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(L–R) Passion for Action Scholar Zachary Kerr ’17 accepts the Passion for Action Leadership Award on behalf of Born This Way Foundation. Passion for Action
Leadership Award honorees Jessica Posner and Kennedy Odede sign copies of their new book, Find Me Unafraid: Love, Loss, and Hope in an African Slum. Kennedy
Odede and Jessica Posner accept the Passion for Action Leadership Award on behalf of their organization, Shining Hope for Communities.
honoree was Born This Way Foundation,
started by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia
Germanotta. Born This Way Foundation
is committed to supporting the wellness of
young people and empowering them to create
a kinder and braver world. The Foundation
offers many resources to youth, such
as the Bravest Map Ever, created to provide
young people with a safe and accessible tool
to identify local mental health services and
other resources. The Map has more than
2,500 submissions from youth and organizations.
The Born Brave Bus Tour, a mobile
“tailgate” experience, connects youth to the
resources and opportunities they need to
help themselves and others.
Passion for Action Scholar Zachary Kerr
’17, a member of Born This Way Foundation’s
Youth Advisory Board, accepted the
award on behalf of the Foundation. Cynthia
Germanotta sent a video message in which
she thanked both Wheelock College for the
award and Zach for his commitment to the
organization. Zach discovered Born This
Way when, as a young transgender person, he
sought venues to support other transgender
youth. Actively engaged with the Foundation
as a Youth Advisory Board member, he remarked
that the Foundation is committed to
creating safer schools and communities for
all young people. Zach also said, “Born This
Way is committed to learning from, educating,
and empowering all young people, thus
getting at the root cause of so many issues
that plague youth today.”
The second honoree was Shining Hope
for Communities (SHOFCO), founded and
led by Kennedy Odede (who was named
for John F. Kennedy) and his wife, Jessica
Posner. Kennedy was living in Kibera, one of
the largest slums in Kenya, when he started
SHOFCO to empower and give hope to his
community. SHOFCO began with one soccer
ball and grew to include a school for girls,
micro-lending programs, health care, clean
water, sanitation programs, and other educational/recreational
programs.
Kennedy and Jessica have published a
book about their experiences called Find Me
Unafraid: Love, Loss, and Hope in an African
Slum. Each guest was invited to take a copy of
the book at the end of the evening.
Judith Parks Anderson ’62, the chair
of the event, concluded the evening with a
surprise presentation of a special Passion
for Action Leadership Award to President
Jenkins-Scott, as she will be stepping down
as President in June. Three Passion for Action
alumni spoke about the impact that Jackie,
who launched the Passion for Action program,
had on them. It was a very moving way to end
the evening and spoke to the legacy Jackie
Jenkins-Scott will leave at Wheelock College.
President Jackie Jenkins-Scott celebrates her surprise Passion for Action Leadership Award with faculty
member Dr. William “Bill” Thompson and Passion for Action Scholars and Alumni.
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