Avery Floyd

Lawrence Avery Floyd (Avery) joined Usher’s New Look (UNL) in November of 2018 as the Atlanta Program Coordinator. In this position, Avery enables his students to discover and utilize their “spark”, gifts and talents to enhance their potential of excelling academically, professionally and socially. His essential responsibilities include successfully implementing the daily activities of the New Look Leadership Academy, creating diversified events/programs to meet the needs of UNL students and increasing community awareness of UNL through identifying and maintaining strategic partnerships with other local community agencies/organizations. 


Avery specializes in sports, community outreach and leadership development. His passion to empower and impact the youth has developed through his strong sports background. Avery is a graduate of Xavier University’s Sport Administration Master’s Program (M.Ed.) and is also a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Sport and Leisure Management Program (B.S.). Avery has significant experience being a coach, mentor and teacher for the youth. Having worked for AmeriCorps, the Cincinnati Reds and the YMCA (Greater Cincinnati and Metro Atlanta), Avery has embodied a strong attention to detail and a continuously positive attitude towards the development of the youth.  

Latoya Henry

Latoya A. Henry is the New York Program Manager for Usher’s New Look where she’s able to ignite the spark in young people.  In this role, she’s able to help young people realize their gifts and talents and show them how they can share those gifts with the world through their education, career and service to improve their lives and the lives of those in their communities.  Her responsibilities include creating enrichment experiences, identifying and collaborating with strategic partners, and increasing awareness of the work that UNL does in New York City.

A graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, Latoya has extensive experience in Marketing, Public Relations, Events and Fundraising. She has lent her expertise to children and education focused non-profits like SFK – Success for Kids, A Better Chance and Children of Promise; planning young leadership functions, award/fundraising ceremonies and managing community relationships. She’s mastered the fine art of raising funds and awareness with panache through provocative, experiential events.

In her down time, Latoya loves keeping a pulse on what’s happening in the nonprofit world through her site Haute Giving (www.haute-giving.com).  Haute Giving is a digital and social space that chronicles all things philanthropy—from identifying and advocating for global needs, to the events, products and campaigns created to ensure those needs are met.

On the Town with NYC

Usher’s New Look New York has been on tons of adventures the past month, even traveling to DC. Through our programs, youth get opportunities for practical, cultural and historical experiences. Here are just a few events they have enjoyed over the past month.

 

“Follow the Money Tour”

Our 10th and 11th grade youth went Washington, DC for our “Follow the Money Tour”.  We visited the Bureau for Printing and Engraving to learn how money is made and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau to learn how to protect our money.  We also took in some of the sights of Washington, DC including, the African American Museum, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Lincoln Memorial.  AND, we took a tour of Howard University’s campus!

Then, we heard from the Furlough Sisters – Nikki Howard and Jaqi Wright – two African American sisters who used their sparks to create a business during the government shut down (both of them work for government agencies).  Their “Furlough Cheesecake” is more successful than they could have imagined and they’ve been interviewed on ABC and CNN to name a few.  They also got a boost to their business financing from Ellen DeGeneres who surprised them on her talk show.  They shared their story with us and spoke about using your spark and creating opportunity to follow your passion and create a business.  They also talked about overcoming adversity by having a plan, executing on that plan and the importance of dreaming big!  Click on the link below to check out pictures from our trip.

HIGHLIGHTS: Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, Bureau for Printing and Engraving, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, African American Museum, Howard University Tour, Lincoln Memorial, Dinner with the Furlough Sisters – creators of the Furlough Cheesecake

 

Career Spark Day at WeWork Montague

On February 13th we hosted our Career Spark Day at WeWork Montague where executives and entrepreneurs shared their experience, their unique journeys, the importance of nurturing relationships, self-care and overcoming obstacles and finding the path that’s right for you.

GUEST SPEAKERS: Jemaine Buchannan, Project Manager and Founder, Everyday People; Taren Guy, Lucid Living on YouTube; Michael McConnell, Founder, Mastermind Connect; Syreta Oglesby, SJO PR & Consultancy; Kristen Rich,Manager, Sports Brand Partnerships, FOX Sports; Qimmah Saafir, Hannah Magazine; Janelle  Stiell, Marketing Solutions Strategist and Consultant, Nickelodeon

 

King Kong on Broadway!

UNL students, friends and family were given the opportunity to experience Broadway, free of charge. Exposure to the visual arts is fundamental to the development of individual potential, social responsibility, and cultural awareness. Opportunities like these contribute to the intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social, and physical development of UNL youth.

 

Upcoming Events

3/8 STEM Nights: Women in STEM Nights at the Hall of Science

3/9 Sista-2-Sista Youth Summit

3/14 & 3/21 – Leadership Academy at Bedford Academy High School

3/28 Brooklyn Museum Trip: In honor of Women’s History Month, we’ll be going to the Brooklyn Museum to check out their current exhibit of Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo along with other artists of color.

Follow the Money Tour

Usher’s New Look (UNL) hosted its inaugural “Follow the Money Tour” in Washington, DC, during the February 18th-21st mid-winter recess school break.  The tour, made possible by a grant from SunTrust Foundation, is part of UNL’s Financial Literacy training infused into the organization’s Powered By Service (8th grade), Leadership Academy (grades 9-12) and Moguls-In-Training (college/postsecondary) programs.  The 25 10th- and 11th-grade Leadership Academy youth from the Atlanta and New York chapters of the organization learned about financial principles by visiting a variety of stops.  The Office of Financial Education at the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau presented a workshop on budgeting and credit fundamentals. The students had the opportunity to tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and learn some of the history of our currency.  Students visited the original location and indulged their taste buds at one of the historic DC family-owned restaurants, Ben’s Chili Bowl. They learned the story of the family’s journey from starting a small business to earning national recognition. They discussed the impact a business, no matter the size, can have in building a strong community.  Students also participated in a Networking Social where they heard from community leaders and entrepreneurs, Nikki Howard and Jaqi Wright, also known as The Furlough Cheesecake Sisters. The “Sisters” shared their story of how they used their sparks (talents) to launch a business during the recent government shutdown. The students were able to take advantage of the proximity to another historic landmark, taking a tour of Howard University and learning about financial aid processes and student life on campus.

 

“With only 16 percent of Americans ages 18-26 being optimistic about their financial future, it is important that the youth we serve in Usher’s New Look begin to develop financial well-being habits early.  This trip presented a tremendous opportunity for them to understand the impact of financial decisions in various aspects of their lives. We are confident that the SunTrust Foundation investment in our youth will transform their futures as they prepare to become leaders of the next generation,” said Careshia Moore, CEO, Usher’s New Look.

 

Youth also had an opportunity to take in the sights including a visit to the National Museum for African American History and Culture, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial.

 

“This trip gave me a lot of financial wisdom that enabled me to be aware of credit cards, budgeting, and knowing how to spend money for the right situations,” said Neil, an 11th-grade Leadership Academy youth.  “This trip also gave me the opportunity to be more of an explorer. It allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. It also gave me the wonderful opportunity to try new food and meet new people.”

 

Through a grant from the SunTrust Foundation, UNL has been able to add the financial literacy component to other programs offered. The new curriculum focuses on helping students identify core life values, gain practical experience in making wise financial decisions, and real-life application to improve their quality of life. The “Follow the Money Tour” is the first of two financial-focused trips this year.  The next will be in New York and will focus on investing.

 

“My mission for this trip was to give the students another perspective on how money works, to go beyond the classroom and see how money is used in our government, in the lives of entrepreneurs and the world around us. It is my hope that as a result of this experience, these students will apply the wealth building principles they were exposed to and take full responsibility of their financial futures,” shared Jessica Washington, director of financial literacy who spearheads the program.