I’ve got a question for you. What do you do when the battery on your cell phone dies? You plug it in and wait for it to get SUPERCHARGED® ⚡️🔋. So tell me, what do you do when you run out of power? Do you surrender?
A lot of people say to me “You’re always energetic,” “You’re always SUPERCHARGED.” Yes I am. But I’m not like that by default. I’m that way because I put in the work. How do I do this? I read my SUPERCHARGED statement. I talk to myself. I create voice memos for myself to say “Hey! You’ve got this.” Why? Because I understand that words matter. Listen to this:

I always say you know you best. So show up for yourself and give yourself a boost. Doing this consciously and daily will help you become more resilient and keep you SUPERCHARGED ⚡. 

You know what else gives me a BOOST? Results! It’s always energy igniting when I see some of the things that my team and I have been working on for months come to life. I’m excited to share some of the highlights from last month with you.

• In 2020, when we saw representation gaps at Princeton, José and I took action against inequity and decided to create opportunities for all by donating $20 million. It became the catalyst that helped spark change.  As I write this, students have started occupying the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Halls that were recently completed as a result of the donation. We knew that it would be impactful but it really hit me when I received this message: 
  “My last day building the new Princeton dorms. I read and loved your name. I decided to look you up. AMAZING STORY!!! Can’t wait to get home and tell my 8 year old daughter about you. She wants to attend Princeton University someday. Representation matters, especially at a place like Princeton.” 
  That’s what the electrician who worked at the Kwanza Jones dorm said to me 🔥🔥. It’s one of many that we have received from students and parents as they move in. To see the real world impact and meaning that this had for an 8 year old girl in New Jersey made my heart sing.
• 2022 has been a tough year for all of us. We saw Russia invade Ukraine. The war has caused a lot of death, pain, and misery. The mass shootings here in the U.S seem like it’s never going to stop. There is so much fear and uncertainty. Truth is, you may not feel SUPERCHARGED right now. And that’s okay! That’s why my team created this article. If you’re feeling down, follow these three steps to uplift your mood. Think of it as a mood boost from me to you.
• I’ve been called many things. My personal preference? Catalyst. I boost humanity to be better. I create art through my music to empower and inspire change. The war rages on, not just in Ukraine, but in our communities as well. That’s why I created a new song as an anthem of empowerment and resilience in this time of crisis . We cannot allow fear to consume us. More now than ever, we need to come together and help make the world shine brighter. Because we are better together. More Now Than Ever is now available on Spotify and on Apple Music.
• A lot of the things I do are tied to the four pillars of the Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Initiative: Equity, Empowerment, Education, and Entrepreneurship. So I get excited when I see organizations that align with this vision like the Dragon Kim Foundation. During their 6th Annual Dragon Challenge, we were so impressed by Hoops and Coders, one of the finalists in the competition. This project, developed and led by two high school juniors, empowers girls to learn computer science and basketball. Those are two industries where women are historically underrepresented. It was amazing to see these smart, passionate students creating change in their communities. That’s why we donated $5,000, giving them a boost to continue their important work.

Feeling boosted? I know I am! Join me in the Kwanza Jones Boost Friends™ Community. If you’re already a member, sign in, or go here to learn more and receive weekly BOOSTS from me. We recently had an impactful discussion on the importance of pennies. Yes, you heard that right! Pennies are symbolic of seeing beyond your current circumstances. It’s not about the value of the pennies, but the possibilities they can provide. So the next time you see a penny, will you pick it up? Let me know in the Boost Friends Community. 

Please share this email with someone you think would benefit from it. It’s a way to make a small impact in someone’s day.

Who loves you? I do. 

Bye for now,

Upcoming: Recently, we saw the Supreme Court ruling overturn Roe V. Wade and remove a woman’s right to make choices about her own body, life, and future. It rendered me almost speechless. But I know I do not have the luxury not to speak. We have to use our voice. In the next issue of the Kwanza Jones Chronicles, I will be sharing the result of something my team and I have been working on as we RISE to meet the challenge.