Born and raised by his mother and grandmother in the Florence-Graham neighborhood of Los Angeles, Darion Allen is a young Black man with a strong sense of self and unwavering respect for all cultures. From a young age, Darion developed a “by any means necessary” mentality that helped him overcome the perils of his environment that continues to motivate him.
A recent graduate of UW-Madison with degrees in Personal Finance and Communication Arts, Darion is an avid learner who thrives when applying learned skills to real life situations. Darion is currently a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Film & Television Production. With a career goal of becoming a Hollywood film director, Darion strives to write and direct films that contribute to a more holistic image of being Black.
Working to ultimately serve Black and Brown communities, Darion looks forward to developing this podcast series to support the next generation.
Host – Darion Allen
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Episode 1:
The Only Thing We Can Do Is Change The Future
As a passionate advocate for equity and access, Sikirat Mustapha uses her multifaceted interests in educational policy, finance and business to elicit change in her community. She attends Columbia University studying Statistics, Political Science & Business Administration. Sikirat can be seen mobilizing thousands at town halls, organizing rallies, speaking on panels, and constructing policies that work to eradicate the inequitable practices in NYC public schools through her work as the former Executive Board Member of the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Council. As the founder and CEO of Sikirat Tutors, she developed an all-encompassing youth enrichment curriculum that prioritizes a unique education where students are taught and mentored by other students.
Sikirat’s love for equity also branches outside of education, where she can be seen advocating for financial literacy, fair housing, and racial justice. This summer she spent time exploring Venture Capital with a boutique fund, actively investing in organizations impacting social reform for young people in NYC. With her free time, she enjoys exploring different cultures through food, music and dance.
“I realized I had power. I used something I already had. I used my mind, my words, my experiences.”
– Darion Allen, Voices of Change Podcast Co-Host