A letter from our Executive Council
Dear Friend,
“I found it!” a StreetLeader exclaims. He points up at his last name among thousands of freed slaves’ surnames carved into a marble wall at the Legacy Museum and Memorial. Climbing on Mr. Josh’s back, he elevates himself to take a photo next to it.
Andre and Dante experience a similar moment, along with 10 other teens who ventured on the 2025 College Vision Trip. Over 6 days, 7 colleges, 9 Museums/Sites of African American history, 2 alumni visits, and countless fun adventures culminate in teens discovering their names etched in history and garnering a vision for their future.
“I didn’t want to go to college” Dante reflects “but seeing all the colleges” he realizes “I could succeed more getting a bachelor’s degree.” Tuskegee University “made the trip pop,” he remembers, “being there witnessing everyone get along, I want to be part of that too.”
Andre, a college trip veteran, believes his first trip “expanded his brain”, but this time “he wants to see what is out there” for him. At Ole Miss, he finds “community” and an impressive football stadium. At Morehouse College, he sees “boys wearing suits, holding doors, turning into gentlemen” like a “brotherhood.”
For Andre and Dante, visiting each school means experiencing a world that they can see themselves uniquely fit for, but the trip also nurtures them in more personal ways.
“I like learning about Black history,” Andre mentions. He shared that being at the Legacy Museum and actually looking at history helps us understand where we are today.
“They don’t teach us this in school” Dante comments. He says that “you can change somebody’s heart and make people look differently at us” and “help everybody get along.”
Andre adds “it teaches us to be grateful about what we have, they gave their life to see people equal.” “They did their job,” Dante concludes.
Now, it is their turn. Andre and Dante walk away from this trip inspired to transform their community with the belief in the path ahead.
“I want to be an environmental technician. With more education comes more opportunities.” Dante says.
Andre agrees “I want to wake up in the morning and do my own thing, I want to own my own business, a degree prepares me for that.”
When asked to reflect on why someone should attend the College Vision Trip, Andre replies “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, you’ll find something better than sitting in your room playing , you might meet somebody interesting, and you can bond with staff and StreetLeaders.”
The College Vision Trip offers our teens the opportunity to discover passions and forge deep connections that lay the foundation for their futures. By investing in this trip, you introduce our teens to colleges that expand their worldview, and history that shapes their character and resilience.
In April 2026, we will travel to Atlanta and back visiting many more colleges and African American historical monuments along the way, and you have a part in making it happen:
- $200 pays for teens and staff to visit the International Civil Rights Museum
- $50 buys 4 students authentic college campus lunch
- $600 affords 4 hotels rooms for a night
- $300 fills our tanks with gas to visit Clark University in Atlanta
- $1,000 rents the van teens will travel in
- $10,000 sends 12 teens for the whole trip of vision and transformation
When you give to this trip, you lift our students on your back so they can reach for every opportunity available bolstered by a loving and safe community.
Thank you for your support!
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| Dionne Xavier Executive Council Head of Schools | Josh Gregor Executive Council Director of StreetLeaders | James Russell Executive Council COO |