Today we’d like to introduce you to Rose Williams.
Rose, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My sisters and I started our foundation ten plus years ago in memory of our mother. Our story really begins when my mother became a widow at 27 years old. She had four daughters – ages seven, five, two, and ten months old – when my father died in a motor vehicle accident. She did not have as much as high school education and had to figure out how she would survive with her four daughters.
As most immigrants will tell you, they came to America for a better life and a better opportunity. She migrated to America from Jamaica in 1962 in search of a better life for her four daughters. We were left with our grandparents on her initial move.
We eventually joined her in America, and she set out to do what some would call “the impossible”. We lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn and did not have a lot of material things. The one thing that we did have is love. She was also a praying mother. She told us that no matter what it took, she would make sure we all had an education.
My mother did “the impossible”! As a single mother, she worked tirelessly to make sure we earned that education. We all went to college! Two of my sisters are nurses, my oldest sister worked on wall street before owning her own business, and I went on to law school. My journey through school was not easy because, at the age of 16, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus. Without my mother’s encouragement and sacrifices, I would not have made it.
So, went she died, my sisters and I wanted to carry on her legacy with something near and dear to her – Education! The creation of our foundation – The M.A.M.A. (Much Aspired Much Achieved) Scholarship Program has afforded us the opportunity to assist young scholars in realizing their dreams of attending college. Through our scholarship fund we have awarded $75,000.00 in scholarships to students here in the US and Jamaica.
I no longer practice law. I spend my time mentoring at-risk students, raising funds for our foundation and coordinating all our mission trips to Jamaica. I also volunteer with the Broward Outreach Center, which I have done for over 15 years. Serving is my passion!!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My road has been a difficult one because of my Lupus. It was also made more difficult when my second son was born with Cerebral Palsy. But none of that stopped me. I continue to work hard and encourage other children to realize their dreams.
We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Our foundation gives scholarships to students who have the ability, but not the means, to realize their dreams. One of the proudest moments our foundation was seeing one of our recipients walk across the stage as a Dental Surgeon. He was on the verge of dropping out because his parents had done everything they could and just did not have one more dime. We came along just in time to help him. What we are most proud of is that we work very hard to raise funds and no one gets paid or what we do. Every penny we make goes to scholarship.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are praying that we will be able to award twice as many scholarships in the future and touch many more lives.
Contact Info:
- Address: 6011 SW 136 ave
- Website: mamascholarshipprogram.org
- Phone: 9545688691
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: mamascholarshipprogram
Suggest a story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
