Fred Joseph Jr.

Name: Fred Joseph Jr.

Age: 25

College: Saint Peter's College. Jersey City, New Jersey.

Major: Business Management.  

Grad year: Graduated 2007

About Fred: I'm a Hatian native born in Cap Haitien, Haiti. At the age of two, I moved to Florida with my father, and then at four years old I returned back to Haiti. I resided there until the age of seven years old, where I attended the school Kay Frère. Afterwards, my family moved to New Jersey. It wasn’t an easy shift, but with their belief in the American dream, my family managed to overcome their trials and tribulations; where today not only do they value this dream but are living it. I believe that we have the power to create our own reality and helping others empowers each of us to create a reality that fulfills the heart’s desire.  My way of helping people encourages others to challenge themselves.

In 2007, I graduated from Saint Peter’s College, Jersey City, New Jersey. Although I studied Business, my desire of doing charity work only increased over the years. In August of 2008, I hosted a soccer tournament in Saint Raphael, Haiti. At this tournament, the youth began to fight. It was pretty severe where children and parents had to flee. I realized that the local children were in a dire need of a better environment; one that could not only provide for their families, but generations to come.  This was the birth of the Anasoule Wishes Foundation (AWF) named after my grandmother, Anasoule. AWF was founded to teach the children of St. Raphael to utilize their resources in order to better their lives and community.  In January 2010 alongside a college friend, Martine E. Pierre, I decided to expand on the AWF vision and create the Help Us Save Us (HUSU) organization. HUSU is a non-profit organization established to serve all areas of humanity by providing assistance in education, health, and agriculture. The organization is currently working to revitalize the educational institutions in Saint Raphael, Haiti. The town has gained many new residents displaced from the capital city, Port-Au-Prince, due to the tragic earthquake.

It wasn’t always easy for me to stay driven in wanting to help the people of Haiti. Although, I grew up in America and adapted to the American culture, I never felt accepted by my peers. They mocked my Haitian culture, which at times pained me because the image they portrayed of Haiti, was a false image of my home. In 2005 I lost my father in a car accident. This did not only toughen me to take responsibility of filling my father shoes but to start living my dream because tomorrow isn’t promised. Just as my parents took the challenge of coming to America in search of better opportunities, I want to return to Haiti to offer my fellow citizens more opportunities.

What is your life's mission?

My life mission is to be Noble for Haiti. I want to be remembered as a being great, someone who provided opportunities. I want to be in the encyclopedia and want to be statued. I know that sounds crazy but I love my country. I could have been a child in Haiti struggling. What if I was? What if I never knew what the U.S. looked like? What if I was poor begging for food? I was in Haiti, that could have been me?!? What if I struggled the same way my parents did? What if I had Cholera and died because I was too poor to cure it?  What if I went to school in Port Au prince and died in the earthquake? What if I was child in the HUSU camp and I had a guy name Fred Joseph Helping me? What if I never got a college degree? What if my father never died? He could have been alive if he lived in Haiti or maybe not? What it? 

What does being a black man mean to you?

Being black means I have one chance to make "What if" a reality. Life is not easy being African American, It's in the books. Slavery shows us what black means. Blacks are portrayed differently than whites. I want to beat the odds and show the world and Haiti! Black is equal and black is human.

"My way of helping people encourages others to challenge themselves"

 

Contact Fred:
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To learn more about Fred's Organization and to help Haiti visit Help Us Save Us' website.

Brandon Frame

Name: Brandon Frame

Age: 23

College: Morehouse College

Major: Business Administration w/concentration in Marketing

Grad year: 2009

Highlights: recipient of Morehouse Marketing Star Award, Morehouse Legacy Award




About Brandon: I am the Chief Visionary Officer of The Black Man Can. The organization’s mission is to actively promote a positive black male image. I currently work as an educator at The Fessenden School in West Newton, Massachusetts where I teach seventh grade English, coach basketball and co-facilitate the mentoring program focused on boys of African descent.

Getting to where I am now was not easy, one of the biggest adversities I have ever faced is myself. My earliest memory of such an event would date back to middle school where I questioned if I would be able to make it out of my neighborhood. I didn’t think that it was intended for me to abandon my current situation in search of one that would garner success. I often wondered if I were destined for greatness, if I were to make it out of my neighborhood. In my creation of 'The Black Man Can', I brooded over people’s interest and support in such an organization. I found myself questioning society’s desire to witness positive images of Black Men. I overcame these obstacles by taking the following three quotes/phrases to heart:

1) Benjamin Elijah Mays’ quote that states “every man and woman was put on this earth to do something unique and something distinctive. If he or she does not do it, it will never be done,”
2) M.K. Asante’s quote asserting that “if you make an observation, you now have an obligation,” 
3) the phrase that declares that each individual must use their mind to challenge the word’s  limitations that society has unfortunately bestowed upon them

What is your life's mission?
My life’s mission is to educate, elevate, empower, inspire and uplift young boys of African descent. I have decided on a few areas in which I can best employ my talents that will directly correlate with my life’s mission. My goal is to connect the various islands of success to allow the sharing of best practices. I have made it my mission to start my own schools for boys that will prepare them as socially conscious men with a global perspective who will embrace the concept of being a scholar-athlete. I plan to teach the boys the importance of being a lover of reading and knowledge so that they will be well-informed with the ability to think critically about the world. My overarching mission is to provide the positive contradiction to the prevailing Black Male representation of today by actively promoting a Black Male image everyday. I have a firm grasp on where my passion lies and it has led me to my purpose, which I am pursuing with impeccable effort.

What does being a black man mean to you?
Being Black to me means being so reminded of Malcolm and Martin, but so inspired to sketch my own path. Being Black means keeping it real and not reel. Being Black means to know the path less traveled will not be easier or shorter, but it will make all the difference. Being Black means to advance my genius, not my gangsta; to understand that I am beautiful in mind and have a heart that will change the world. I must be a gentleman of exceptional character and impenetrable self-worth. Being Black means to learn, know and respect the history of my ancestors because I will always be part of that framework.

Contact Brandon:
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Twitter - TheBlackManCan
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To learn more about Brandon’s organization, visit http://www.theblackmancan.org/.

Angelete L. Comford

   

Name: Angelete L. Comford

Age: 24

Degree: B.S. in Human Services received at California State University Fullerton in 2010.

About Angel: I was just a Jr. in High School when I moved to California from Prince George, VA in 2003. Who knew that I, a country girl from a small town, would be a motivated, personable business professional with multiple management level work history in a big city. Through many obstacles, I continue to exceed in achieving my goals as a young black professional. I try to remain humble as I defy stereotypes. It is my drive to succeed that motivates me to stop at nothing. One of my career goals is to become a Human Resource Director of a multi-billion dollar corporation, while also working as a Real Estate Broker on the side. I want to eventually own my own Real estate agency & Construction Business in residential and commercial acquisitions. I Plan on continuing my education in 2012 to pursue a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) specializing in Human Resource Management at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
 

What is your life's mission?
To grow, to learn, and to evolve as an individual. To Motivate, inspire, and empower others. Building a successful, beautiful empire, whether it is my business, or personal as in my own future family. Break all "Glass ceilings" and show that strong Black women can surpass all barriers!

What does being a black woman mean to you?  

Being black is more than the shade of your skin, or the grade of your hair. Being black to me means being POWERFUL, LOVING, PRIDEFUL, a LEADER, STRONG, INTELLIGENT, CARING, SUCCESSFUL, and DIVERSE individual who plays a significant role in today’s society. Through personal growth, which ultimately leads to the growth of the black community, it is imperative that we set higher standards of achievement for ourselves and future generations. We have the power to impact many lives, and can create change. BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!


"Through everything, Nothing is impossible."

Contact Angelete

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