Lewis oversees the development, operations, and oversight of IHADLA programs and staff, and also works directly with the USC Master of Social Work interns who work with the non-profit. Together, they work to expose the barriers surrounding program participants and their families.
Lewis also had extensive experience managing people and programs prior to joining IHADLA’s executive team in October 2020, including facilitating comprehensive clinical and academic support for students in elementary through post-secondary education.
Lewis personal mission aligns with the organization’s, in that she wants to educate on systemic barriers impacting the underserved to empower community members to reach their full potential. Thus, to her, inspire change means doing this very program.
“This program is comprehensive,” Lewis said. “I don’t know another program that doesn’t pick and choose students. It’s not merit based, that gives an educational award, and also provides academic support, social and emotional development, college and career readiness, health and wellness, all in steam-centered curriculum. So that is inspiring change, because it’s giving access to under-represented students that need it the most. Your zip code shouldn’t determine your success rate, and we know statistically that it does.”
Along those same lines, Lewis suggests to those looking to inspire change in their own communities to find out what the needs are in their own communities.
“Education equity is huge everywhere. It’s a problem that everybody faces no matter where they live,” Lewis said. “So help schools. Get connected to non-profit organizations like we are we do. By the way, I Have A Dream is a national organization spread across the U.S. And so even though we’re independent 501(c)(3), we all have the mission of educating students and helping them reach their highest potential.”
The post I Have A Dream Foundation Executive Director Janell Lewis is Rams’ sixth “pLAymaker” honoree first appeared on Eatory.my.id.
