No Ceilings
Quarterly Update

Lawrence, has a passion for travel. He founded a business called Greenbook Global. "My vision is to eliminate the concerns of every Black and Brown traveler and inspire them to confidently explore the world. We are making a Black TripAdvisor with some unique twists." Lawrence credits his experiences in Summer Search with "planting the travel bug" in him, as well as supporting the development of his self-confidence.

“When presented with an opportunity, your responsibility is to make the best of that opportunity. It may never come again.” – Obinna Nwadike, Summer Search Boston Alumnus. Today, Obinna is the Co-Founder & Director of Business Development for Global Drilling Resources, based in Houston, Texas.

KishaLynn is an author, speaker, restorative trainer, certified life coach, as well as an activist for racial justice, LGBT equality, and education reform. She likes to think of herself as an entre-professional, a term that reflects her entrepreneurial endeavors while maintaining full-time, professional roles.

Whether through her music, poetry, art, or through her workshops, classes, and one-on-one sessions, Summer Search Boston alumna Maddie Lam is always looking to create spaces where people can authentically express themselves and heal. Maddie credits her first summer experience with DEVA Soul Journeys as one of the first big steps in her own healing journey, saying that it "totally revolutionized my life.

Who would’ve thought that this 17-year-old immigrant from Mexico would be traveling half-way across the world to India to spend one month with a group of strangers from different walks of life and have an amazing time? At that time, I never thought that was something I could ever do, both financially, and being so open to new experiences. When I reflect back, I think about the community we created and my willingness to adventure into the unknown.

I think about my heritage and my family when I think about being a first-gen student. I can honestly say that I never thought that I would live past 18 years old and to be able to attend a prestigious four-year university. It feels like a miracle to me… I wasn’t supposed to make it, but I did!” Jay graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and will head back to Washington, DC to follow his fiery passion for public policy — a passion that was originally stoked on his second summer trip to Junior Statesmen Summer School at Georgetown University.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I constantly tell myself these words when I’m ready to do anything out of my comfort zone, and it has never let me down. This summer, I met incredible individuals, had the opportunity to challenge myself mentally and physically, and began to recover from past trauma that I used to avoid talking about. Being able to talk to my mentor about difficult things at home has been an important part of my healing journey.

My commitment to service was solidified during my second summer program in Costa Rica, an experience that showed me so much about myself and the world, as well as provided me with a new perspective on privilege.