Jamaican Diaspora 20 under 40: Kimba Williams: The Youth Educator
Key Points(5)
- CollegePathUSA.org was the brain child of the Spelman College graduate and mother of three after living through what many other young adults go through when searching for a way to get to the next level of education.
- She develops ways and strategies to engage youths and provides them with resources to get to the education they want by providing the means.
- “Because I was a first generation student, my family had no idea about how to do the college thing.
- As a senior I was pushed off to community college and I was distraught that no one was using me in the right direction.
- I applied to two schools and Spelman said yes.
CollegePathUSA.org was the brain child of the Spelman College graduate and mother of three after living through what many other young adults go through when searching for a way to get to the next level of education. She develops ways and strategies to engage youths and provides them with resources to get to the education they want by providing the means.
“Because I was a first generation student, my family had no idea about how to do the college thing. As a senior I was pushed off to community college and I was distraught that no one was using me in the right direction. I applied to two schools and Spelman said yes. I could have fell through the cracks and I thought, other kids just like you who can do it but just don't know how.”
As a first generation Jamaican American who had a slow and disadvantaged start when it came to applying for college, her and her mother figured it out, because as she says, “ We Likkle but we Tallawah, there is a bravado with Jamaican people that propels forward regardless of the situation. The helped me move forward in all adversity, we Jamaicans are fighters.” Which is what makes her a proud Jamaican-American.
Kimba works to help students around the world and has even branched out to the Caribbean and East Africa, including Kenya, Ghana and Zambia, creating an international arm of the non-profit to assist even more children with ways of reaching their dreams and goals of going to school.
“My hope is that the organization grows exponentially to help all students all over the globe…china india.I want to see policy change around making college accessible to the students who deserve to be there. There are so many barriers and road blocks for no reason.”
Kamba believes in a quote shared with her by her son, “My favorite quote is by Shia Leboeuf who said ‘ Yesterday you said today, just do it.’” She offers advice to those who want to start but feel as if somethings getting in the way. “I feel like there is always going to be a reason why you shouldn't do something. Spend time doing what you want to do instead of what you have to do because life is going to go by anyway. Be faithful in your purpose, be brave and do it. Don't waste time.”
