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Kimberly Bryant is Inspiring Young Women to Dream Silicon Valley Big

By Spark Point / May 12, 2021

By 2010, Kimberly Bryant had built a successful career working as an electrical engineer in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Around that time she began exploring other options and started to look at opportunities through the lens of an entrepreneur. The more networking and circulating among new spaces she did, the more she noticed the…

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Anna Barber Pivots from Athletics to Helping Black Organizations Excel

By Spark Point / April 21, 2021

As a lifelong competitive swimmer, Anna Barber started her undergraduate degree at Howard University knowing that she wanted to pursue a career as an athletic director. After graduating, she headed to Arizona State University where she continued to lay the groundwork for a future in athletics — and earned her law degree.  “I worked as…

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Dr. Michelle Edwards is Transforming Lives with Experiential Learning

By Spark Point / March 24, 2021

As a lifelong teacher, Dr. Michelle Edwards knows the importance of writing, reading, and math as a foundation for learning. But the real transformation, she says, happens outside the classroom. “Yes, you can learn within the four walls of your school, but that’s just the beginning,” she says.“If we want children, especially black and brown…

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Natalie Grandison is Making Careers in STEM More Accessible

By Spark Point / March 10, 2021

For Natalie Grandison, personal success is certainly something to celebrate, but positively impacting the lives of others in your work is where the real magic lies. “Always advocate for yourself and advocate for others,” says Natalie, Director of Engineering Initiatives at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, which provides members of the DC…

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Elizabeth Lindsey Empowers Career Seekers with Modern Technology Education

By Spark Point / February 24, 2021

As the CEO of Byte Back, she’s helping countless adult learners reimagine their career paths — and achieve long-term professional success  “I was the first in my family to go to college,” says Elizabeth Lindsey, Chief Executive Officer at Byte Back. “When I graduated I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next — but…

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Oakland Literacy Coalition’s Sia Magadan is Creating Equity and Social Capital

By Spark Point / January 27, 2021

An educator and development leader, Sia is leveling the playing field for California learners  “I always say that I am a proud first-generation American. My parents came to the DC area from Sierra Leone in West Africa,” says Sia Magadan, Development Manager for the Oakland Literacy Coalition. “My mother finished high school but my father…

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Bathsheba Philpott is Accelerating DC’s Nonprofit Scene

By Spark Point / January 21, 2021

A lifelong development and fundraising pro, Bathsheba is ensuring nonprofits get the funding and support they deserve A third-generation Washingtonian, Bathsheba Philpott has long worked to support her community. In 1992,, she joined the Alliance for Healthy Homes, an organization focused on environmental health — specifically lead poisoning in low-income housing. “I started in an…

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Indira Henard Finds Her Calling Far From Her Political Path

By Spark Point / January 13, 2021

With an eye on politics and policy, Indira took a major detour — and never looked back  Indira Henard has spent the last 20 years in Washington, D.C. — and, for most of those years, she was focused on a career in politics. “My first love is policy and politics,” she says. “I worked for…

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Onari Jackson is Saving Families, One Broken Wing at a Time

By Spark Point / December 9, 2020

From her own pain came an incredible purpose—and, now, she’s helping countless women every single day  Growing up, Onari Jackson was used to conflict. “I used to tell people, ‘I don’t like girls’ or ‘I don’t get along with other girls,’” she says. “It was always, ‘I don’t get along with so-and-so.’ I had such…

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Storyteller, Educator and Oyé Palaver Hut Founder Vera Oyé Yaa-Ann Teaches African Culture and the Importance of Good Nutrition

By Spark Point / November 18, 2020

Since moving the the U.S. in 1993, Vera has been committed to telling her story, and supporting countless families in the process

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