A profound part of my college experience has been linked with social justice and civic engagement. I was introduced to the Jaylen D Berry Foundation during my Sophomore year at Wesleyan University. A former teammate of mine, Isaiah Miller, proposed the idea to me. He told me about Jaylen, his work, and his vision to reinvest in minority communities.

I was encouraged to speak with Jaylen in the hopes that our vision for impact could be woven together and executed. I gave him a call and went through the interview process, and the rest was history. When thinking about the foundation’s mission, I couldn’t help but feel compelled to invest myself in its cause.

As a young child, my mother, Jenner Rayno, always stressed the importance of investing in marginalized communities. I can fondly remember her saying “To whom much is given, much is expected.” She works for a free-of-cost pediatric hospital in Haiti that serves the poor.

When I told her about the foundation and expressed the sense of fulfillment that would derive from making a tangible difference she supported me entirely. Service to others runs in my blood, I have truly been blessed with privilege and I have the obligation to reach back and bring as many people with me as possible! 

Attached here is an image of me attached to an Instagram post about me, my experience, and my role as a member of the Jaylen D. Berry Foundation (JDBF).

On a daily basis, I get to collaborate with change-makers like myself who have the vision to enhance pro-mobility and wage war against the wealth gap that plagues Connecticut and has placed minority communities at a systemic disadvantage.

Investing in minority children now will pay dividends in the future; additionally, our mission seeks to break the cycle of poverty. It’s amazing to show young brown and black children what the world has to offer just beyond their current environment.

For me, the average week consists of meeting with Jaylen and strategizing for the future. We meet 2-3 times per week; (2 times just us, 1 time with the campus team). My schedule also consists of being a college student and managing the campus team.

In addition to my role as campus team coordinator, I was also responsible for running virtual events or fundraisers. In my tenor as a member of the JDBF; I raised over 18k and have supplied 15-30 scholarships to deserving students of color.

I have also allocated funds to 4 separate small businesses with financial contributions ranging from $500-5000. Reflecting back on my time as a member of the JDBF, I can honestly say I gave everything I had. I collaborated, orchestrated, and demonstrate change in my 3 ½ as a member of this organization and in the state of Connecticut.

I will leave you with this; no matter where you travel and how far you go, take pride in creating roots. Investment in others is an investment into the self; find your passion pursue the hell out of it and make an impact. A man isn’t measured by his fiscal resources and material possessions, but rather by the lives he’s transformed and touched.