It has been said that when you choose a job you love - you will never have to work a day in your life. My Other Guidance Counselor was created to assist young people in under served communities choose a career path based on their favorite school subject. The objective is to illustrate various vocations, at multiple degree levels, as well as vocational and military options. Our belief is when one has a career they are passionate about, success and prosperity follows. My Other Guidance Counselor hopes to help students see that there are options for them to lead productive lives.
Why is this geared towards under served communities? Simply because there is a racial wealth divide in the United States. African and Latino Americans earn less than white Americans and face higher unemployment rates. As a result, the rates of home ownership, lack of savings accounts and generational wealth remain lower for families of color.
Even when people of color have a college degree, the median household wealth of African American families is less than the median household wealth of white families with less than a high school education.
Additionally, many students of color don’t see the avenues available to them. This could be for a myriad of reasons, including lack of role models in their families or community, parents and caregivers who lack confidence in providing direction, or pressure to get into illegal activities. Howard University Professor Ivory Toldson, author of No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People, says “there are 1.4 million Black men in college right now, and there are about 840,000 Black men in prison.” This figure represents a significant difference, of 560,000 men, though it’s still depressing that almost a million potential Black doctors, Black educators, Black athletes, Black musicians or Black business owners are behind bars.”
According to the 2020 US Census, population growth is fastest among minorities as a whole, and 50% of the country’s children under the age of 18 belong to an ethnic minority. Youth from these communities need full preparation for a successful future. My Other Guidance Counselor was established to get the conversation started.
Candice Moore
Founder and CEO
