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What if the people you meet on a fifth-grade playground become the anchor that carries you through college, career, and real life? We sit down with two Detroit best friends whose paths led to Wilberforce University, where “WU-Fam” isn’t a slogan—it’s a safety net. From FAFSA missteps to a turbulent roommate semester, they share how learning to set boundaries, ask for help, and stand on their own turned a friendship into a lifelong support system.

Their stories pull you straight into HBCU culture: rigorous classes, professors who push you to win, and alumni who show up when it matters. An accounting professor’s simple rule for business events becomes career gold. A biology advisor’s empathy after a health scare turns panic into a plan. The message is clear: mentorship plus high standards builds graduates who are steady under pressure. We also get candid about college finances—aid gaps, textbooks, laundry, and off-campus housing—and how comparing scholarship stats, distance from home, and family resources can lead to smarter decisions that you can sustain.

You’ll hear how one balanced jobs, grief, and classes while the other found voice and leadership through campus life and sisterhood in Zeta Phi Beta. Both now thrive in healthcare and medical devices, crediting Wilberforce for the grit, judgment, and community that shaped their careers. If you’re choosing a college—or guiding someone who is—this conversation offers practical tools: focus on fit, build a support system, and commit to finishing. Life will life, but resilience, faith, and the right village can carry you the distance.

If this resonated, share it with a student or parent who needs real talk on HBCUs, college fit, and finishing strong. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what lesson got you through school?

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Some stories don’t unfold—they accelerate. From the buzz of Wilberforce’s music halls to the bright lights of 550 Madison Avenue, we trace how a sister’s blueprint, a fearless ask, and the quiet grind of craft turned campus life into a creative career. Our guest, Shava—songwriter, artist, producer, and proud Flint native—opens up about the unique alchemy of HBCU culture: choir discipline that builds stamina, student media that hones voice, and professors who raise the bar until excellence feels normal.

We walk through the moments that matter. Gospel Choir gave room to improvise; University Choir demanded precision and presence. That mix of freedom and rigor prepared her to seize opportunity when Sony’s HR leader stepped on campus. With support from the co‑op program, she landed in New York, learned the language of catalogs, copyright, and trademarks, and saw how legacy marketing protects and amplifies artists. Back home, she poured those lessons into education—mic’ing up students, producing stories, and turning classrooms into studios where young voices learn to lead.

The creative arc continues with “Through Me,” a faith-rooted project that carries both testimony and technique. She also shares the evolution of She Hope Publishing, an intentional shift toward optimism, ownership, and legal clarity for independent creators. If you’re hungry for practical steps—how to pitch internships, protect your work, balance service with studio time—this conversation delivers strategies you can use today. And if you needed a push, here it is: exhaust every possibility, because time moves whether you act or not.

If this story sparked something in you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs momentum, and leave a review with one step you’ll take this week. Your voice helps others find the show—and your action might start your next chapter.

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Two best friends pick up the thread right where campus left it. We rewind to Wilberforce University—move-in day, the union, freshman choir—and unpack how a demanding director, tight-knit classmates, and steady mentors forged habits that still carry us. The memories are hilarious and human (yes, there was a snowball ambush), but the takeaway is serious: community and standards can change the trajectory of a life.

Jami shares how a professional singing career evolved into producing films and series for Lifetime, BET+, TV One, Amazon Prime, and Tubi. She breaks down what producing actually means—location scouting, creative judgment, schedule wrangling, and protecting story truth. We spotlight the Miss Cleo biopic and why it reframes a '90s punchline with context and compassion. We also tease fresh releases, including a revealing Turkey Leg Hut documentary, plus a Tubi Original, The Caregiver, with a sequel on the way. If you’ve ever wondered how an HBCU foundation translates into a Hollywood workflow, this conversation connects the dots.

We bring it home with service and celebration: HBCU Night at the Wonder Chamber toy drive, ways to donate if you can’t attend, and the HBCU Community Awards and Gala, where Jamie will receive an Icon Award for her impact. Our message to students and emerging creators is simple and firm—finish what you start, keep your circle strong, and let your craft meet a higher standard. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with your favorite HBCU memory or mentor shout-out. Your story might be the nudge someone else needs.

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