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This student is using social media to shine a heartwarming light on unsung heroes.

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Sometimes all it takes is a simple handshake to launch a movement.

Georgetown University student Febin Bellamy knows this well.  

While walking to class one day, Bellamy decided to stop and say hey to a maintenance worker he'd seen around the halls. He reached out his hand to introduce himself and was pleasantly surprised at what followed.


"A lot of times, we just walk past these workers like they're invisible." This college student is challenging his classmates to see the unsung heroes around all of us.

Posted by Upworthy on Saturday, December 10, 2016

The two hit it off immediately.

"We had a lot of similarities," said Oneil Bachelor. "This guy was like my lost brother, because I was telling him everything."

Bellamy, the student, and Bachelor, the maintenance worker, bonded over being immigrants, talking about their families, their talents, and their dreams.

Bellamy learned that Bachelor, who'd been cleaning at Georgetown for many years, dreamed of opening his own catering restaurant. He'd been cooking since he was 12 and he had true talent.

Bellamy said he'd help him in his cooking endeavors, creating a website and garnering outside support. Soon, students were experiencing Bachelor's cooking for themselves, and coming back for more.

Georgetown students getting a taste of Bachelor's cooking. All images via Upworthy.

For Bellamy, it was a reminder that everyone has a story — including the often-unnoticed workers who keep the university running behind the scenes every day.If only people got to know them to see who they really were. He wondered if social media could help with that.

Bellamy launched a Facebook project called Unsung Heroes to show appreciation and awareness to the workers who often go unrecognized.

He made it for the custodians, cafeteria workers, security guards, facility managers, busboys, and all the people helping to run our schools, businesses, and communities. It's for the people who work day and night making others' lives safer and easier yet often go overlooked and under-appreciated.

"A lot of time, we just walk past these workers as if they are invisible," said Bellamy.  

Last year, the Unsung Heroes project  interviewed over 100 workers around Georgetown to share their stories and give them the recognition they deserve.

Unsung Hero #22 - Tsion Kibron, Food & Service Worker at Epicurean & Company➖➖"My mom and I moved to the United States...

Posted by Unsung Heroes on Thursday, October 27, 2016

So far, the project has posted more than 24 of them to their Facebook page (check it out!) and the idea is spreading outside of the campus walls. At least 40 universities around the country have inquired about starting their own chapters.

Unsung Hero #24 - Leon Black, Food & Service Worker at Leo O'Donovan Dining Hall➖➖"I served in the Army for 16 years....

Posted by Unsung Heroes on Sunday, November 13, 2016

Taking the time to reach out and listen to one another creates a more inviting and empathetic world – for all of us.

"That handshake woke me up, and I feel like we could all be like that to somebody," said Bachelor, who is seeing such a great response to his catering efforts that he hopes to launch his own food truck.

In a time where social media is thought to divide us and to filter out the unfamiliar, projects like Unsung Heroes show the beauty of connection. It strengthens our communities, makes life more interesting, and — who knows? It could even help launch the next great business.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

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A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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