An annual scholarship programme looking for the “next generation of legacy makers” in the US, with a record number of Black and African-American applicants this year, has chosen its third recipient.
Kimiloluwa Fafowora, a student at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has been awarded $10,000 as part of the third-annual Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship, first launched in 2019.
Fafowora is a role model for Black female leaders in technology and entrepreneurship through her business Meet Klara, an e-commerce software company that aims to diversify the advertising industry via different notions of beauty. Her previous roles include an Enterprise Software Investor position at Silversmith Capital Partners, a growth equity firm based in Boston, and a Strategy Manager role at marketing agency Brandable. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University.
A diverse body of students applied for the scholarship this year, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Applicants, including racial justice advocates and those studying genetic risk factors among persons of African ancestry, had to articulate what “legacy-making” meant to them. They were also required to demonstrate how they are working towards long-term change, including what “significant impact” they had already made in their respective communities.
Following the high number of impressive applicants, six additional students were recognised for the Rising Star Awards. These include:
Chanice McClover-Lee – a Sociology and English undergraduate at Howard University, passionate about advocating for the rights of Black women at the intersection of racial, gender, and reproductive justice.
Keia Jones – a PhD student, pursuing a dual-degree in Rural Sociology and International Agriculture and Development at Penn State, whose research areas include environmental sustainability, socio-political dimensions, entrepreneurship, and value chain governance.
Karyn Onyeneho – a fifth-year PhD candidate at Howard University, studying Nutritional Sciences to investigate nutritional and genetic risk factors common among persons of African ancestry.
Stevens Leconte – a sophomore at Howard University majoring in psychology, and the Co-Founder and CEO at Kollab Edtech Inc, a company working to revolutionise the education industry.
Justin E. Bell – a senior double-majoring in Voice Performance and Choral Music Education at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he oversees the public relations and marketing needs of The Denyce Graves Foundation.
Touré Owen – a student at Stanford Business School, studying entrepreneurship and following his passion for creating pathways to economic empowerment in communities of colour and pursuing his barber’s license at the Academy Barber College in San Francisco.
Fafowora’s scholarship came from The Legacy Lab Foundation, a non-profit part of Team One’s Legacy Lab, which invests in leaders and organisations creating a difference in the world. It is supported by The Giving Back Fund, an LA-based non-profit that facilitates charitable giving.
Team One is Publicis Groupe’s media, digital and communications agency. Publicis Groupe is a French multinational advertising and public relations company.
Kimiloluwa said: “It is truly such an honour to be a recipient of the 2021 Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship. The generous support from scholarship sponsors like The Legacy Lab has greatly supported my educational pursuits.
“This generous investment also serves as a powerful motivator to continue pursuing my goals. I am so appreciative of this opportunity and look forward to continuing to build out my legacy so that I can help others do the same.”
Mark Miller, Chief Strategy Officer at Team One and Founder of The Legacy Lab, said: “We are living and working in challenging times where heads of organisations fear making bad decisions. And as a result, some established businesses tend to evolve too slowly.
“In contrast, it is inspiring to hear the voices of these next-generation leaders—working on emerging ideas—to advance culture, business and society. All of the honourees recognised this year have a genuine sense of ambition and optimism for making a long-term, positive impact.”
For more information on The Legacy Lab Foundation Scholarship, click here.
