Hi Aklesso, tell us where you’re from and how you serve with the Hope for Miami team.
"Hi My name is Aklesso Agama and I am a part of the Project U-Turn team, as a full-time Health Educator. We get the privilege to teach students about making healthy choices, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and about Healthy relationships."
May is Haitian American Heritage Month. How do you think your background has shaped the person you are today?
"Being a Haitian-American has taught me how to be hard working. Growing up in a Haitian household we are taught at a young age on the importance of striving for excellence. Caring for those who are vulnerable is something that was instilled in me as well, which goes hand and hand with the mission of Hope for Miami, especially in the communities that we serve."
Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?
"We have many traditions, but the one that sticks out to me most is during birthdays while we sing Happy Birthday, we sing a special song that turns into an all-out dance party. It sticks out to me the most because life is a gift, and tomorrow is never promised. That is why it is so important to treasure your family members while they are still here."
Great! Now, how do you think your skills, knowledge, and interest equip you to do your tasks?
"My culture allows me to really engage with students. In Miami there is a large Haitian community, and I am able to relate to what it is like being Haitian-American. As far as skill sets go, I’ve been trained to properly articulate the lessons and my personality and life experience allows me to present the material in a fun way where the students do not feel like they are in a lecture but are having an open forum discussion while being challenged to make healthier decisions."
Finally, tell us something interesting or fun that will help us get to know you better.
"Something interesting about me is I love to be creative. Whether it’s doing music, helping others in their entrepreneurial quests, I love to be creative in everything I do."
Thanks, Aklesso. So glad you're part of our team!