July: Closer Look

The BOLD Academy

The BOLD Academy provides young black and brown women with leadership training, education, positive identity development, and enrichment opportunities by connecting them with women leaders in the Columbia community. The academy will launch its first enrichment session in July.
The program includes speakers, demonstrations, presentations, workshops, sisterhood bonding, and mentoring. Chrystal Sadler, co-founder of the BOLD Academy, saw a need for this kind of mentorship when she moved to Columbia at age 16. After graduating high school and coming back into the community, Sadler founded the BOLD Academy with Dr. Melita Walker. Now, the organization has several partnerships to help these young women create strong social and professional relationships that help them live up to their full potential.
“I think this is so important today because Columbia has a lot of great women leaders doing great things,” Sadler says. “This program connects those girls with the leaders in the community so that they can know what’s out there and that there are women doing what they want to do right in their backyard.”
Contact: Contact: [email protected]
Website: theboldacademy.org

The Relevant Youth

Drew Rogers and Blaine Thomas, two undergraduate students at MU, started The Bridge at the MU Student Center to help foster innovation and entrepreneurship among their fellow students. Now, Rogers and Thomas are helping those same students by setting them up with real industry experience through their new company, The Relevant Youth.
The idea behind this “innovation agency” is building real work experience outside of the classroom, bolstering resumes along the way. Rogers sees fellow students unsuccessfully try to set themselves apart by joining clubs, taking difficult classes, and making grades while on campus. The Relevant Youth helps students create a tangible creative portfolio to use when entering the workforce to distinguish themselves from other applicants. The Relevant Youth partners with sponsor companies, providing those sponsors with the unique opportunity to meet students who could potentially work for them one day. The project launches this fall.
“We’re seeking strategic partnership with real companies,” Rogers says. “We believe Relevant Youth can radically benefit your company’s talent acquisition process.”
Contact: [email protected]
Address: 911 E. Rollins St.
Website: therelevantyouth.com

Jasany Home

Jasany Home is a new home furnishings and design destination in Columbia. Founded in May, Jasany Home offers high quality home accessories at satisfying prices. This includes furnishings for living, dining, bedroom, office, outdoor, lighting, textiles, art, etc. —just about anything you could think of or want in your home.
Jasany Home is located just off of Vandiver Drive at Heriford and Westfall — the shopping experience is different than your average furniture store. It offers an eclectic selection of inventory and a personal attentiveness that helps Jasany Home distinguish itself.
Co-founder and creative director Justin Wilson believes that a Jasany Home experience is something you couldn’t find anywhere else. With an expert design team and sales associate staff, Jasany Home can find the accessories and furnishings that fit the customer’s unique style. “I love working with people,” says Wilson. “My goal with Jasany Home is to prove that through my people. My people are a reflection of who I am.”
Contact: Contact: 573-777-5975
Address: 1400 Heriford Rd., Ste. 101
Website: facebook.com/jasanyhome