Meet Our Scholars

Monique's mantra is, "I'm rooting for everybody Black who doesn't serve US imperialist interests." There is no doubt that she is a product of her ancestors, a product of her mother, father, and sister. She believes that her purpose on this planet is to realize and build upon the dreams that were sacrificed to get her to this point. It was her father, who studied fashion in California, and her mother, who studied business in Louisiana, who always stressed the importance of education--no matter how formal. Their decision to drop out allowed them to raise her and her sister, and she still considers them some of the brightest people she knows. Monique is a non-traditional student from Louisiana with a background in fashion. Due to her own experience of sexual assault and abandonment by her school in 2014, she became disillusioned with the educational system. Healing her wounds (which has been a journey) has rekindled her love for learning, community, and creativity. Monique will obtain an associate’s degree in Social and Behavioral Science from Santa Monica College in Spring 2023 and is currently interning for Voix Noire— a non profit based out of NYC that provides mutual aid to Black femmes and marginalized genders.