Mahogany started at the A. Worley Brown Boys & Girls Club when she was 9 years old after her family moved to Gwinnett County. Her mother is friends with former Club Director, Ms. Nkeschia Brundige-Clark, and insisted Mahogany start coming to the Club, so she did!
It was a fun place where she loved hanging out with her friends and always felt welcome by the amazing staff. It was during her time in middle school that she developed a special bond with former Teen Director, Mr. Anthony Gates, who reinforced in her to never give up and that she could be the best version of herself if she just tried. Staff at the Club helped Mahogany improve her grades, was a shoulder to lean on, and acted as a safe haven when he had issues at home.
She immersed herself in the programming at the Club like Keystone, a community service and leadership club for high school students, and Torch Club, a community service and leadership club for middle school students.
She volunteered at the Atlanta Humane Society with the animals and assisted kids at Sheltering Arms pre-school. These experiences helped Mahogany discover how much she enjoyed caring for others.
When Mahogany was 11 years old, she spent a few weeks with her aunt, who is an OBGYN and owns her a practice in Alabama. Her Aunt allowed her to work in the clinic, perform an ultrasound, and learn the ropes. It was during this trip, her passion for healthcare evolved.
She stopped attending the Club for a few years, but continued her journey with BGCMA in her junior year of high school at the James T. Anderson Boys & Girls Club. The staff welcomed her like she was already a member of the family and so her journey continued. Over the past year and a half her involvement with Keystone, the Princeton Review, Career Bound, and Fan U have truly opened her eyes and made her focus on her future. She hopes to attend Mercer University and become an OBGYN.
Mahogany is over the moon to be the 2018 Anderson Youth of the Year. She appreciates the confidence and trust that the staff has entrusted in her and all the opportunities that the organization has provided for her. Mahogany hopes to give back to the club and bring career labs that will give members hands-on experience and access to resources in the fields of engineering, health sciences, business, and the arts.