“If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”
— Toni Morrison
The late legendary Dr. Toni Morrison, a professor at Princeton University, profoundly influenced her former student and mentee, MacKenzie Scott, who has since become one of the most impactful philanthropic billionaires of our time.
Through Scott’s generosity, The City University of New York (CUNY) received a transformative $130 million gift—an extension of Dr. Morrison’s enduring legacy.
As an educator, I strive to instill this same principle in my students: the importance of paying it forward.
I am proud to share that two of my former students, Kevin Jamieson—a Jamaica College Old Boy and international student—and Javier Contreras, are living examples of this ideal.
Both were standout basketball players at Queens College (CUNY). Today, they continue to build on that foundation of excellence and service. Mr. Contreras has graduated and is developing a promising real estate business on Long Island. Mr. Jamieson transferred to a university in New Mexico on a basketball scholarship, where he has consistently earned a place on the Dean’s List every semester.
I was first introduced to Mr. Jamieson by Dr. Joan Nix, who invited me to serve as his mentor. In keeping with my belief that “it takes a village,” I also enlisted a team of dedicated mentors: Dr. Norka Blackman-Richards, Lorna Thaxter, Mark A. Crawford, Esq., and Dwight Geddes.
Today, I am especially encouraged to see both Mr. Jamieson and Mr. Contreras giving back—contributing their time and financial support to https://startswithusnyc.com/.
The photos below capture these two remarkable young men attending the nonprofit’s inaugural gala on March 7th—a proud moment and a testament to the power of mentorship, community, and paying it forward.
Kevin Jamieson (Left) and Javier Contreras (Right)
