The years-long dream of A New Day Foundation’s founder, award-winning actress, musician, producer and social activist, Dawnn Lewis, finally came true with the organization’s inaugural conference on May 26 at the University of Southern California.
The event, convened in partnership with USC Black Alumni Association, aimed to close the knowledge and needs gap as an actionable college bridge program.
The daylong interactive effort positioned under-resourced students for college and life success with an immersive on campus experience. Billed as the “Focused N F.I.T. For A Different World Program,” the day offered robust technology and financial literacy workshops, healthy life choice education, and motivation/activation skills. Scholarships sponsored by United Negro College Fund were awarded to several carefully selected in need students.
Lewis curated a cross section of relevant subject matter experts and organization collaborators for an impactful day of learning. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) served as both a collaborator and a sponsor, providing bus transportation for student and parent participants.
Technology Title Sponsor, SoCal Gas Company and Financial Literacy Title Sponsor, Royal Bank of Canada led a series of interactive preparedness workshops. Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Northrop Grumman, California Council on Economic Education, YWCA, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship and Positive Results Corporation provided additional workshops.
Other collaborators included USC Viterbi School of Engineering and Technology, Junior Achievement, Educating Young Minds, Black Girls Code, Brotherhood Crusade, United Negro College Fund, EMPOWERHER Institute and Omega Psi Phi Youth Leadership Conference.
The conference was made possible by the generous financial and in-kind support of UPS, Xerox, Louis Lucido, Donald Driver Foundation, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, L.A. Councilmember Curren Price, Jr. and the Coca Cola Company.
A New Day Foundation is a 501©3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to provide financial and program support to empower and educate underserved at-risk youth; to provide capacity building in-kind services to grassroots non-profits; and to provide general support to under resourced communities. Learn more at anewdayfoundation.net.
