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ESTEEMWE CREATES COMMUNITY 

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  • WHO WE ARE
    In 2010, Shecara Vardiman, working as an Independent Business Development and Marketing Specialist (former ambassador for Worldwide Brands) volunteered for Dress For Success in Washington D.C. After serving in the organization for seven years in now three states she was chosen as the Washington D.C. delegate for their annual Success Summit and sent on an all-expenses paid weekend conference where she herself was exposed to high level executives and professionals from all over the country. And this is where she heard Connie L Lindsay (Exec VP. Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity & Inclusion for Northern Trust, Chicago and then President of Girl Scouts of America) for the first time speak. She said, “that young people are waiting on someone, who don't believe that anyone is coming. And, it is up to us, those of us who have made it to go back return, pour things in, and challenge others to pay it forward.” Shecara says she recalls her words hitting her belly like a light that day. And, these are the same words that became the charge for the organization that would help shape Esteem We. And, she has been running with those words ever since. As an urban youth, born to a teenage mother and raised in her grandmother’s home in part by whom she affectionately calls “the village” Shecara was able to identify the critical needs of our youth yearning for a sense of community, identity, guidance, mentorship and the critical information and education enhancement by providing much needed life skills training, education and information referral and resources. After discord arose between the board of the local affiliate and Shecara in regards to the type of program that she was to spearhead for urban youth as her community service project she was sent back to create after the success summit. Shecara began to recruit professionals from the community and entrepreneurs from her own network who also in turn had the skills that a youth could ask about a profession, potential college, and could help to bridge this gap. Next, she created the D.C. Professional Community Action Group and adopted two schools in Washington DC: McKinley Tech High School for the girls and H.D. Woodson High School for the boys; where she hosted Esteem We’s first community youth day and created a healthy snacks initiative and after school connect programming for the schools.
  • OUR CHARGE
    "Our youth are waiting on someone...who don't believe that anyone is coming. It's up to us...those of us who have "made it" to return, pour things in and charge others to pay it forward!" - Connie L. Lindsey, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Diversity & Inclusion- Northern Trust, Chicago WE are coming together to Connect, Serve and Transform Lives in urban and underserved cities across the U.S. SHOWING UP for our youth!
  • WHAT WE DO
    Esteem We Inc is a national not-for-profit 501c3 organization that provides much needed life skills training, education, information referral, leadership and workforce development for our youth ages 13-19 to achieve economic, educational and social change by providing access, connection and exposure to a network of support, professional mentors (access to their knowledge for our youth’s futures), development tools and training to help enhance our youth educational experience in order to thrive in society and in life. Since starting in 2011, Esteem We City Possible has expanded to four regions five cities across the U.S. connecting hundreds of professionals to serve thousands of our youth to help transform their lives, families and communities. Find your City Possible affiliate here and discover how you can donate your talent, increase, and utilize your skills, support the organization financially, get involved as a volunteer or help in other ways. If we are not operating in your community yet and you’re interested in Changing the Conversation to Possible in your area, learn how to start an Esteem We City Possible affiliate in your city!
  • OUR MISSION & VISION STATEMENT
    MISSION STATEMENT Esteem We Inc is a non profit that connects, serves and develop at risk youth by providing professional resources, financial literacy, occupational skills training, life skills training, education and information referral to youth ages 11-19 and their families in urban and underserved communities. VISION STATEMENT Giving back, by Going Back. We believe by bringing professional role models from their communities back to their communities. together we can empower, inspire purpose, influence, and create opportunities for youth to strengthen their understanding of professional knowledge. Connect, Serve and Transform Lives in urban and underserved cities and communities across the U.S. Esteem We is excited to help change the conversation of the local community, local business professionals, and local entrepreneurs in urban and underserved communities to POSSIBLE. Our vision is to become a premiere source of access, connection and exposure to local resources for our youth ages 13-19 and their families in local communities. Esteem We City Possible is coming to a city & neighborhood near you. Together WE are Putting Community First. Together We Are Better!
WHO WE ARE
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