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| Nia Gibson (left) pictured with mentor Cari Champion |
“Hey Nia, this is Cari Champion. Can you talk right now?”
"Yes, of course I can talk."
Earlier that week Nia was denied an internship she truly desired. She spent the rest of the days searching for other summer opportunities.
Scrolling and double clicking on Instagram finally landed her on a post by Cari Champion encouraging “all ambitious young girls of color” to apply for her mentorship program Brown Girls Dream.
It was the summer before her senior year at SU when Nia
received the phone call that started a new chapter of her life.
The weather in New York City made for a wet trip down 42nd
street that day, but Nia hastily found shelter in a quiet corner to interview
with her idol.
"Yes, of course I can talk."
Earlier that week Nia was denied an internship she truly desired. She spent the rest of the days searching for other summer opportunities.
Scrolling and double clicking on Instagram finally landed her on a post by Cari Champion encouraging “all ambitious young girls of color” to apply for her mentorship program Brown Girls Dream.
Although pessimistic about her chances, Nia still filled out
the application.
To Nia’s surprise, the
organization was very impressed by her goals and aspirations, and later
scheduled a phone interview.
Nia spent that summer day waiting in vain. No one from Brown Girls Dream ever called.
The next morning everything was business as usual, except
for that personal phone call from Cari Champion herself apologizing for the
mix-up.
Today, Cari Champion is Nia’s personal mentor. “I do give her a lot of credit for where I am
right now…The program has done a lot for me,” Nia says proudly.
Click Here to listen audio.
Click Here for audio transcription.
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