Exciting Updates For Alumni!

We decided to feature Carlos Carela and Jamaal Nelson in this inaugural issue of the Alumni eNewsletter, because we knew they embodied Posse's core values of dedication, persistence, and leadership. Both Carlos and Jamaal are in the midst of becoming some of the first Posse Alumni entrepreneurs! Carlos is opening a wine bar and Jamaal is developing his own church, and they are just two of the many Alumni who are furthering Posse's mission by affecting their communities in unique and remarkable ways.

We hope that you will be inspired by their stories, and we'd love to hear from you if you'd like to be featured in future eNewsletters.

"Either I Sell To Starbucks Or I Make This Happen"
Carlos Carela's Story

Carlos Carela, Vanderbilt Posse 6 (New York), grew up in Washington Heights, a primarily Dominican neighborhood in New York City. Growing up playing stick-ball in the street, he had always dreamed of becoming a Major League baseball player. Although he didn't end up in the Major Leagues, he did charter new territory as one of the first Posse Scholars to develop a career on Wall Street. Carlos spent a little over five years at Bloomberg as a consultant. He gained a remarkable reputation within the world of financial services and was inline for a big promotion. However, Carlos was starting to feel less passionate about his work and was becoming increasingly consumed by his professional life. He knew that leaving Bloomberg meant leaving behind his financial security; but the same tenacious spirit that Carlos embodied when he set his mind on Wall Street, became the same source of energy that he would rely upon as he endeavored to become one of the first Posse Alumni entrepreneurs and the first entrepreneur in his family.

Carlos has spent the past year working on his new venture - De Uva, which means "of or from grapes." De Uva is scheduled to open at 185 W. 80^th Street in February 2008, as one of the first wine bars on the Upper West Side. De Uva will be a Dominican-infused wine bar that allows the customer to experience something new. "You'll sit on a drum and have a glass of wine with some obscure cheese that can only be found on a remote farm in the Dominican Republic," says Carlos. He also wants to attract a diverse crowd and plans to moonlight the bar as an art gallery that showcases Latin-American and Cuban Expressionist art.

Carlos has had to remain flexible throughout the planning process. His original idea, Caf� Santo Domingo, grew into De Uva after realizing that the Upper West Side was over-saturated with small restaurants and bistros. At one point, Carlos thought to himself, "Either I sell to Starbucks or I make this happen!" Ultimately, De Uva was approved by the community board and Carlos could finally begin the long, hard road to becoming an entrepreneur.

Carlos is currently in negotiations with interior designers, liquor distributors, contractors, investors, and many other constituents. He has a lot of work ahead of him, but for the first time feels that he is able to bring together all of his strengths and passions. "There are many challenges involved with launching a business, but I believe that the same virtues that make Posse Scholars great leaders are the same ones that make great entrepreneurs," Carlos says.

Carlos is one of Posse's biggest advocates. He has remained involved as an Alumnus since graduation. He was the first president of the Posse Alumni Association, was the first Alumni representative on Posse's national board, and continues to volunteer with Posse as a mentor to many younger Scholars interested in the world of business. If you are interested in learning more about Carlos and De Uva, please feel free to contact him at Carelace@hotmail.com.

"Come As You Are"
Jamaal Nelson's Story

Jamaal Nelson, Vanderbilt Posse 6 (New York), is regarded by many of his fellow Alumni as a man of conviction and loyalty. He grew up in the Bronx and when he accepted the Posse Scholarship, he focused on leaving behind a legacy of leadership, strength, and community. While at Vanderbilt, Jamaal became the third-ever African-American president of the Student Government Association and was heavily involved with the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Even more impressive was Jamaal's commitment to service work. He participated in two overseas service trips to Zimbabwe and Calcutta. Jamaal spent his summers teaching English to impoverished children and caring for the ill. After graduating in 1999 with a B.A. in human and organizational development, he considered a career in the law, but ultimately decided to pursue a degree from the Divinity School at Harvard.

Jamaal describes religion as being "interwoven into his childhood and upbringing." While Jamaal always felt a strong connection to his faith, he clearly remembers the challenges that many of his friends had in understanding how the church applied to their everyday lives. Their experiences lingered with Jamaal over the years and became one of the primary reasons that he decided on a life in ministry. On Sunday, September 9^th, Jamaal Nelson launched his own church, New Destiny Fellowship, at the National Black Theater in Harlem. Jamaal describes New Destiny as "contemporary, casual, and quick." He wants to attract people who "have never attended church or attend casually, but feel the need for a deeper spiritual grounding." Building upon what his friend's experienced growing up, he wants to redefine what it means to go to church. "You can come as your are, services last for only an hour, and topics will be socially relevant to your daily life," says Jamaal. He believes that church and spirituality can play a significant role in both the life of a single mother who is struggling to make ends meet and the young professional who is focused on getting a promotion at work but is challenged by political bureaucracy.

New Destiny Fellowship is starting off with a monthly service on the third Sunday of every month. The end goal, however, is to fully launch with a congregation of 200 in February 2008. Jamaal talked about how his background in human and organizational development and his experiences preaching at churches in Cleveland, Ohio and Pomona, New York have served as a foundation for his approach in building New Destiny. "I've thought very systematically about everything from retaining and attracting new members to developing a giving strategy."

Jamaal hopes to start churches in other parts of the city and eventually the world. He firmly believes that "we're in a special time in human history, and if done respectfully and with great wisdom, we can restore a sense of humanity within the world."

If you would like more information on Jamaal or his church, you can contact him at newdestinyfellowship@yahoo.com or call 845-269-0602.His next service will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday, October 21^st, at the National Black Theater (located at 2033 5^th Avenue, between 125^th and 126^th).