by Shawn Nowlin
At Humble Hustle Company, a non-profit organization that provides creative programs and resources for the community, everything starts with the idea that if selfless individuals work together, there is no limit to how much can get accomplished.
“PRETTY HUMBLE,” a program within the organization, is specifically tailored to empowering young women through financial literacy, leadership, and community service initiatives. The age-old adage “it takes a village to raise a child,” is much more than just a saying at Humble Hustle.
From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hollins University, the Ignite Your Purpose Conference, a free program for middle and high school girls, took place on June 10. Workshops offered at the conference centered around social media, college readiness, self-confidence & leadership, entrepreneurship & financial literacy, and S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math).
Among the roughly 80 participants were Aliyah Reddick, 11, and Rahan Hassan, 15. Above everything, two messages, in particular, were emphasized the most: “Don’t listen to what everybody else says about you because truly, it doesn’t matter” and “Just be yourself, don’t be what everyone thinks you should be.”
Because Humble Hustle prides itself on providing young people with one-on-one connections, it should come as no surprise that a variety of professionals from across the Valley participated in last Saturday’s gathering. “My hope is that this conference ignites something in the girls to show them that they all have the ability to accomplish great things,” company CEO Xavier Duckett said.
Extensive data from the Pew Research recently revealed that nearly four in ten parents with children under the age of 18 are concerned about their child’s mental health. Given this reality, events like the Ignite Your Purpose Conference serve a tremendous purpose.
Seeing the next generation of women leaders ask questions and be receptive to new information warmed Duckett’s heart. It can’t be stressed enough, he noted, just how important it is to communicate effectively with teens because they are smarter than they are often given credit for.
Ducket, also Humble Hustle’s Executive Director, has a strong team behind him, including Myleah Akers, Director of Operations; Tasia Vandervegt, Director of Programming and Initiatives; Gabby Reed-Carlock, Graphic Designer and Events Manager; Mackenzie Abrose, Assistant; Layden Williams, Director of Marketing Operations and Taylor Bush, Director of Brand Management.
Humble Hustle Company partners with local organizations year-round. For the most up-to-date information, including how to get involved, visit thehumblehustle.org.
