Tahri - Beyond Acceptance, Attollo

Acceptance is important, but it is only the beginning. What happens after acceptance is where growth, courage, and identity take shape. That is the work I get to be a part of at Attollo.

I first joined Attollo as a summer intern in 2021. At the time, I thought I’d just be helping run college readiness programs and supporting students with applications. One of my projects was to redesign our writing program, which we renamed Unblocked. 

At the end of that summer, we held an open mic where students shared pieces of their personal statements, including their fears, their hopes, and their stories. I remember watching student after student stand up and speak in front of their peers, mentors, and families. Their words were vulnerable and deeply brave. I realized, in real time, that courage doesn’t always look loud or bold. It often looks like a trembling voice choosing to be heard anyway.

That moment shifted everything for me.

I realized the heart of this work is not just about college access. It’s about creating spaces where students can be seen fully and still feel supported. It’s about growth through presence, patience, and unwavering belief in their potential. These students welcomed me into their village without hesitation, and I have never taken that for granted.

Beyond acceptance, I found my passion for education and youth engagement at Attollo.

These students are the reason I chose to pursue graduate study in education and youth development. They are the reason I came back. Now, in my role as Attollo’s Director of Curriculum and Communications, I get to carry that purpose forward every single day. Whether I’m with students in the early morning hours of Recruit, planning a college tour, or sitting across from a student working through a challenge, they remind me what belonging can do.

This work has changed me. It has made me a more grounded mentor, a better researcher, a more intentional leader, and a more compassionate person. And I stay because I believe students deserve spaces where they feel safe to try, fail, laugh, and grow.

Beyond Acceptance means supporting students not just in getting access, but in developing the skills, confidence, and clarity to do something meaningful.

Thank you for supporting my students and me in continuing this work. Thank you for helping us cultivate a space of belonging that opens doors and, more importantly, reminds students they are capable of success when they walk through them.