Haywood Dreams.

After over 2 years of service, it’s with a heavy heart that I share that June 1st marked my final day at the Aspen Institute. With the Aspen Youth Commission on Social, Emotional, & Academic Development’s final deliverable published , I couldn’t be more proud of what our team has accomplished in empowering youth across the country with opportunities to critically engage some of the most pressing issues facing society. I’m now preparing to embark on my final summer before graduating next May from Yale’s Divinity School— and I’m challenging myself to follow the advice I’ve given to so many of my mentees: Dream Big.

This campaign is designed to support bringing a few of those dreams to fruition. I’m excited to share that I’ve been selected for the following opportunities for this summer:

• StartingBloc Fellow ‘18 in Raleigh, North Carolina— exploring leadership, social innovation, human-centered solution design & inclusion.

• Aspen Socrates Scholar in Aspen, Colorado— exploring issues of immigration, democracy & human rights.

• Children’s Defense Fund Seminarian in Clinton, Tennessee— participating in the 2018 Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry at the Alex Haley Farm.

Each of these opportunities is distinct & would uniquely immerse me in supportive communities that are committed to making this world a better place. That said, the costs for travel, lodging & registration (particularly in the face of next school year’s Yale tuition ) is REAL.

This is an investment in a dream deferred— but deferred no longer. I will be road tripping & couch surfing as much as possible over the next two months to maximize the impact of any support that you’re willing to give. Your support would truly mean the world to me.