Today we’d like to introduce you to Kesha Knighten Hughes.
Hi Kesha, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From childhood, I have always been the coordinator. Full of ideas and solutions on how we can produce our ideas. As far as I can remember (contrary to my mother telling me I was shy), I always recall being a leader. I wasn’t just interested in my ideas, but I really wanted to make sure everyone was heard, and I knew if I was in charge, that would be more likely. So I was always advocating for someone else. Fast forward to my life as a wife and mother. Being involved in my children’s educational and developmental process was a high priority for me. I was present and assisting with all the activities that we must rally for in public education so that kids get a well-rounded experience. Seeing how children really respond to enrichment vs. classroom metrics was eye-opening.
I became a leader in developing the Black History Program at two elementary schools and they were epic! It opened my eyes wider to what I already knew was true, but it was something to see in “real time”; kids learn through experience. I saw how excited students were to be a part of something. No child felt that it wasn’t for them, and they walked away with impactful experiences, breaking out of shells, finding peace through art, stepping into leadership, facing fears, and simply having fun while learning. I said in my brain “God Bless the classroom teacher, thats not for me, but I can rock it with enrichment” It would take me four years to apply that superpower to create enrichment opportunities and develop Grace and Wisdom Institute.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not been smooth, but the pandemic brought me the gift of time. Time is priceless so it’s a currency more valuable than money, so I used this resource to go hard and get the wheel moving.
The biggest obstacle is always getting people to actually take the first plunge. All the likes and follows in the world do no good if people don’t participate. Marketing is a huge part of any new venture, the lack of a marketing budget cripples your ability to reach as many as you need to grow faster. I am so grateful for this Voyage LA opportunity!
2020 also dealt so much to all families in our communities that trying to navigate all the shifts in our normal day to day took priority for most households. Enrichment (although even more pressing of a need during this time for teens) if not really organized by a parent, isn’t popular to pursue.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Grace and Wisdom Institute?
The Grace and Wisdom Institute is a nonprofit organization established to serve teens. We are a Life Skills Development Program for teen girls and we provide community service opportunities for all teens to become involved in volunteering.
Enrichment focus on social-emotional development is our specialty. We specialize in providing teens a safe space to learn about themselves and develop skills that are not taught in school. Our vision is to guide our future leaders in understanding the importance of live connectivity, the significance of their personal contributions and the significance of the lack of their contributions.
We are proud that our students feel eager to absorb what we have for them. They don’t feel like they are “in school” but they know they are going to learn a lot.
I want to express the importance of adolescent attention. Teens are not adults, their brains aren’t fully developed until around 24 years old. We have a tendency to reduce a huge amount of investment into their social-emotional development, it’s evident in what you cannot find when you want to enroll your teenager in a program besides athletics. We can’t leave them to drift without insulating them in communities where they can further expand and grow independently while simultaneously be guided in strengthening healthy relationship building, coping skills, anger management, healthy eating, social graces, etc.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I read a lot of articles and have a ton of apps. My bible app is the most consistent daily app used besides my emails and Instagram. I really like 20 min Yoga Download podcast and The Mindful Minute Meditation Podcast series. They are to the point, you’ll get into a great yoga session or guided meditation without the fluff. I need to get back to it, when the pandemic began I was more consistent, and it helped my mental stability.
I’ve gained so much from finding so many orgs on Instagram with missions that are aligned and finding leaders, directors, artists, and movements that help to bring awareness to so many facets of the human experience. That has helped me to stay grounded in staying my lane and my focus on cultivating the future leaders and heads of households, who will impact another generation mostly by the example they lead. I can be more confident that service through this Institute is my personal contribution to the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.graceandwisdominstitute.org
- Instagram: @graceandwisdominstitute
- Facebook: @graceandwisdominstitute
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtv3juw8WMqg2I7FHkqHEVw
