Connecticut Up Close: Urban League in Hartford fosters confidence, friendship

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Inside the offices of the Urban League in Hartford: life-improving lessons.

Osaneya Headley is an eleventh-grade student at A-1 Prince Tech in Hartford and for the past two years, she’s been mentored by Dejah Morgan, a young lady who has degrees in both biology and nursing.

“I would describe it as amazing, I’ve learned a lot,” mentee Osaneya Headley said.

“Seeing her growth and finding her passion, her purpose and why and what she want to do is very fulfilling to me,” Morgan said.

Osaneya wants to be a firefighter someday and the Urban Leagues’ mentorship program “Project Ready” has given her the opportunity to meet professional firefighters to experience what the job is really like.

She’s also been part of programs to help build self confidence- and gone on trips- to open up a world of new possibilities.

“I feel like a lot of opportunities have opened up for me. I’ve been on many college tours and many places that I’ve never been to before,” Headley said.

Every year this mentorship program works with about 30 or so young people around the Capitol City, and it really gives them insight into what they can become in the future with a lot of hard work.

The mentors are often young professionals, from all kinds of different career fields. And many- like Desha- grew up in Hartford.

Hartford Urban League Youth Development Manager Kyrinda Richardson said the program is mainly for high schoolers and college students.

“We do community-based mentoring so instead of going to schools directly, they’ll come to our community site at the urban league of greater Hartford or at different sites around Hartford to build enriching experiences,” Richardson said.

Those experiences give students the confidence they’ll need to reach their goals and also make new friends they can look up to.

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