Destiny Dashield

“It all started 9th grade year in High School. I was this timid and lifeless person who didn’t know much about myself. I felt like I was stuck without an outlet to escape. Until, I met Ms. Saran (a.k.a. Mama Saran) who uplifted me and not only handed me an outlet but encouraged me to find one on my own by providing helpful resources. This is when I fully understood the purpose of this program. Who would’ve thought this unordinary program would impact me in so many ways? I am now a Junior at North Carolina Central University and this program is still helping me to become the best version of myself.

AZIZA PE&CE has exposed me to many beautiful people, opportunities, and a family. This program helped me to unravel different parts of myself that I had no clue that existed. The most positive impact that AZIZA PE&CE had on me is constantly motivating me to become the best version of myself. This can be a difficult task to achieve when you face some type of adversity daily, but it won’t stop me. I have a phenomenal support system that I will always be grateful for. Every year, I learn something new from this program. AZIZA PE&CE plays a major role in most of my goals. One of my career goals is to stay involved with empowering the youth through mentorship with AP.

As of right now, I am pursuing my Nursing degree at my HBCU but I plan to do more with my major. I am an AZIZA PE&CE Facilitator and I enjoy every part of it. I get the opportunity to learn more about my AP family and stay involved with what we do best, which is empowering the youth. In the next few years, I will become a first-year graduate, start my career in my desired career field, fully acknowledge and appreciate my self-worth, and finally manifest positive energy!”

Mariah Jackson

“I joined AZIZA PE&CE my sophomore year at Arundel High. I had just moved from Virginia and was pretty new to the school. I was introduced to the program by my now best friend and once I started the program it changed my life forever. Since day one AZIZA PE&CE has felt like family. They’ve allowed me to be my truest self with no judgement and have also helped me become more confident in who I am and the value I bring to the world.

Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community you rarely find a group of people who embrace who you are and love you whole-heartedly with no strings attached and I’m so blessed to have found that in this program. I’ve met new life-long friends, learned numerous new things about myself, my truth and overall it helped me get my life on the right track for what it is I envision for my future. SO many life lessons from over the years fill my head and being able to look back on all the fun times and memories we’ve created already and knowing that there’s even more in store is something I’ll never take for granted.

I’ve now transitioned to becoming a Program Facilitator and being on the other side of what AP does is such an amazing feeling words couldn’t even begin to describe the bliss I feel being able to be what I needed when I was younger for somebody else. I love what we do and who we are unapologetically. I now attend Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland and within the next few years I hope to continue being the change the world needs through AZIZA PE&CE.”

Nija Perry

“I joined AP because I saw a powerful group of black women & I wanted to be apart of the energy and love that radiated from the women (Morgan & Ms. Saran). Attending a PWI high school in a PWI area was really hard. You are taught from a young age through media and society that you need to make yourself little to fit into the world as a black woman. I never agreed with that standard and neither did AP. Being apart of a group that was & is about teaching young black men & women how to love yourself, your blackness, along with instilling confidence & a healthy positive mindset had such a big impact on my life.

I became more confident, my depression & anxiety lessened, as the knowledge given to us about mental health, learning to love you, striving for greatness were taught. I am now a proud HBCU student, majoring in Biology at THEE ILLUSTRIOUS Morgan State University. I am a proud young black woman who is prepared for this world due to having the space to grow unapologetically into me. Without this amazing life-changing group I’m not sure where I would be. I plan on traveling the world learning more about the environment & many cultures & culinary within those cultures. I will graduate college and continue to help AP form the next group of young leaders to be the change they want to see in the world. I am not limited to anything; I can do with the knowledge instilled in me. I am forever grateful for this program.”

Kailyn Roundtree

“I’ve been in AZIZA/PE&CE for 5 years now, it has impacted my life in various ways such as giving me a new way of thinking, teaching me life lessons, and has given me a safe space/judgment-free zone. When I first came to AP I was low on confidence and self-love and headed down a path of what felt like depression. Although I had family to support and help me, it felt good to have somebody who I felt wasn’t obligated to do so. AP gave me a second family and has introduced me to things I never saw myself doing five years ago such as modeling and now mentoring, allowing me to come out of my comfort zone which has led me to more opportunities that I didn’t have before.

I am a completely different person than I was when I first joined this program. I am more comfortable in the skin and body I’m in and I have grown mentally and emotionally. This program has blessed me with the opportunity to have more brothers and sisters than I could have ask for, and I love that. I will forever be grateful for the blessing of getting to grow and work with such amazing people. I plan to continue my working and growing with AP and pass on my knowledge from the program to other youth.”

Sherlia Lewis

“Growing up as a young black girl in a predominately white area, I often felt lost. When I first entered elementary school, the first thing that I noticed was there were no black or brown students or teachers that looked like me.

Beauty was a sensitive topic, and I stood out amongst my peers with my curly afro. In the 7th grade, I chemically straightened my hair in an effort to blend in. It wasn’t until I joined AZIZA PE&CE my freshman year of high school that I felt a sense of belonging. Because of this program, I’ve grown so much spiritually, intellectually and have become a part of a big happy family. Since joining, I have gone from being a mentee to now working as a peer facilitator. My experience in AZIZA PE&CE taught me how to be flexible, adaptable, open-minded, and see things from others’ perspectives. In life I will undoubtedly come in contact with those who are different from me, but through this program I have learned how to connect with others.

Although I am still learning and being a leader can be challenging at times, I am excited for the opportunity to continue to challenge myself in new ways and learn more about myself and others while being a part of this extraordinary program.”