Accelerate Access Nyah Project

Nyla Seymour, 2019 Nyah Fellow and computer engineering major at the University of Central Florida, sits down with Leigh-Ann to discuss representation in STEM, emotional agility and becoming a “soft” leader, and what (and who) has helped unlock her own potential. Also learn why she values opportunities for cross-cultural connection, why she wants to open her own restaurant, and more!

"It was really important for me to show up for myself in that way within the world, because I know that that's what I would want someone else to do if I were looking up to them and it's still hard. But anything that has great reward has great sacrifice." - Nyla Seymour

They also discuss:


The four ways she wishes to present herself the world


The five things she would immediately do if she wasn’t afraid


What her own podcast would be about


Her thoughts on travel and digital nomadism


Being the “golden child” in a single parent Caribbean household


Shifting career goals


Why she applied for Nyah Project twice and how she prepared 


Her Nyah Project Fellowship to Bali, Indonesia


The importance of understanding your personal leadership style


Honest, truthful, and authentic ways of giving back 

Miles Mariano-Ortilla, 2019 Nyah Fellow, youth activist, and head coordinator of the TAP Scholarship Fund, sits down with Leigh-Ann all the way from Ritsumeikan University in Japan. They discuss why he struggles with the label “Filipino-American,” his concept of home as a self-proclaimed wanderer, and why he’s passionate about education access for all. Also find out how his Nyah Project experience inspired him to create a scholarship program in the Philippines, and more!

"It's one of my principles that education is a human right, and that everyone deserves a fair and equal education, not only in the US or in the Philippines, but everywhere in the world." - Miles Mariano-Ortilla

They discuss:


Importance of service to youth


Being on a joint-degree program between Ritsumeikan University in Japan and American University in Washington, D.C. 


Navigating different cultural identities as both Filipino and American, in Miami and beyond


His love for spontaneity and adventure to experience new places


Leadership identity and how he prefers to lead from the back


The influences of his Nyah Project fellowship to Bali, Indonesia, and visits to Stella’s Child, which inspired him to establish his own scholarship program in the Philippines


Navigating the college application process as a first generation college student in the U.S., and the support he received through Nyah Project’s Access Coaching, especially with interviews and crafting his resume 


His admiration for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a trailblazer in social activism and pacifism 


Grassroots activism and local community impact 

Jaida Houston, 2019 Nyah Fellow and soon-to-be graduate of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, sits down with Leigh-Ann to discuss life from Overtown to “Black Hollywood”, how she got interested in urban planning and development, and the need for community and a sense of belonging. Also find out more about Jaida’s journey to success at an HBCU, her take on the affordable housing crisis, and more!

They also discuss:


Her 3 biggest regrets


The importance of being in a room where you’re well-represented


The ties between kindness and vulnerability


Why she had a broken spirit as a child despite having a great mother


How her mother’s relationship with a man named Theodore exposed her to living in a house, new experiences and a more cultured lifestyle


The history and current situation in Overtown, a historically black community in Miami known as the Harlem of the South, where Jaida grew up


How the opportunity to travel, especially a homestay in Germany and to Indonesia with Nyah Project, became major turning points in her life


The influence of teachers and mentors, especially from the Overtown Youth Center, on her life


How to deal with rejection 


The strong sense of community and belongingness that she would with the Nyah Project


The importance of authenticity and persistence in achieving one’s goals



hen your life is already set up how someone believes it to be, you have to be your own guardian angel and say, 'Okay, well, I'm not doing it. I'm gonna make my own path.'" - Jaida Houston

Dewayne Martin, 2017 Nyah Fellow and soon-to-be graduate of Hamilton College in New York, is a storyteller, organizer, and so much more. The youngest Nyah Fellow ever selected at 14, Dewayne sits down with Leigh-Ann to dive deep into his personal definition of freedom, the connection between his philosophical and emotional journey, and the importance of unlocking opportunities and individual narratives. Also find out Dewayne’s childhood dream and how he’s helping those around him figure out, “What do we want for this life?”

They also discuss:


The value proposition of an individual's ability to contribute
Walking as a form of meditation
Translating feelings of freedom into action
Growing up in a single mother, queer matriarchal household and reconciling his relationship with an absent father
Overcoming speech impediments and racial slurs in school
“Being a 2020 Graduate Baby” and lost rites of passage due to COVID-19
Existential life questions 
The importance of personal reconciliation and its broader societal implications
Human factor leadership as an economics concept
The disruptive nature of Nyah Project and its influence on his understanding of purpose, ability to identify and obtain resources, and his opportunities to travel to three countries
The potential of unlocked opportunities in Miami and the need for local residents to benefit from and contribute to the city’s future

“I think that when you are in precarious situations, you have no choice but to ask critical questions about your life." - Dewayne Martin

Angelica “Angie” Gonzalez, a 2016 Nyah Fellow pursuing her master’s degree at John Hopkins University, sits down with Leigh-Ann to discuss prioritizing personal needs over familial expectations and obligations, imposter syndrome as the gifted scholarship student at her high school, and how her Nyah Project Fellowship to Ghana sparked her passion for environmental justice. Also find out why she emphasizes open-mindedness and conversation to develop solutions, how she’s getting over being intimidated by meeting new people, plus more!

“I thought open-mindedness meant more fear for me because it meant change, but I've become a more adaptable person with time. [C]hange can happen, but there's such a thing as positive change, which is good for not only me, but for other people.” - Angelica “Angie” Gonzalez



They discuss:


Being a paralegal in Washington, D.C. area


How people coming together during the pandemic helped restore her faith in humanity 


Moving from Miami to Syracuse, NY, for independence, seasons, and better alignment with her future goals


How exposure and opportunities through organizations like Nyah Project played a big part in shaping who she is today and her college access journey


Evaluating self-worth based on achievements or busyness 


Her transformative Nyah Project experience, from meeting the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson, to visiting waterfalls and exploring the local market 


Why leaders should always be willing to learn 


The power of mentorship from Lanessa Owens-Chaplin and others to help develop her career roadmap


The affordable housing crisis and climate gentrification


The need for more equitable representation in policy, and more!

David Barbier, Jr., 2018 Nyah Fellow, 2019 Peer Facilitator, and Syracuse University graduate, sits down with Leigh-Ann for an emotional conversation to answer the question “who am I when no one is around?” and discuss the power of love. Also, find out why he considers himself both a dreamer and a doer, how he’s building his personal board of directors, and more!



“I wish kids growing up knew what love felt like. As I learned to love other people, I've become aware that I was loved growing up, which is why I have the capacity to show love. I wish people felt love.” - David Barbier, Jr.



They also discuss:


His superpowers of imagination and connection


The importance of quality time and understanding how you want + need to be loved 


Navigating his parents’ divorce and spending a lot of time alone 


His identity evolution, tossing out hypermasculinity, and embracing emotions


His Nyah Project experiences, including embarrassing moments in Ghana, visiting a slave castle as a person with African ancestry, and mentorship


His personal definitions of freedom and leadership


Having positive role models, especially when transitioning to the professional world


His admiration of and positive relationship with his father


The need for kids to feel love and have opportunities that expand their worldview