When siblings Sophonie and Godson Blaise arrived in Brooklyn in the winter of 2010, the move from Jacmel, Haiti, to New York City was abrupt and...
Alumni Articles
From Scholar to Board Member: Stephanie Gonzalez’s Story
When Stephanie Gonzalez was twelve, she was already taking on more than most kids her age.“I told them I wanted to go to a private high school. One...
Medan Mamo’s Path to College and Career
When Medan Mamo was just a few months old, his parents left Ethiopia and brought him to the United States on a diversity immigrant visa.“It was the...
“Do It Scared”: Alejandra Aquino on Overcoming Fear and Making the Most of It
When Alejandra Aquino looks back at her childhood, she remembers survival. Born in Guatemala City, she came to the United States at just two years...
From Katrina’s Shadow to Conserving Louisiana’s Waters: Holly and Glenn Fraychineaud’s Story
When Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in 2005, the Fraychineaud family was scattered like so many others.“I realized recently that I’ve...
20 Years After Katrina: Stories of Survival and Strength
Image of the aftermath of Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29, 2005. The Hope Ignites New Orleans home was affected...
Silicon Valley Immersion STEAM + Business Camp 2025
Hope Ignites scholars visiting the Intel Headquarters and Intel Museum in Santa Clara, California.The very first Hope Ignites Silicon Valley...
Soaring Higher: Brooke Slaughter Looks to the Skies
L to R: Matt Gonzales (Program Director) Amy Strickland (Senior Academy Program Manager & Curriculum Coordinator), Brooke Slaughter, and Mary...
Greg Scruggs on How To Tackle Adversity
Greg Scruggs with Kevaun and Keshaun, twins and scholars at Hope Ignites New Orleans, outside the Caesars Superdome, after a San Francisco 49ers...
2025 Excellence Awards Winners
The 2025 Excellence Awards honored the people and institutions that support Hope Ignites' mission.The seventh annual awards dinner was held at the...
Paying It Forward: Larry Phillips’ Legacy of Hope Through Mentorship and Leadership
Larry Phillips, 34, grew up with his parents and older brother in Cabrini-Green, on the north side of Chicago."I always saw myself as a good...
In the Valley of the Sun, Hope Shines Bright: Becky Molina’s Journey
Becky Molina, an alum of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona, never imagined her college career would include studying abroad, spending summers in...