Proud of Ms. Diandre Clark and Her Entrepreneurial Vision @Fairfieldu. Woot Woot!

 Last night, I attended the Fairfield Start Up program at the Quick Center where four teams pitched their business ideas, Shark Tank style, and received financial offers from alumni and supporters of the Fairfield University community. This is the first time I attended the event, in part because I was curious by the end-of-the-year opportunity for students, but also because Diandre Clark, Class of 2018, was there to pitch her idea of Belle, a clothing line created to empower young women who may or may not face low self-esteem and confidence with making it in the world.

Diandre established Simply Belle, t-shirts and accessories, to help fund programs for beautiful young women looking to be placed in leadership roles.

Several years ago, Diandre was a senior at Bassick High School who was enrolled in my freshman English class. She was easily the best writer, although a year younger than her peers, and I was drawn to her vision, feistiness, creativity, and realness. All of this was placed in her design as the CEO of Belle. 

Over the last four years, Diandre has stopped in at least once a year to discuss her dreams, her writing, and her spirited drive to make a difference in the world (embracing the true Jesuit tradition). Although she didn't win the grande prize of the competition, the investors quickly remarked that they wanted to put their dollars onto her. Her personality, wisdom, cleverness, and humor won them over and they were extremely drawn to her mission of social justice and ingenuity.

Watching her from atop the Quick Center, I couldn't help but feel amazing pride and joy for this young woman and all that lies ahead for her in the future. She was a classmate of Chitunga, a Bassick High School graduate, and a person I saw as having the power to overcome any obstacle thrown her way (why, because she was always quick to throw the obstacle right back at ya!).

I fell in love with her poetic connection to the work and am hoping there might be a way to bring her into Project Citizen, where she can tell her story and pitch her ideas to a group of 30 young people also driven by social change and doing good for the world.

I am extremely proud and can easily say, "I knew her when."

It is the work of individuals like Diandre that makes me proud to be an educator. I can't think of another senior who has impressed me more.

Congratulations. Girl Magic all the way.