By Shirley Hawkins
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — Actress Dawnn Lewis has been keeping busy these days.
Many remember her as Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor, who attended fictional Hillman College on the popular sitcom “A Different World,” that ran for six seasons on NBC starting in 1987.
Today, Lewis is on a mission to empower thousands of high school and college students as founder and CEO of the nonprofit A New Day Foundation. The foundation introduces students to career opportunities, financial literacy and technology classes, networking sessions and scholarship opportunities.
On June 15, Lewis held her seventh annual scholarship conference at USC. Students were awarded scholarships ranging from $250 to $2,000 and received new laptop computers donated by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Scholarship and achievement award recipients included high school juniors who received the Rashida Jones Achievement Award of $250 that was sponsored by MSNBC President Rashida Jones.
Students who received the Jones award were Gerald Hawkins, Kaitlyn Carnes and Lizbeth Huazo.
Sponsors and supporters Noel Massie and Aubrey Stephenson awarded $2,000 scholarships to students Chaz Austin, Emmanuel Ogunleye, Jayla Walker, Jordan Hoegban. Kimana Harris, Niallana Greer, Nyla Taylor, Raymond Gravely, Zion Otano and Taniah Orr.
The students were treated to a free lunch and also were given backpacks, T-shirts, study materials and workbooks.
Lewis said she is grateful to scholarship sponsors Noel Massie, Rashida Jones and Aubrey A. Stephenson for providing scholarship funds.
“We started this organization because of my passion for inspiring and empowering young people and making sure that they had access to tools and opportunities that they may not have been aware of, because that’s what changed my life,” Lewis said.
She added that growing up with a community of mentors made all the difference as she pursued her dreams in the entertainment industry.
“The people that were in my village growing up made sure that I was exposed and informed about different options, different realities in the world and life inside and outside my community and it encouraged me to just have a broader outlook on life,” she added.
Scholarship recipient Niallana Greer, 18, who will be attending Cal State Northridge in the fall, praised the New Day Foundation for supporting underserved students each year.
“This is my third year coming to the conference and every year I learn something new,” she said. “I really enjoyed the architecture and planning workshop.”
She called the conference very educational very empowering.
“It was nice to have people of color sharing their thoughts and differences,” said 18-year-old Jayla
Walker of Millikan High School.
Lewis, who started singing at age 4, dancing at 7 and acting at 11, is still involved in show business. Among her many accolades, the award-winning actress, producer, director, motivational speaker, business owner, activist and mentor is recognized for providing voice overs for animated characters in dozens of movies and television shows.
Lewis gave sage words of advice to the students.
“Stay focused and make the most of it because, if you don’t build your dreams, someone else will hire you to build theirs,” she said.
Shirley Hawkins is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers. She can be reached at metropressnews@gmail.com.
