Marie McKenzie is a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, a highly accomplished Registered Nurse and #1 Amazon Bestseller. Her book, “Things That Keep Me Up At Night” was based on her personal trauma as a childhood sexual victim and her journey of healing and thriving. Born in Jamaica her dream was to become a nurse like her aunt. It took her years to achieve this but as an Emergency Room Nurse assisting physicians in caring for many victims of sexual violence , Marie found her purpose. She was able to comfort and reassure many sexual assault victims because of her childhood sexual trauma. Her memoir, “Things That Keep Me Up At Night” has been used as a resource in group counseling sessions by medical professionals for helping survivors.

No matter where you are from there is always an opportunity for you to grow says Christelle Mombo-Zigah. Born and raised in France by Congolese parents, Christelle moved to the USA 12 years ago with a master’s degree in International Economics from La Sorbonne University. A lifelong learner , she recently graduated with an executive MBA (Stanford LEAD) at Stanford GSB and her dream is to become an executive in her tech company . She speaks French, English, and Spanish learned Swedish and Arabic in college and is now learning Portuguese.

College Bound Determination Founder Carol Ben-Davies, is a first generation American born to Sierra Leonean parents who arrived in the US in the 70’s. Carol talks about her college experience and how it was instrumental in her career decisions and subsequently her business.

When Carol was 14 years old her parents moved to a small town in North Carolina and she struggled with being a first generation American with African parents. However once she went to college that changed. For her, it was the embracing of other students who were born in Africa or whose parents were born in Africa and they were first gen, were in this space together learning and growing , trying to figure life out. It was there that she really begun to embrace her identity.

“ I think we forget that aspect of college life. We think solely about the academic piece . We think a lot about the social aspect too but the lifelong learning and growing that you do there is so profound! “

Carol Ben-Davies

She says that the realities of college are such that parents need to be aware that the college journey doesn’t end when their child is admitted into college but actually begins in middle school and ends when their child leaves college.

Bongai Mhloyi Is the CEO and Founder of End Child Marriages. Her mission is to eradicate child marriages by giving girls - in some parts of Zimbabwe, an alternative to child marriages - through education. Educating these girls and providing better options for them is her passion. Bongai grew up in Zimbabwe and migrated to the US in 1985 in pursuit of a better education and a better life. Working as a social worker in PA she started the American and African Youth Leadership Foundation to help in girls in underserved communities in PA and in her native country Zimbabwe. Her motto is "Touching Tomorrow's Leaders Today" . She also believes that an Empowered Woman can create an Empowered Generation.

Nwanneka Tesy moved from Nigeria to Texas with her parents and siblings when she was 7. It was a difficult move. Immigrating was hard! The first 12 years were extremely difficult but what started to help her was when she tapped into her creativity and artistic side. That allowed her to escape the pain of being so far from her original home. Nwanneka speaks from the heart about the complexities of being parented by Nigerian parents in the US and advises anyone planning to relocate to be patient with their children and / or their spouses.

Leigh Huxley grew up in South Africa. She started out in the beauty industry and was the owner of her own skin care business inDurban, South Africa for thirteen and a half years where she was passionate about helping women embrace and enhance their outer beauty. She has now come full circle and is passionate about helping women learn to love and accept themselves by helping them find their personal identity and empowering them to transform their relationship with themselves through unconditional love and acceptance.

Rahel Mwitula Williams is the lead designer at ILAVA which means “It Can Be Done”. Ilava is a socially responsible lifestyle brand using fashion- mainly African fashion, to empower women and create change globally.

ILAVA is a registered non profit and has enabled Rahel to impact women and leaders across the world.

Ida Blake moved from  Monseratt to the UK at the tender age of 17. Listen to how she discovered that she was now in a new system where race and class mattered  but how when she renewed her relationship with God she was able to change her mindset.

Jacquel Tucker born in Jamaica talks candidly about the company My Purpose on Fire. Tune in to hear her journey on how she created a nonprofit and a for-profit company to serve people in her home country and in her community in Georgia.

Fellow AFRICAN sister Lucie Matsouaka is a Senior Professional Career Coach, a Youth Leadership Coach, an Author and Speaker . Born in Cameroon, she schooled in Benin, Burkina Faso and migrated to the US 18 years ago.

She now lives and works in Cary, North Carolina and has a passion for the youth