About Us
We’ve Impacted More than 50,000 Youth!
Usher’s New Look® (UNL) is a non-profit organization that transforms the lives of under-resourced youth through a comprehensive program which develops passion-driven, global leaders. Founded in 1999 by Usher Raymond IV and his mother Jonetta Patton, who were inspired after witnessing the dire narratives of Atlanta teens in a courtroom. As a result, UNL was created to tackle systemic barriers that prevent teens from graduating from high school and college.
Since its formation, Usher’s New Look has become a catalyst for under-resourced youth around the world to find their spark (passion), graduate, and reach their full potential. With unique mentorship and leadership programming designed to help teens see past their circumstances, discover their potential and unlock their purpose, UNL is creating a global network of leaders. To date, we’ve touched the lives of more than 50,000 youth!
What We Do
A 10-year program. A lifetime of success.
Usher’s New Look has developed a unique and innovative curriculum, validated by the Emory Goizueta Business School, to produce the next generation of disruptive young leaders who will change the world through their talents and service. UNL’s three-tiered, 10-year programming teaches teens how to find their spark, connect it to their studies, identify the right career, and be of service.
...the next generation
of disruptive young leaders
who will change the world...
Starting in Middle School with ‘Powered by Service’, participants are aided in finding their spark while serving locally. UNL Leadership Academy prepares High Schoolers for college and their careers, with a focus on national service. Moguls in Training is a virtual college and career support system that prepares UNL participants to be global citizens.
Our History
Cool Timeline
Usher’s New Look is Founded
Usher’s New Look is founded as a private charity by Usher Raymond IV in Atlanta
UNL & Make-A-Wish Partner
UNL partners with Make a Wish and provides funding to support youth in foster care and related service programs.
Shawn Wilson is Hired as UNL’s First President
• UNL relaunches in NYC as a 501(c)3 charity and establishes its four Leadership Pillars; Talent, Education, Career and Service. And pilots the Mogul In Training [MIT] program.
• In response to Hurricane Katrina, UNL’s Project Restart Concert raised money to provide 1,000 families with rent and utility assistance.
Communities Served: Atlanta, New Orleans, and New York
UNL Launches its Mini-Camp Tour
• UNL hosts 2nd Camp New Look and launches a mini-camp tour in various U.S. cities
Communities Served: Atlanta, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New Orleans, and New York
Georgia Tech hosts Camp New Look
• The 3rd Annual Camp New Look held at Georgia Tech University.
• MIT Program officially launches.
• UNL launches the ‘I Can’t but You Can’ voter registration national campaign.
Communities Served: Atlanta, Los Angeles
UNL, MIT, and Emory University
• Emory University works with UNL to support its curriculum development.
• 4th Annual Camp New Look is held at Emory University, Atlanta.
• President Barack Obama and Former First Lady Laura Bush recognize the significance of Usher’s New Look’s programs.
• 1,000 youth are served through a youth conference sponsored by the Casey Family of Programs.
Communities served: Atlanta and Milwaukee
UNL Goes to Washington and the New Look Leadership Academy is Born
• Usher Raymond IV and Youth Ambassador James Harris testify before the Education and Labor Congressional Committee in support of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, resulting in nearly $6 billion in funding for national service programs.
• Camp New Look officially becomes the New Look Leadership Academy, a 4-year high school program.
• The Powered by Service campaign launches at the Clinton Global Initiative to bolster Usher’s New Look 4 Leadership Pillars, and mobilizes 5 million diverse young leaders to service.
Communities served: Atlanta, Detroit, New York
UNL Goes International
• UNL Issues a Call to Action for youth internationally. Youth from 17 countries mobilize to provide Mayor Wilson Jeudy with a Medical Mobile Clinic in Delmas, Haiti.
• The First Annual World Leadership Conference and Awards are held in Atlanta with 2,700 guests, including President William J. Clinton and Justin Bieber.
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Kenya, Haiti and Manila
The UNL & Emory University Certification
• Usher’s New Look partners with Emory University’s Executive MBA Program to develop program certification.
• UNL Launches Powered By Service Tour in 5 US cities via Usher’s OMG Tour.
• 2nd Annual World Leadership Conference and Awards held in Atlanta.
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Kenya, London, Hong Kong, Vancouver
Usher Raymond IV delivers a powerful keynote address
• Usher Raymond IV delivers keynote address with UNL Moguls in Training at Emory University’s Undergraduate Business Leaders Conference.
• Usher’s New Look travels to South Africa to conduct a PEACE is Powered By Service tour.
• UNL Partners with Accenture to digitally enhance program efforts through a new online platform, iLead and more.
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, South Africa
Usher’s New Look partners with Accenture
• Usher’s New Look partners with Accenture, Coca-Cola, and the Sweet Tea Project to hosts the President’s Circle Awards Luncheon honoring leadership through collaboration.
• UNL partners with Georgia Department of Education to create an entertainment business leadership curriculum course for high schools.
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Milwaukee, LA, Hong Kong and Shanghai
UNL Welcomes its new President & CEO, Yvette Cook
• Ushers New Look celebrates its 15th year anniversary and over 21,000 youth served.
• 4,000 students are trained in a STEAM Career Lab, powered by the Ford Motor Company.
• UNL partners with Kids 4 Kids Hong Kong to train 5th-7th grade students in UNL’s Powered by Service curriculum
• UNL students and parents are invited to Oprah’s inspiring ‘Life You Want’ weekend.
Communities served: Atlanta, Milwaukee, New York, Detroit, and Hong Kong
Usher’s New Look is recognized
• Usher’s New Look is recognized by The White House as part of the ‘Next Generation High School Summit’ for its commitment to making high school graduation and college acceptance more attainable for all students
• UNL serves 4,300 students nationally with three core programs, adding to the grand total of nearly 30,000 youth served.
• Usher’s New Look announces the UNL Spark Lab, the first youth innovation hub in Atlanta.
• UNL celebrates its 16th anniversary and pilots first in-school Leadership Academies in the Greater Atlanta Area (Meadowcreek High School and Pebblebrook High School).
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Hong Kong
UNL Spark Center Opens
• The UNL Spark Center opened with the exciting ‘Start the Spark’ Signature Event featuring keynote speaker, Simon Sinek. And, the total of youth served reaches over 40,000.
• 175 students are trained in the Dominican Republic, in partnership with Ford.
• UNL hosted the first Moguls in Training college student retreat in Atlanta, sponsored by FedEx.
• UNL trains 200 youth in Atlanta in partnership with the Ludacris Foundation.
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Dominican Republic
300 Young Leaders Gather for UNL’s 1st Summit
• UNL hosted the first Disruptivator Summit, a gathering of 300 forward-thinking youth leaders from across the U.S.
• Usher’s New Look received $904,000 from SunTrust Foundation to launch its Financial Literacy Program
• UNL Moguls-in-Training visits the FedEx national hub in Memphis
Careshia Moore becomes the 3rd President & CEO of UNL
• UNL partnered with Tata Consultancy for the Day of Code
• UNL launched its Financial Literacy program, “Money Talks”, a content series on YouTube presented by Suntrust
Communities served: Atlanta, New York, Dominican Republic
Celebrating 20 Years of Impact
• June 17, 2019 Usher’s New Look celebrated its 20th Anniversary.
• Held 2019 Disruptivator Summit Youth Conference and Alumni Homecoming.
Disruptivator Summit in NYC and Virtual Programming
• January 2020 Held first Disruptivator Summit in NYC.
• March 2020 Spark Center closed due to pandemic, but we continued to work with youth virtually to support them the entire time.
Meet The Team
Working to spark a cycle of success
Jessica Martinez
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Michael Broughton
CONTROLLER
Jessica Washington
NATIONAL PROGRAM
DIRECTOR
DeniséAnn Malcolm
ATLANTA, ASSISTANT PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Terra Lamar
ASSISTANT PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR
Marcus Bazemore
NEW YORK, ASSISTANT PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Sydney Williams
GEAR UP PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Tommy Springer
MEDIA PRODUCTION
Meka Davis
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Latriecia Brown
ATLANTA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY COORDINATOR
Board of Directors
Shawn Wilson
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan
