Class of Hope and Change

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.

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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/ep8-joshua/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!

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.

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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/ep7-maryka/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks 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.

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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/ep6-maya/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!

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."

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Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJo

See photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep5-malika/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!

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.

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Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJo

See 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/2Z4jPgg

Thanks 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.

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Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJo

See photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep3-neiko/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!

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.

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Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJo

See 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.ly/2MwW7mM

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!

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.

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Intro Theme Music: "Chega Para Mim" from AbJo

See photos of our guest, and pick up your copy of the companion book at https://classofhc.com/ep1-krystal/

Join the conversation on Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Nd2H1C and on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2Z4jPgg

Thanks for listening!