Meet Aja Gore | Grant Writer & Education Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aja Gore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aja, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I have two very different brands for my LLC’s with the end goal being the same: serving as a bridge for folks during transitional or pivotal moments in life. Fostering Brilliance Services takes on the educational space with incoming or outgoing college students. Career Bridge Pathways, LLC takes on the career development space in a holistic manner servicing individuals re-entering or transitioning their career space and small minority owned business/organizations as a grant writer. My idea of success is not the huge mark I could make but instead how I can help empower someone one meeting at a time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My professional journey started in 2016 where I worked at non-profit through AmeriCorps called Playworks. I had the honor of working with kids teaching emotional and interpersonal skills through the power of play. It was also during this time that my eyes opened about the lack opportunities granted to marginalized communities due to funding. If there wasn’t a grant that could be issued to provide the bare necessities then it didn’t happen. That experience made me realize that I wanted to go into higher education and at the time specifically working with programs that were connected to marginalized communities and offered support and services. I began this journey to higher education shortly after getting a masters degree in Higher Education Leadership. I worked in several different units over the years from Admissions to Pre-College Programs to Fraternity and Sorority Life and now Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. My trajectory isn’t where I originally thought I was going to land. However, every experience I’ve had has made me into the professional I am today. Because of my experiences in higher education, I opened up my own LLC’s, two of them. Fostering Brilliance Services use to be a tutoring service I offered a long time ago and has since transitioned into a consulting firm. We provide consulting services to graduating high and college seniors on their future after graduation. Career Bridge Pathways, LLC is newer and focuses on a holistic approach to career development whether it is individualistic or organization wide.

It has not been an easy journey as I tend to second guess myself, “Am I making the right decision? Is this path I should be taking? What if I get it wrong? Did I bite off more than I can chew? Am I the person to do this work?” and the answer to all of those questions is I don’t know and that is okay. I take it day by day to figure it out and I enjoy every step of it. You will never know, if you don’t try.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This such a great question! I am from Detroit, Michigan and currently live in the Dearborn Area. I would start off in Downtown Detroit first then venture to the suburbs. First, Downtown Detroit has some of the best eateries. I would take you to Detroit Shipping Company because it has some of the best food stalls. We would check out Eastern Market for local shopping. We also have to walk around Belle Isle along the River Walk. We can hit up any of the museums in Detroit whether that is the Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum or Motown Museum. Then we can head to Dearborn to check out the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. I will always find a bookstore and notable ones I love is John King Bookstore in Detroit and Schuler Books in Ann Arbor. If you want to do activities there is BIG (Best in Games) in Ypsilanti. It is 3 floor arcade for all ages.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shout out is dedicated to “My Tribe”, Tasha, Danny, Darius, Danay, Sade, Gabby & Athena Gore (my immediate family) and Brandon Davis, Fred Fife, TJ Chairse, The Lewis Family (my chosen family) for always believing in me when I don’t always believe in myself. I am so grateful to have you all in my corner.

Also, Jackie Davis- Betserai, Founder and CEO of She Warriors Foundation, a nonprofit that provides services to women veterans. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to move SWF forward with you and in the process just teaching me how to be a businesswoman.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miss_agore/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aja-gore-m-ed-69175768

Image Credits
University of Michigan students at Black Tech Saturdays