HOW SHANICE STARTED.

"MADE IN MADISON WI"

Her story starts with growing up in Chicago IL. Shanice has always been a bright, smart, and creative girl. Her education journey in Chicago was tough as she experienced being bullied, repeating the fourth grade, being picked on because she did not have the coolest shoes or the cleanliest uniforms. Chicago schools provide students with uniforms. Even though it was easy for parents, not having to invest in the most trending fashion clothes, I struggled to keep my uniform clean because of the unstable home and environment I was raised in.

Living in Chicago with my father and being around gun violence, drugs, gangs going to war on the street of 3714 South Indiana where we lived has left me traumatized since childhood. The police sirens along with the anger in the voices of colored people arguing and wanting to hurt one another with bats, knives and guns was very traumatic.

I was only 9 years old, I didn't understand what was happening. I saw the pain, and tears of people screaming for their lives, calling out for help which became part of me because my environment was damaged. There wasn't no mothers or fathers, a lack of education, drug dealers and addicts, and children losing their lives because of gun violence. I didn't care if I lived or died. I could have lost my life many times living in the city of Chicago. It was like living in a maze not knowing which way to go, and if you got lost you would not be found. For some reason I was guided and protected to write my story today.

I developed a form of depression at 11 from all the trauma and the things I saw growing up in my neighborhood. I saw someone get shot to death when I was 17. This caused permanent anxiety and the fear of knowing it can happen to me.

After realizing that I or my family wasn't going to make it living there, we moved to the city of Madison WI to be closer to our grandmother who passed away in 2008. If it wasn't for my grandmother sharing her love and wisdom, and the love she had to keep our family together, I would have never experienced any of what God has done in my life.

Moving to Madison was a challenge, but also a blessing in disguise. I wasn't used to change but I prepared myself for the challenges, because of where I came from and the damage that I experienced. Without receiving any help to heal the wounds, in Madison I continued to make mistakes because of the lack of support I had in Chicago. This left me in group homes, jail time, being in the court system and almost losing my freedom.

The trouble I experienced helped me grow from the pains that never left. I thought about moving back to Chicago, but the time in jail, in group homes and meeting other girls like me with a similar story, helped me see things differently. In Madison, there is support for you if you are calling out for help.  In Chicago, you call out for help and are left to die because there is no one to save you. That opened my eyes and in that moment, I decided to stay in Madison to change my life around.

Living in the city of Madison has made a big impact on my education and my mental health. I struggled with both most of my life; not knowing how to read, pronounce certain words, and how to count. This place helped me through times I didn't have faith in myself. I became a changed person who is still learning and growing as I get older, this place transitioned me into the woman I am today.

Madison helped me find my purpose. It brought me close to something that magically happened. I began to find myself and become closer to Allah, God placed Hope for the Next Generation in my heart. One day, I was sitting in my room listing the names of things I could create to share with others. I wrote down six names but none of them really gave me a spark until Hope for the Next Generation came to mind. It moved me as if it was my assignment to plan, create and share with the world. 

 As I began to use my creative skills, I designed my first T-shirt through a website called custom-ink where the power took place. I found a young boy and two young girls, with one holding books. I placed them on the shirt with the text that caught my eye. After seeing the finished design, I created on the T-shirt through the website, I purchased 10 of my designed shirts. I waited for the shirts to arrive in the mail. It was the month of June in 2018 on a hot summer day, my mom, brother, nieces and nephews helped in Hope for the Next Generation. We created Hope for the Next Generation signs, donation buckets, and a table that was easy to lay out and fold. We were ready to share this message. The shirts arrived and we went out by a gas station on the southside of Madison and proceeded with demonstrating the message out of clothing.

That day, we sold all the shirts. Many gave us donations to purchase more shirts and some donated towards the cause without purchasing a shirt. They saw the effort and something I believed in. Hope for the Next Generation was already in progress of publishing through the communities as we experienced events that awarded us with small grants, invited us to fashion shows, public schools, public speaking, and so much more. The communities and people were introduced to a young African American girl who was trying to make a difference through her clothing, in all communities and most importantly for the youth.

Hope for the Next Generation is transitioning into a justice serve system that will assist troubled youth through the court system to complete community service hours. The mission is to reach as many teens as possible going through the system to bring them on the journey of knowing Hope for the Next Generation. The youth work and complete their hours by attending events, shipping orders, folding shirts, sweaters, organizing by size, design and color. This will also give them an open opportunity to start something they love and want to share with the world.

Another future goal will be making Hope for the Next Generation uniforms in the Madison public schools. This message will give kids hope and a time in their lives to create and find their purpose to share with others. It will reduce bullying, student mental health issues along with helping parents financially. They won’t have to purchase the newest trending clothes, preventing students from feeling less than others. We want all children to feel equal, seen, heard and loved.

I'm also working on a Hope for the Next Generation book that will be published summer 2024! There is so much I must share with you. I want everyone to have the chance to join Hope for the Next Generation and be on this amazing mission. It's not just for me, it was made for you. Whatever you believe in, hold onto it, even if it takes time never lose sight of it, turn it into something you can share with others.

I believe most of us let hope and love slip away because of how much damage is happening in the world we live in today. It starts with you and your story. We need more stories, more voices, and importantly more love. Instead of spreading hatred and going against one another, lets spread hope and love for the generation we live in and the future generations to come.

Let’s set impactful opportunities to lead the future generations on the right path and break the permanent damage that is causing us to be at war with one another. It's time to finally tell a beautiful story, because we don't start off with one. Let's create many stories and come together for the sake of our future.

"If you are wearing or supported Hope for the Next Generation, you are going to be the one to change someone life and they are going to look up to you as a leader, Shanice said." 

-Thank you everyone for your support, my heart is with you.