After years of unwavering service, I’ve made the difficult—but necessary—decision not just to step down, but to stand up. I am officially closing my chapter with the Year Up NYNJ Alumni community, and stepping into a new role: advocate for truth and accountability.
Since graduating in February 2018, I poured my soul into this community. I gave countless unpaid hours, led major initiatives, created platforms to uplift others, and revitalized engagement that was nearly lost. But in return? I experienced exploitation, gaslighting, favoritism, broken promises—and ultimately, silence.
What I GAVE:
2018: Foundation Builder
• Joined the NYNJ Alumni Board right after graduation
• MC’d Day 2 of the first-ever Local Summit
• Organized the first Summer and Fall Mixers
• Created alumni experiences out of thin air—with no pay, just purpose
2019: Leading by Example
• Became Social Media Director
• Managed all NYNJ alumni pages and built a thriving Facebook group (700+ members)
• Promoted alumni success, hosted mixers, and brought visibility to our voices
• Secured grants, helped local youth, and traveled to the National Summit to serve
2024: Rebuilding What Was Broken
• Returned as Communications Director to revive the board
• Relaunched alumni engagement through impactful events and advocacy
• DJ’d, created content, and even planned alumni celebrations with zero compensation
• Hosted a Breaking Bias Workshop on Workplace Rights to empower our own
• Amplified Black alumni entrepreneurs and rebuilt the Facebook community from scratch
What I EXPERIENCED:
Free labor with no acknowledgment
Passed over for leadership roles I helped create
Favoritism that excluded Black women from opportunity
Promises made and broken
A discriminatory board leader protected by silence
Told not to speak out or contact alumni channels again
**So now, I’m not just stepping down—
I’m speaking up. I’m standing up. I’m fighting back.**
I will be exposing the truth about Year Up’s failure to protect Black women in leadership, and calling for justice, transparency, and reform. I do this not out of bitterness, but because I believe in the next generation—and they deserve better.
Alumni, future students, and community leaders—this is our moment to demand equity.
To call out performative empowerment. To make sure real change happens.
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