DIFFvelopment

This summer, I interned with DIFFvelopment Consultrepreneurship on the Marketing & Branding team. Through this program, I gained knowledge and experience in finance and entrepreneurship. I learned practical tools for investing, creating generational wealth and developing business plans which are lessons that shaped my passion in pursuing a career in finance and consulting. I am honored to share that I received the Best Performer Award for Cohort 15, along with a $500 award recognizing my performance. Thanks to this experience, I will be a panelist at the annual Smith in the World Conference representing the Business, Finance, Consulting & Entrepreneurship Panel. I am grateful to the DIFFvelopment team Esi Kagale Agyeman Gillo, Peter Gillo, Wanjiku wa Gitau and Nafeza Kingston, and peers for their support and inspiration throughout this journey. #SmithCollege #DIFFvelopment #Finance #Consulting

🌍🌎 A Transformative Journey in Diasporic Purpose-Driven Leadership This summer I had the incredible privilege of participating in the DIFFvelopment Consulterpreneurship Program. This experience has profoundly expanded my understanding of global business and deepened my commitment to service and purpose driven work. 🙌🏽 DIFFvelopment is more than a consulting practicum. It is a powerful space for Black aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs to engage deeply with our history, sharpen our business acumen, and gain real world consulting experience in partnership with impactful Black led organizations around the globe. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the DIFFvelopment team for their unwavering support, thoughtful programming, and intentional mentorship. Thank you for this incredible opportunity and all of the hard work that went into making this program as amazing as it is! Wanjiku W. Peter Gillo Esi Kagale Agyeman Gillo Nafeza Kingston I also want to celebrate my fellow Consulterpreneurs, an inspiring cohort of driven and passionate global leaders who challenged and encouraged me every step of the way. 🇺🇬 As part of the program I had the honor of working on a consulting project with Hope Permaculture Centre (HPC) in Wakiso Mende Uganda, a visionary hub for sustainable agriculture, ecological education, and wellness led by jackson ssemwanga. Together within the cohort we focused on: • Strategic planning to help HPC scale its education and retreat programs • Branding rooted in their values of sustainability and community • Financial tools to support long term growth and transparency The work was engaging, collaborative, and deeply meaningful. Being able to contribute to an organization like HPC and to learn directly from its founders and community members reminded me just how powerful business can be when it is built to serve both people and the planet. What I take away from this experience: • A lifelong commitment to learning about and supporting global Black development • A clearer vision of how entrepreneurship can be used to uplift and sustain communities • Greater confidence in my ability to lead with clarity, collaboration, and strategy As I look ahead I am actively seeking opportunities that allow me to apply what I have learned, especially roles at the intersection of strategy, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social impact. If you are working on something meaningful let’s connect. I am ready to bring everything I have gained from this experience into my next chapter. #DIFFvelopment #Consulterpreneurship #HopePermaculture #BlackEntrepreneurs #GlobalDevelopment #PurposeDrivenWork #SocialImpact #Strategy #JobSearch #BlackExcellence Alexina N. Faithrose Daniel Musa Salihu Khabirat Okesade Aïssata Diop Duncan Mwangi Iyamuremye Ruth

DIFFvelopment, nominated by Camille Estrella, MSEd, is the recent recipient of a $7,500 unrestricted 2025 grant awarded by SparkNJ. Co-founded and led by Esi Kagale Agyeman Gillo and by Peter Gillo, DIFFvelopment is a nonprofit organization based in Montclair, NJ, that is fueled by the belief that deeper knowledge of Black economic history and financial literacy are essential to overcoming historical wealth gaps. The organization offers its signature summer intensive CONSUL+REPRENEURSHIP program, intensive, generational wealth workshops, coaching for early-stage Black entrepreneurs, and a digital Online Resource Center. DIFFvelopment has impacted more than 2,500 young Black visionaries across more than 26 communities, empowering them with the mindset, tools, and networks necessary to disrupt negative narratives and create lasting economic change. SparkNJ is proud to support DIFFvelopment's trailblazing programs! Find their Quarterly Impact Reports here: https://lnkd.in/dgd7UaAu #BlackEconomicHistory #FinancialLiteracy #HistoricalWealthGaps #BlackEntrepreneurs #Montclair #NewJersey

✨ #WhyFundUs | #ScaleWithIntegrity At DIFFvelopment, we know that growth means nothing if it doesn’t protect the integrity of our mission. Our DIFF Center is how we extend our promise to re-empower Black visionaries globally — giving them on-demand access to the same historically centered re-education, mindset tools, and wealth-building strategies that have transformed lives through our direct programming. This progress wouldn’t be possible without trusted partners. For the past two years, Experian has supported the development of this platform — helping us ensure that what once served a few now reaches thousands around the world. Together, we’re scaling with integrity: rooted in truth, driven by community, and committed to results. ✨ If you believe in this vision, stay connected: 👉🏾 Join our newsletter at diffvelopment.org to be the first to know when new DIFF Center opportunities become available. #WhyFundUs #ScaleWithIntegrity #DIFFCenter #DIFFvelopment #PsychologicalReempowerment #EconomicAdvancement #LegacyBuilding #DonorImpact #GlobalBlackLeadership

#AlumniSpotlight | #PsychologicalReempowerment Alumni Spotlight: Nateya Taylor, MS From award-winning films to community wellness, Nateya’s journey shows how DIFFvelopment’s historical re-education drives economic empowerment and visionary leadership. She’s one of over 2,500 alumni building communal wealth worldwide — and her story reminds us that our collective impact keeps growing. Are you an alum? Stay connected, share your updates, and access new resources in our Mighty Network community. Accept the invitation in your mailbox. Don’t miss out. #HistoricalReeducation #EconomicAdvancement #VisionaryLeadership #CommunalWealth

#JoinTheMovement | #PsychologicalReempowerment | #LegacyBuilding At DIFFvelopment, we teach from day one that true legacy is not just an idea — it’s owned, protected, and intentionally passed down. During the very first week of our flagship program, which Jasmine participated in back in 2021, she learned what it really takes to build collective legacy and communal wealth: ✅ Own what you create ✅ Prepare your heirs to lead it ✅ Educate them early so wealth lasts This June — four years later — Jasmine experienced this truth again as an active legacy builder during the Good Soil Forum, a DIFFvelopment-sponsored Lifelong Support Program opportunity. As part of her daily reflection, she wrote: "What can [I] do now to create a legacy for generations to come? Dig deeper into the history of how to become a steward to leave a legacy... and acknowledge the fact that I am a founder at the age of 24 [and] a first-generation graduate student." Over four years, Jasmine — a first-generation Caribbean-American and mental health advocate — has used DIFFvelopment’s historically centered re-education to transform her purpose into real impact, developing the concept for KOLO Publishing during the program, launching it to amplify diverse voices, earning her master’s at Columbia, and championing mental health and cultural representation wherever she serves. This is exactly why we talk about legacy so early — and why we keep investing in our alumni long after week one. From legacy learner to legacy builder, Jasmine’s journey shows what happens when Black visionaries are re-empowered for life. Thank you Santander Bank for making transformative learning experiences like this possible. Ready to build your legacy differently? Join the Movement. diffvelopment.org #JoinTheMovement #PsychologicalReempowerment #LegacyBuilding #CollectiveWealth #DIFFvelopment #GoodSoilForum #BlackLeadership #WhyFundUs

✨ #JoinTheMovement | #PsychologicalReempowerment What happens when young Black visionaries from around the world learn their true history — and step boldly into collective solutions? They say it best: “Learning much about the historical background of the global Black community opened my eyes and shifted my perspectives.” “I have since started thinking about my work and self as part of a larger movement rather than aligning myself with events happening in the U.S.” “The program has influenced my sense of connection by making very evident the vast diaspora of Black people that I co-exist on this plane with.” “Learning African economic history gave me a profound appreciation for our shared struggles and triumphs, showing me the immense strength and potential of our collective story.” This is Psychological Re-empowerment in action: reclaiming our past, defining our future, and doing it together. 🌍 Ready to join the movement? Visit diffvelopment.org and sign up to be the first to know when applications open! #JoinTheMovement #PsychologicalReempowerment #GlobalBlackLeadership #VisionaryEntrepreneurship #DIFFvelopment