Meet Our Future Starts Now Fund Winners

2018

Vicki Humphries, Greenville, SC
In 2012, Vicki and her husband suffered unimaginable grief when their daughter died in a car accident. To ensure parents and their younger drivers theyd never have to go through what the Humphries went through, the Guard Your Life Challenge was created. Since the first class, Vicki has sent 900 students through her program. For Vicki, self-worth means never backing down, In our organization we have found our self-worth.. helping others. Thats what Victoria would have wanted.

Amanda Marie Slater, Lake Butler, FL
As a single parent to two daughters, their care is most important. As a victim of abuse, Amanda took brave measures into her own hands by leaving the situation and starting life on her own. After finding herself homeless, and in government housing, she decided to attend EMT school, then Paramedic school, where she earned an AS degree in EMS. Showing her daughters that a woman can do anything is key for Amanda. Her desire to continue her education and encourage her daughters to the same is a driving force.

Beau Wangtrakuldee, Philadelphia, PA
In 2013, a chemical spill changed Beaus life. It inspired her to work up the courage to start her own line of clothing for women in STEM. Her line AmorSui, provides additional safety, durability, versatility and professional aesthetic that suits the activities of women working at the laboratory bench. Self-worth for Beau is to provide tools for success, to create a network of support to overcome challenges, and to build a society where everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or identity, gender, race, religion, disability, or ethnicity have an equal opportunity to advance.

Latressa Fulton, New York, NY
Latressas career title is Senior Advisor to the First Deputy Commissioner of New York Citys Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. In her heart though, she is a community leader, dedicating her life to service in various creative ways: philanthropy, fundraising, developing partnerships, curating events.

All of her passions combined, contributed to the idea that inspired an event: Move and Groove Yoga. It originated as a donation based class that welcomes new visitors to the Jazz Museum in Harlem. Its here that Latressa actively fundraises for the Museum, whose mission is to preserve, promote and present jazz by inspiring knowledge, appreciation and the celebration of jazz locally, nationally and internationally.

2019

Maya Bhattacharjee
A passionate educator born to immigrant parents from India, Maya has taken on leadership in the education reform space in New York. First at her school as an assistant principal, and now she coaches principals and teachers throughout New York in building equitable, affirming spaces for their students and schools. Shes excited to be founding her own school, a project she describes, in many ways, is a love letter to her very first students called The Marcy Lab School.

Lauren Costa
Lauren is the founder and Executive Director of a 501c3 nonprofit, The Academy Project, (TAP) that supports foster and homeless youth in South Los Angeles through community, education, and empowerment. TAP aims to provide some sense of security and stability through their programs and advocacy, and offers opportunities for foster youth to attend camp.

Anne Kinsey
Anne is a survivor of human trafficking. She is also a certified trauma recovery coach, biofeedback practitioner in training, and the founding executive director of Love Powered Life, a 501(c)3 nonprofit aimed at creating a loving community for trafficking survivors and their families. Her organization does this through providing trauma informed healing support, recovery resources and opportunities for a brighter future.

Medora Kea Sweet
Over the past year, Medora quit their primary job and got kicked out of two different living situations, all due to transphobia. It was from that situation that they took steps towards beginning hormone replacement therapy, and creating a trans and queer chosen family for themself, and built shOUT: Minnesotas Trans & Gender Diverse Voices, an entirely volunteer-led choir and community support group for transgender and nonbinary people in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Medora has made this community an active form of suicide prevention for trans and nonbinary people in Minnesota.

Lindsey Ann Becker
Lindsey is many things: Entertainment Journalist, YouTuber, and a Board Member for the Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee organization just to name a few. She currently runs multiple websites, including MeantToBeLindseyB.com (her personal website) where she focuses on her experiences as a wheelchair user, cancer survivor, former Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee titleholder and current mentor for the Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee and Ms. Wheelchair America organizations. She also runs ShineOnMusicCity.com. Shine On Music City, LLC is her music promotion company where she focuses on up-and-coming musicians in the Nashville area and puts their lives and projects in the spotlight. Lindseys desire and purpose is to use her story to inspire, motivate and help others. She wants to write a memoir, and her dream job is to work for Keith Urban. She aims to show others with disabilities that even crazy dreams can come true, but they can't if you don't put them out there.

2020

Jy Maze
Jy is the President of Maze Freight Solutions, a certified minority-owned enterprise based in Kansas. Her sales success with large and small companies, and the lack of diversity in the industry, led to the founding of Maze Freight Solutions in 2017. The company, which emphasizes integrity, quality, and superior customer service, has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception, due to the 10 years of experience with supply chain management.