Success was never an option for twins Tia and Jabari Strozier. From the time they were children, their mother taught them that education is the key to success. “She didn’t give us the option to fail. It was never if we were going to college, it was when we were going to college,” recalls Jabari. Now at age nineteen, both Tia and Jabari understand very well the value of education and take their academic careers seriously. Currently in their sophomore year, the two have both made the decision to attend historically black colleges. Tia, a Sociology major, attends Hampton University in Virginia, while Jabari is studying Psychology at Morehouse College in Georgia. In the midst of their intense studies the dynamic duo also manages to set aside time to participate in a number of extracurricular activities; they also hold offices in various academic clubs and organizations.

Though they playfully argue that they are not very much alike, both Tia and Jabari have also chosen to minor in Leadership Studies. A choice that both acknowledge was influenced by their time spent as participants in the African American Youth Leadership Program (AAYLP)*. The conference gave me confidence and taught me how to portray myself as a leader,” Jabari says, thinking back to his time as participant in 2005. “AAYLP gave me the opportunity to interact with other African American youth in a way that I never had before,” adds Tia.

This past summer Tia and Jabari made the choice to return to AAYLP, but this time they came back as Team Leaders. Throughout the week-long program, Tia and Jabari had the opportunity to work closely with the participants. The twins’ strong leadership skills and academic success allowed them to serve as excellent examples to the program participants who, as high school juniors and seniors, are at an important stage in their education, with college just around the corner. “There aren’t many programs that adequately prepare African American youth for leadership and I really believe in this program so, it was important for me to be a mentor to these youth,” says Jabari with a spark of excitement in his voice.

Even just five minutes with Tia and Jabari would certainly leave one feeling inspired. With their focus and determination, Tia and Jabari are destined for success and understand the impact that their personal accomplishments can make on the African American community. “I want to be an innovative lawyer who works as a civil rights activist to influence American society and uphold the justice system,” says Tia thinking about her not so distant career plans. Jabari, whose goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in Psychology from either Stanford or Harvard, also desires to make a difference in the future. “My goal is to eventually start my own private practice for family counseling,” he says. When asked about her hopes for future generations of young African Americans, Tia thoughtfully says, “I hope that this generation of African American youth will learn the importance of higher education and continue to motivate other African Americans to strive for success!” The Research and Policy Institute of California applauds Tia and Jabari for their outstanding achievements and the leadership qualities that they continue to demonstrate.

*Read more about AAYLP in this issue’s article, “The African American Youth Leadership Program: Preparing Our Future Leaders for Success“.