What is Motivate & Empower?
By Ellice Ellis ‘20
There are many ways students can get involved on campus, but have you heard of Motivate & Empower (M&E)?
If you want to gain a sense of social responsiveness, inspire change, and help to empower local communities, this group is for you.
The Motivate & Empower non-profit organization was created by former USC undergraduate Maya Carter-Gressel. The group serves a support network for students committed to creating sustainable change.
In an interview with USC’s Daily Trojan publication, Carter said she created the club because “there was no medium for an evolution of diverse thought” on campus. She believed that “complex issues like the social issues we see today can’t be solved by one way of thinking.”
The group aims to address that sentiment through a three-part framework: Think.Impact.Change.
Photo by M&E
M&E’s model addresses the impact potential of college students through socio-cultural discussions (THINK) and challenges them to unite with their community both on and off campus and use their talents to solve communal problems (IMPACT & CHANGE).
I joined the club in the spring semester of my freshman year after attending one of their THINK conversations on race and identity. It was one of the few times on campus I found myself engaged in fruitful conversation with students ready to make a change.
From my personal experience, THINK conversations can be uncomfortable, awkward, and very personal. But I’ve found that is the best way to get to the meat of many social issues affecting our communities today.
The latest THINK convo the group hosted was focused on gender roles and norms in society. The event pulled graduate and undergraduate of all genders, races, ages, and backgrounds to discuss inequities between men and women, non-binary identities, gender in relation to race and religion and more.
Transfer student Kenya Morrison who assisted in leading the group’s THINK CONVO told me, “M&E is very important to me because giving back is ultimately what I want to do in my career.” Kenya would like to start her own non-profit and says the group gave her the power to “give back to underrepresented communities and make a change with great people by (her) side.”
Photo by M&E
Fast forward to today, I am now the Co-Director of Marketing for the group and I can say it has been one of the best aspects of my college experience.
Photo by M&E of the groups Core Leadership
M&E has provided me with an opportunity to engage with the South LA community and to network with student leaders on campus.
The group has partnered with LA Kitchen, 75th Street Elementary School, TechPrep by Facebook, and many other organizations.
This semester the group has been focused on their bi-weekly Motivate & Empower Hour. On Fridays, members of the group’s Impact teams, their core leadership and other general members head to 75th Street Elementary School to engage with 4th and 5th graders and teach them about current social issues. The students enjoyed learning about Sonia Sotomayor, Colin Kaepernick, and many other activists and leaders.
Photo of 75th Street Elementary students by Ellice Ellis
Freshman Erica Johnson who serves on the group’s Core leadership board and facilitates the Motivate & Empower Hours told me her involvement with M&E gives her purpose. “I’m afforded the beautiful opportunity to uplift and encourage children to be excited about their futures. It’s honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had my freshman year.”
Planning events is not the only way to get involved with M&E. Interested members can sign up to join their impact teams by visiting http://www.motivateandempower.org/impact/ or emailing pr@motivateandempower.org to join the group’s core leadership.
Former member, Creative Director and Co-Founder, Alexis Cotton spearheaded the aesthetic of the group’s logo, website and more. “Working as M&E’s creative director helped me realize that I am happiest and most passionate about design when I use it for social good. Now, as recent alumni, I am motivated to continue to align my talents with social impact projects.”
In my time involved in M&E, I have channeled my love for social media and communications to help promote group events, recruit members, assist in planning events, and create some cool swag for members.
If you’re not sold on joining M&E here is a quote from current COO and Board Liaison, Kareema Suleiman to get you inspired: “Motivate & Empower has truly shaped my college experience by allowing me to make meaningful connections with my peers on the Core Leadership team–who have become family– and the surrounding South Los Angeles community. I have also been able to develop my leadership potential, and translate the skills I have learned in M&E to internship positions.”
M&E isn’t just weekly meetings or social media campaigns. It is real, impactful change. It’s seeing a fellow student come to a realization about gender roles, it’s seeing a student at 75th Street Elementary get excited about Sojourner Truth or the possibility of going to college. I love the powerful feeling at the end of our Sunday-evening meetings, knowing we have a great event in the works or that our past programming was successful.
For all those looking to jumpstart their hunger to make a change in their communities, I suggest visiting our M&M’s website and checking out these quotes below from students involved.
“The past year on M&E Core Leadership has helped me grow both personally and academically. Setting and adhering to deadlines has helped me develop my time management skills, and maintaining partnerships has helped me build upon my communication skills. Not only has this helped me in my academic life, but it has made me a more competitive applicant for future internships.” –Alexa Weidenfeld, leadership team spring 2017
“Serving on Motivate & Empower’s Core Leadership team has been a major learning experience. I’ve learned so much about bringing the vision’s of others to life and helping somebody realize their dreams always has an incredible personal payoff.” –Sydney Coleman, leadership team spring 2017
“Motivate & Empower has equipped me with the physical, mental, and emotional tools necessary to create an impact and influence my immediate community. Having already committed my life to greater service for women and children in society, the Core Leadership only pushed me further to see how far I was willing to employ this dedication to progress!” –Mwiza Rudasingwa, general member
Since my time with Motivate and Empower, I have grown in many ways. Not only is the work the organization does both innovative and clear contributions to the community around us, but the people who compose the organization only enhance the experience that much more. Motivate & Empower has helped me utilize my own passions while simultaneously helping people find theirs. –Saphia Jackson, general member
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