of our guest, and pick up your c

Jonel is from Brooklyn, New York. She was living in northern Japan at the time of her interview, and was spending her days “at work…and if I’m not at work, I’m either relaxing at home, studying more Japanese, cooking, or hanging out with my friends.”Jonel’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Do Things That Are Random"We talked about YOLO, doing random things, and how fear nearly stopped her from going to Japan. Jonel explained how she ended up moving to the northern Japanese city of Morioka.She spoke about Japanese food, J-Pop, and hearing Fetty Wap in local cell phone stores; and she shared some reflections and stories from her experiences being one of only a few Americans in her town.She discussed her path of personal growth over the past few years, including the hardest part of her post-college transition.------------------------------------------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/ep40-jonel/Join the convers

Chelsea was born in Haiti, grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and was living in Brooklyn at the time of her interview. Her days were spent “working as a college advisor at a nonprofit, reading a lot, meditating, practicing yoga, and trying to find ways to be better and keep myself grounded.”Chelsea’s Most Likely To Is: "Most Likely to Recover from Adversity"Chelsea began by speaking about her most recent trip to Haiti, and addressed some common misconceptions people have about the country.We talked about how gentrification has changed the Brooklyn neighborhoods where she grew up; and about what she sees as she looks at NYC and at our country in this moment.She reflected on her journey of personal growth, described the role yoga now plays in her life, and discussed why having “circles of friends” has been good for her social 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/ep39-chel