Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikita Dennis.
Hi Nikita, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Nikita Dennis and I am the founder of Confident on Purpose which is a nonprofit I created in my dorm room in 2019, while attending Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. Confident on Purpose is a safe place encouraging women to be who you are, love your differences, and have confidence. This campaign advocates for women with disabilities, raising awareness and funding through our platform. I am a news reporter who is visually impaired, so I felt all women with disabilities voices should be heard to let people know our differences make us unique. A lot of our funding and sponsorship comes from many area across the states, including Alabama and Georgia.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. When I decided to become an entrepreneur and spread awareness for women with disabilities, I felt like no one understood or still does not understand my mission because it’s not the most trending thing that most people want to hear about. I am currently a news reporter, so thankful I have a platform to use to shed light on something I feel is important. My hope is to raise enough funding to give to many children and women who are currently struggling with a disability, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. And also teaching women how to be confident in their everyday life, because sometimes our disabilities can affect the way we take on life’s challenges.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am 23 years old, I recently graduated from Alabama State University and moved to Jackson, Tennessee to pursue my dreams as a news reporter. I was born with third nerve palsy and I have what most people call a “lazy eye” that is more severe than the average person with a lazy eye if you were to see me in person. My lazy eye is the reason I decided to create Confident on Purpose because I simply always struggled with being confident in myself. Having a career where I am on TV 24/7 and being visually impaired can have its challenges as well. But I am blessed to say I have gained enough confidence to help the next person. I am not your average entrepreneur. I plan to expand my entrepreneurship to where people understand the importance of the social impact I am shedding light upon, with that being said, I am a social entrepreneur who is bridging the gap between the average person and a person with a disability.
How do you think about happiness?
Having a self-care day makes me happy. With my platform, I always encourage my mentors to love themselves. You have to love yourself before you can take on a career, love someone else, etc. So self-care is important in many ways, whether it’s pampering yourself or reading a book.
Contact Info:
- Email: confidentonpurpose@gmail.com
- Website: https://teespring.com/stores/confident-on-purpose-2
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/confidentonpurpose_?igshid=1tkd9eaf7bccu
Image Credits
Nikita G. Dennis
