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-053- Although she originally did not attend Spelman College, Bahee- jah Crumbley has managed to create a name for herself in the Atlanta University Center (AUC). Originally, she attended Monclair State University, but after seeing her friend Ahmad Dent post his accomplishments that came from attending the Morhouse, Crumb- ley decided to create those mo ments for herself by attending. While at Spelman, Crumbley has served as the President of the Economics Club, Vice-President of the Community Foundation for Financial Literacy, a mentor in Spelman Proteges, a mentor in the Big Sister, Little Sister Eco nomics Club Program, and an unofficial mentor to some girls on campus. "I keep meeting alum who I wish I’d known earlier who I wished could’ve held my hand as I’m holding other girls' hand,” Ba- heejah said. “Especially from the Econ Club, I started that Big Sister, Little Sister mentorship program because there’s a gap in the knowledge between the upperclassmen and the under classmen, so I’m really trying to bridge that gap. When I reflect which I do quarterly, I realize that all I want to do is help my young er Spelman sisters, and it’s what I’ve been trying to do.” From all the lessons she’s learned from her mentors, Baheejah has been able to accomplish things such as being accepted into pro grams such as the Black Rock Scholarship program, JP Morgan Launching Leaders Program, and Suntrust Diversity Summit. Even though she has had many suc cesses, she has learned how to “fail successfully” and what do after doing so. “You go out and you try different things. You either get it or you don’t, but you always learn from it. You learn how to do better.” Crumbley said. From applying that philosophy, Crumbley was hired to work for JP Morgan to be a Corporate Client Banker after attending the Exec utive Leadership Council’s sym posium and gala. JP Morgan was at the event to interview some students, but Baheejah wasn’t on the list. However, she didn’t let that stop her. “I knew one of the people who worked there and I told him I wanted to interview.” Baheejah said. “He told me to just go down there and ask to be interviewed. That was really were preparation met opportunity.” Throughout her time at Spelman, Chloe Blackmon has studied Biol ogy with the hopes to go into den tistry afterwards. While at Spel man she has been able to come into herself through the school and other things. "Spelman for me has been an awakening,” Blackmon said. “It forces you to learn about the en vironments that you thrive in, the kind of people that you need to surround yourself with, and the spaces that you do best with, and I think that’s what’s been the most beneficial. Coming into Spelman I had a desire to find something within myself. “I wanted to get things from Spelman, but I also wanted Spel man to help me find things within myself.” Ever since, she started taking yoga classes during her freshman year at Spelmana, Blackmon has been able to “tap into [her] pow er” and take time for herself, but above all it has given her an out let to overcome challenges that may be in her way. “I think probably towards the beginning of my Spelman ex perience I felt something called imposter syndrome - not feeling worthy, not feeling like I deserved to be here, kind of feeling like I was in a race and got left be hind,” Chloe said. “I feel like a lot of people feel that way. One way I was able to overcome that was through my yoga practice, constantly reminding myself that I am strong, constantly reminding myself that I’m worthy and just constantly going inward and step ping into my power.” By overcoming these obstacles, Chloe has been able to make accomplishments that have benefited her holistically such as being interning at Howard’s den tal school, being the president of the Student Health Associates of Peer Educators at Spelman, be ing at lead volunteer for Red Clay Yoga, working at the Wellness Center, being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporat ed ETA Kappa Chapter, and so much more. As a career, Blackmon aspires to be dentist. Her inter est originated from when she got braces during middle school and was fascinated with how they work, but the love for it became deeper. “I want to be a dentist be cause I really love personal con nections,” Chloe said. “Health has always been something that I’m immersed in, but I really love that dentistry gives you the oppor tunity to really connect with your patients. After graduation, I most likely will be going to Georgetown University because they have a master’s in Biophysics program, and it is focused in complemen tary and alternative medicine.” Whether it be playing instruments from a young age, being involved in her schools' arts programs, or listening the music her parents would play, Eboni Ellis has been involved in music. Coming out of Spelman she has more than a creator. She has paved the way and created a space for those that follow the same musical path as her. However, music wasn't initially her pursuit until she got Spel man. “It didn’t really click that I want ed to work in music until I got to Spelman, and I just saw how I was being pushed to do things that were straightforward and cut and clean,” Ellis said. “And I didn't want to do that.” By going against the grain, she was led to create the Spelman College Women in Hip-Hop Col lective. After working for a record label, Ellis found that people were looking for people from “HBCU’s and urban communities" to work in the music industry. While this organization was the legacy that she wanted to leave behind at Spelman, it wasn’t about her. “It’s just about making sure that other Spelman students and other AUC [Atlanta University Center] students in general have the support that other major and other fields do,” Eboni said. “My goal was to make sure that peo ple know there are students that want to work, are ready to work, and that can work. None of it is even about me, I’m always think ing about other people and put ting people in the position to win by their terms.” Being a servant leader is some thing that Ellis isn’t a stranger to because aside from assisting students in the AUC she has also dedicated her time to working with the community. “I’m on staff at Hip-Hop Gives Back,” Ellis said. “My favorite ac tivity every Black History Month there’s a little run around the historic Sweet Auburn neighbor hood, so it’s like a Black History Month tour. Through Women in Hip-Hop Collective, communi ty service is a big component, so right now we go to Kipp Col legiate Academy High School and we mentor students in their sound production class. “Recently I just threw a confer ence at Spelman for women in film and technology, and we invit ed a lot of high school students to open their eyes between the two.” After working with the president of Spelman College, the D.C. Jazz Festival, Twelve Studios, and Zaytoven, Eboni plans to take her skills to work with Universal Stu dios. The love that Janna Perry had for her school encouraged her to make the institution better than what it was and give people a sense of belonging by running for Ms. Spelman with her platform being L.A.W. (Loving, Affirming, Winning) to “put some positive energy and some light” into her Spelman sisters and Morehouse Brothers. Along that journey, she was met with diversity, but there is only way that she could de scribe the year she’s had trying to fulfill that dream. "If I could describe my year in one word, I would say it was a testimony," Janna said. "I would call it a testimony because I definitely went through a lot of Air Ilia (lie fief 3flC felt alw anc her my sup f me so tliii for my her ma §01 bee fee Id jud iPei liai ■the liar I mi Co I wh K« ■ mi |W< Ifu I let h |C( WOMEN OF THE YEAR