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May is both Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. One commonality between the two that feels especially poignant this year is that both honor the strength in community, in (given and/or chosen) family, and in togetherness. This past month, in the midst of devastating and draining news cycles, at OppNet we harnessed this power of connection to carry on.
We welcomed and celebrated community members new and old. We leaned on our strengths and rejoiced in each others' accomplishments -- from college acceptances and decisions to Fellows' creative ventures and professional ambitions and skills. We tapped into our community and had more than 50 volunteers provide meaningful opportunities for students to learn about different career paths and all of the options available to them.
We also partnered with Harvard Business Review and OZY to share valuable college and career resources and to tell truths about structural disparities that affect members of our community.
This positive, collective energy continues in May through our Opportunity on-Demand Gala, a virtual take on our annual celebration of our Fellows, our national partners, our programs and impact, and our community of supporters.
As we elevate the multitude of voices that make up OppNet, we also tap into the healing that a strong network can bring to a community and its individuals.
Join us as we celebrate us this May.
FELLOWS IN ACTION
In April, our 11th grade Fellows participated in our 8th annual College Access and Success Symposium, where students met with college admissions representatives and current college Fellows to learn more about the college application process. Our 12th grade Fellows explored tools to build community and belonging at the schools they'll be attending this fall!
Our college Fellows attended workshops on financial literacy and wellness with financial coach, Kenya Imani, and our partners at High Water Women.
CAREER FLUENCY® PARTNERSHIP UPDATES
OppNet's Partnerships team continues to work with organizations across the country to equip them with tools to best support their students.
This past month, our team hosted workshops with The Cowen Institute in New Orleans and Detroit College Access Network focused on "best fit" career exploration to support students in discovering their passions, values, and skills.
OPPORTUNITY ON-DEMAND GALA
There's still time to show your support for our "Opportunity On-Demand" Gala as curated gift boxes are shipped throughout May and the never-before-seen student stories launch on our Gala website over the next few weeks!
Make a gift or click here to learn more about this year's special celebration of our students and our community of supporters.
We invite youth-serving organizations and educators to join our FREE interactive, virtual workshop to learn more. RSVP here.
OPPNET IN THE MEDIA
Featured in a recent Harvard Business Review interview, OppNet President and CEO AiLun Ku shares valuable advice to students of color on thriving in college and at work. Read here.
Written by AiLun Ku and Jessica Pliska, this recent OZY article exposes structural racism in the professional world—and what we can do to fix it. Read here.
Check out the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation's article on virtual support for college persistence featuring our UninterruptED: Unstoppable Learning platform! Read here.
Last month, we joined HIVE Diversity for their How to Slay Your Summer Hive Hangout where OppNet President and CEO AiLun Ku, DIFFvelopment Co-Founder and President Esi Kagale Agyeman Gillo, and OppNet Fellow Miguel shared valuable advice on engaging with the career process for recent college graduates!
