Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Logan M.Ed.
Hi Cynthia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Liberia, West Africa, but most of my primary years were spent in New York and Maryland with my aunties. I returned to Liberia at age ten. About three years into my stay, the infamous civil war in the nation ensued. In pursuit of safety and survival, we were forced to flee the war zones on foot. We walked for miles over periods of weeks and months from the capital to rural and bordering counties to escape into neighboring countries. During those migration periods, we had to dodge bullets, walk alongside dead bodies, endure tortures, a go without food for extended periods. When we arrived in neighboring countries, we lived in refugee camps and managed with the little we received from the camps.
After about six months of living in the camps, we arrived in the United States, but this time we came to Georgia. I lived with that trauma for at least three years after the experience. The experiences impacted me negatively in many ways. I forgot how to speak like the kids in America, and I also forgot how to read and fully express myself. On top of all of that, we were very poor and could only afford to wear clothes from the thrift stores and church donation closets. My best possession was a pair of pro Wings from payless. By this time, I was 14 years old, and if you know anything about human development, those early teen years children can be very ruthless. At the same time, those are years that belonging to a peer group is also a big DEAL. Well, I became the laughing stock because of my clothes and shoes, my accent, and I was an African booty scratcher. I begin to relive the trauma from the war all over again.
Staying home from school was not an option in my home, so in order to make it through the day, I had to start physically fighting to keep the bullies away…and boy… It was the key to keeping the bullies off. I had peace of mind, but terrible grades because I spent 90% of the school day in ISS (in-school suspension). Needless to say, I didn’t have the credits to graduate. The entire time no one asked me what happened-everyone only knew that I was crazy and quickly assigned me to ISS. During this same time, I was dealing with the crisis of my stepfather and mother’s recent divorce, which led me to take on the role of a responsible adult in our home. I had to work until 2:00 am to help pay for the cost of living.
I had to attend summer school in order to receive a general diploma. A nice and legal way of putting me out to fail. I attempted college and failed at it the first time. I wanted to go off to the military but was discouraged by my boyfriend at the time. Not long after, I was married and had my daughter. During my years of being an outcast, I always knew that there was so much good in me. I just wasn’t sure how to let others see and experience it. The birth of my daughter forced me to make decisions that would give her a better chance at life than I had. Two years later, I gave birth to my son, and I now had two people to be accountable to, and I was not about to let them down.
I did not want my babies to attend public school and have to encounter someone like me, so I worked hard and paid for private schools until they became A Better Chance scholars. I enrolled in college when my daughter was in the fifth grade, I started out with all remedial classes. When I was ready for collegiate coursework, I decided to go into education so that I could give support and encouragement to the little Cynthias that still walked through the school halls.
After graduation, the decision to serve in intercity and low-income communities was unwavering. I taught in many school districts around metro Atlanta and saw many “mini-me.” They were blessed because I made a point to always probe for the root of their issues and to come from a place of love and affirmation to break the hard ground. After teaching for more than a decade, I accepted a position overseas with the Government of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ironically, I was placed in the rural parts of the Emirates near the Syrian Border. I was serving girls who were just like me. They had to leave family and friends in the war-torn nation of Syria and start life over as refugees in Abu Dhabi. Because I had lived through their current circumstances, I didn’t only sympathize but could relate to their trumas and provided the emotional support they needed. We developed relationships and to this day, I’m still in touch with many of them and their parents.
After three years of living abroad, the lord led me back home to Georgia; as I began the return process, I tried to secure a position in the school where I last taught. He told me that I wasn’t going back to the classroom but rather to start a mentoring organization that will serve the young Cynthia-s that still exist in the communities and schools. He gave a blueprint of what I will be doing, the initiatives that the organization will use to address the problems with youth and their families, and the birthplace of the organization. So, here we are, just ending two impactful years (with extremely limited funding) and generous partners and supporters.
We are embarking upon year three with so much optimism because God has expanded the program to serve our participants with a full entrepreneurship curriculum which will allow them to learn everything about starting a business and the business structures that fit their business models. These businesses will also be registered as legal entities with the state of Georgia. Each participant who starts the business will be assigned a business mentor.
Nourishing Hands is a nonprofit organization serving youth ages 14-24 from minority and low-income communities in Georgia.
Our Mission – To deliver relevant resources, opportunities, and experiences for youth through mentoring, empowering them for future success.
What do we do? We develop productive citizens and leaders through a holistic approach to mentoring youth.
How do we do it? We serve our participants through four initiatives: education (college prep), employment (career pathways and paid internships), financial literacy (wealth building and wealth management strategies), and wellness (drug education) programs. Our program utilizes large and small group mentoring sessions, seminars, workshops, professional networking, community service (with policymakers), expert guest speakers, and paid internships to deliver our services. Our sessions are guided by our curriculums and each initiative runs a course for eight weeks.
The small group sessions (1:6 ratio) are an extension of the employment initiative. These small groups are built on career-specific aspirations. Currently, we focus on Art, Legal, Medical, STEM, and vocational (Real Estate and insurance sales).
Our Impact:
We have helped 14 students attain success through the college admission process, with eight of them receiving instant scholarships. Four of our (college participants) received scholarships this summer and one participant who is a rising senior received a scholarship because of a great job during her summer internship.
We have placed 20 participants in paid summer internships with Doctors, Lawyers, Psychologists, Electrical Engineering Companies, Pharmacists, Chambers of Commerce, Branding Agencies, International artists, etc.
We have helped five participants open Roth IRA accounts, 12 open checking and saving accounts, and 2 open their first credit card accounts.
All of our participants have completed our wellness initiative which is provided through a partnership with Foundation for A Drug-Free World. At the end of the initiative, the participants make the pledge to abstain from controlled substance use.
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 ride at all. I can only compare this assignment to what Moses faced when he was sent to lead the Israelites out of Egypt through the red sea. I never had any idea of establishing an organization that will serve a greater cause like this. And definitely didn’t have the knowledge or capital to be successful at this, but who I do have is the Holy Spirit. He tells me to move and speak (many times, I want to question him, but I’ve not), so I do as I am told.
My struggles were starting all of this in the midst of Covid-19. Finding people to believe and commit to the mission and the process involved, recruiting participants, developing the curriculums most especially doing all of this with only my part-time work salary.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I hold a Master in Education-M.Ed, and I am an Amazon best-selling author and trained Behavior Analyst. I am an educator who has taught here in the state of Georgia and internationally, I have over a decade of experience serving both general and special education students. I am a published best-selling author. I currently serve as the Executive Director of Nourishing Hands Inc. In my downtime (whenever it happens), I am a wealth and benefits advisor. I help families and small businesses secure their investments with insurance products that fit their needs.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
For support and collaboration, please reach out to us at info@nourishinghandsinc.org
Individuals can also visit our website at https://www.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nourishinghandsinc.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nourishinghands/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nourishinghandsinc
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HandsNourishing
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqH3zMmspgXnJBM79E8wgEQ
