Inspiring Conversations with Aliyah Crump of Thrive Women’s Empowerment Incorporated

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aliyah Crump.  

Hi Aliyah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina! My story begins with my mother. She has always been business minded and would take me to business meetings, board meetings, and events growing up. I was always inspired by her and decided to attend North Carolina A&T State University to become a successful professional. During my time at North Carolina A&T, I was afforded the opportunity to participate in a Career Prep program designed to professionally train diverse students and to connect them with corporate companies for employment opportunities. Through this program, I interned and accepted a full-time job in the Silicon Valley upon graduation. I ended college accomplishing everything I ever imagined! I held multiple leadership positions, participated in multiple mentoring programs, joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and found a job in my field of College Campus Recruiting. 

My mother and I boarded a plane to Costa Rica as my graduation gift in 2017. I couldn’t help but ask myself many questions. Where would I have been if I did not do the Career Prep program? How tough is the employment process for people with no experience or network? How can I give young women access to professional development that truly needs it? How can I help college graduates share their experiences with current college students? Then, the idea of a mentoring organization for college students came to me. I landed in Costa Rica and spent the trip exploring, adventuring, and using my iPad to build a business plan. I reached out to my business partner, and Thrive Women’s Empowerment Inc. was founded. 

Since our founding in 2017, we became a North Carolina Nonprofit Incorporation in 2019. We have had over 100 mentees matriculate through the organization and have hosted several community service events. Lastly, we have a scholarship called the Go Boldly Scholarship Program that offers $1,000 and an internship with the organization. 

I currently work as a Campus Recruiter for a cybersecurity company in the Research Triangle Park Area and live in Durham, North Carolina with my wife and two dogs! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, it has not always been a smooth road. I have chronic anxiety disorder, and it is something that I have battled with since high school. During my time in California, it got to a point where it became a large obstacle and was hindering my quality of life. I leaned heavily into fitness, yoga, meditation, and journaling. I worked hard, kept applying for jobs, and used my network to find an opportunity back home in Raleigh, NC. I also feel like honesty is the best policy. I shared with the Thrive Leadership Team and our members about my mental health, coping, and helped in knowing I wasn’t alone, and neither is anyone else that joins the organization. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Thrive Women’s Empowerment Incorporated. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Values 

– Be Yourself- embracing who we are and believing in our differences 

– Be Humble- no matter how far we go, we always remember where we started 

– Be Resilient- understanding our obstacles and being courageous when facing them 

– Cultivate Growth- being dedicated to becoming better people and open to change 

– Build Trust- breaking our own barriers and believing in our community 

Mission: The mission of Thrive Women’s Empowerment Incorporated is to promote professional development, networking, and empowering women through mentorship. 

Vision: Rising by Lifting Others, Reaching Back to Move Women Forward. 

Purpose: The purpose of this organization is to match college women with a mentor in their prospective career field. 

About Us 

-Thrive Women’s Empowerment Inc. was founded June 14, 2017, by Aliyah Crump and co-founded by Lexxus Betts, Kirstyn Allen, and Amber Dickson. On December 19, 2019, Thrive Women’s Empowerment became an official North Carolina Nonprofit Incorporation. 

-We accomplish our mission through our Career Growth Mentoring Program. Through our programming, we host virtual mentoring sessions, professional development programs, community service activities, and bonding opportunities. 

– Our target age group are college females looking for a mentor to build a relationship with. Post-graduation, it is our goal that the young women will achieve great heights in their careers, reach back to help other women succeed and do good work in their communities. 

– Everything we do is geared towards the empowerment, rising, and professional development for our full body members. We ensure this by having all professional programs and teaching materials empower members and assist them in development. 

There are many ways that set us apart from others. Firstly, instead of asking college students to mentor school-aged children, we give them the opportunity to be the mentee and to learn from someone else. We are also unique due to our matching process. Whether a student is interested in the corporate field, engineering, counseling, criminal justice, human resources, etc., we find mentors that guide and motivate our mentees to strive towards their professional goals. Lastly, our focus on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in North Carolina makes us different from others. 

I am most proud of our Thrive Alum. We have young women that started in the organization in undergraduate and now are in master’s programs, law school, and pursuing careers that they would speak about so often during our Thrive meetings and mentoring sessions. Seeing our previous members Thriving is what is most important to our Leadership team. 

What are your plans for the future?
Our plans for the future is to continue to build bonds with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and continue to serve the North Carolina Community! 

Contact Info:

• Website: thrivewomensempowerment.com
• Instagram: @thrivewomensempowerment
• Facebook: Thrive Women’s Empowerment Incorporated
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-women-s-empowerment-incorporated/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true

Image Credits
@Rebelle.images