S I T T Y - Stay In True To Yourself

Tex Wambui is a social entrepreneur, economist, and author. He currently resides in California. Tex was raised in the suburbs of Central Kenya,and Northern California. Graduating high school and earning a degree from UC Davis, Tex has worked in politics, international affairs, and project management since he was 17 years old. Recently, he joined his partner, an academic, social justice advocate and international affairs analyst in founding and building, S I T T Y, Stay In True To Yourself.  Muika Yohannis is an academic, social justice advocate, artist, and a student in California. She currently resides in California, and is working on her bachelors degree in international relations from Chico state. Muika has traveled throughout Africa, Asia and volunteered in East Africa to increase economic sustainability for women. She pivoted her life and career to join her partner in expanding S I T T Y, Stay In True To Yourself. 

The lack of appreciating natural forces impoverishes culture and the historical significance of Africa. Adding insult to injury, Africa and the culture are objectified as just touristic places leading to eradication of culture, and the importance of maintaining connectivity. Long-term we are looking to open an Art school in East Africa. We offer as a solution social impact dialogues and agenda that restore local communities, and culture, eliminate ignorance through scholarship and internship and preserve cultural arts. Through our scholarship and internship program funded with proceeds, we give the industry to Youth systemically, and a space for transferring dialogues, projects, and economic sustainability. Our model has a scalable, responsible impact that can be employed to empower and inspire youth globally. Our organization seeks to enable that individuals and groups from the African diaspora are not ignored or exploited.

S I T T Y aims to facilitate the necessary discussion of improving humanity, promoting and displaying individuals and groups. Historical forces have influenced the dynamics of culture within the African continent. For centuries, trading relationships have developed to create sustainable environments and traditions that allow for matriculation of knowledge and durability. Specifically, the Berlin conference of 1884 partitioned Africa between European nations resulting in bilateral agreements (Matthew Craven, 2015). This story is analogous for other cultures worldwide. Our model has a scalable, responsible impact that can be employed to empower and inspire youth globally. The dividing of the continent derailed the development of African tribes and allowed for European and now Chinese hostilities to take advantage of the opportunity, by depriving Africa of its traditions and ability to governing. Increasing accessibility of self, revitalizing the community and increasing exposure of self to the world, results in a more immersed and healthy social climate.  

Cultural understanding offered by S I T T Y will facilitate the necessary discussion of the significance of Africa and its culture. S I T T Y investment into education empowerment, culture enrichment, and social diversity in awareness will facilitate the necessary discussion of how to value self and community parallel to practicing social-responsible measures. Africa's current primary school enrollment rate in above 80%, yet despite the successes in primary school enrollment, inequalities and inefficiencies remain in this critical sector (United Nations). We conduct interviews, or interactive workshops discussing various sociocultural factors pertaining to the value of self. We don't support censorship, the truth and authentic exposure is a necessity if we want to progress the "i" within the "we". S I T T Y isn't just a non-profit organization, it is a movement that promotes and displays conscious uniqueness and addresses the methods of valuing self. We are all individuals, but our experiences and emotions are unique to yourself. 

Africa needs community development, personal development, culture enrichment and global impact. S I T T Y will be in the field conducting interviews, and researching to formulate an agenda that strives to build stronger and more resilient local communities. Personal development is aiming to improve self-awareness, advance self-knowledge, develop strengths or talents, acquire a career, fulfill aspirations and empower social relations and emotional intelligence. Enrichment culture is a very valuable technique developed by some giants in microbiology in the early 1900s, and the essence is to provide growth conditions that are favorable for the organism of interest, so we will provide a platform for individuals indigenous to the land, and display the cultural differences and barriers to enhance perspectives, and give a competitive advantage. Through visual art, and writing, long-term impact is to provide a generation of education that highlights the value of Africa and it's culture and people, and the necessity of preserving and cultivating nature, and enhancement of cross-cultural awareness and understanding. 

S I T T Y stands for Stay In True To Yourself. The higher the sense of self and community, the more glory received and the more pleasure the community takes. We chose "S I T T Y" as a play on words at the height of our cultural and strategic appreciation and of elevating out of poverty, and inequalities and inequities linked to colonialism and imperialism. We are elevating opportunities for individuals and groups, building cultural-understanding around the crisis of inequality in African education and culture, and driving a scalable and replicable solution.

As my partner and friend, Muika Yohannis, we prepared to start an organization to only promote and display uniqueness of students. I cam across the social sanctions placed upon women in Africa, from reading Paula Giddings, When and Where I enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America, corroborating Muika's own experience as balck woman in Ameirca and Africa and my mothers. In the context of Muika, my mother and sisters experiences in education and profession, Muika and I began to brainstorm togehter how to lead self and community development. We learned from artists, activists, critics, and entrepreneurs dealing with this issue that inequality and inequity poses, but a great opportunity for African people, and culture to hold on to their historical significance to the world. We founded the idea, "S I T T Y", an organization aiming to empower African women, youth and groups. In 2018, I prepared to graduate college to attend law school to follow my dreams of being an attorney, but coming across this idea translated into how the social impact world and how social enterprises are efficient tools for scalable impact solutions.

As a born African, and scholar of Black culture and economics, I have seen firsthand through my family the dire effects of lacking education and connectivity to the outside world. My love of Africa, the people, the land, and the culture led me into non-profit management and social entrepreneurism where I have seen a lack of appreciating natural forces and a lack on investment in the education of African youth and women. My studies in economics have allowed for clarity around inequality and inequity in my homeland and necessary tools and knowledge to solve the problem. My passion for this issue has been heightened and highlighted from my partner, Muika Yohannis. We share a vision of Africa's prominent role in global education and women empowerment. We value social agendas that facilitate growth, Black and African culture, and bonding to practicing cultural diversity, community development, discipline and enrichment.

I am a published author, a social entrepreneur, and mentor. I am building projects and skills that will enable a social impact upon Africa, culture, youth and women. At the moment, the S I T T Y scholarship and internship program work alongside college students, and the organization, Improve Your Tomorrow. I am an experience collaborator, negotiator, having worked in politics and non-profit management. I am educated in economics, social injustice, and international affairs. Most importantly, I am a member of the community being served, which grants me a level of respect, trust, and access to successfully engage in community based projects. Knowing the importance of education, and youth empowerment, Improve Your Tomorrow sponsored S I T T Y to support our mission and provide as resources and tools to facilitate the necessary discussion of how to stay true to yourself. As well, my business partner and girlfriend, Muika Yohannis has travelled the world successfully and is ready to use her knowledge, growth, and experience with different people and cultures to bring a social impact upon Africa, youth and women.

I was raised in the suburbs of Central Kenya, and Northern California, with financial and personal hardships to overcome. Despite the barriers of class, race, gender, I attended and graduated from UC Davis, being of the first generation in my family to graduate from college. I sought out community engagement while in college to overcome the social and psychological barriers of being Black and African. My co-founder and partner, Muika Yohannis was born in California, but raised in Kenya. Also, she spent most of her life traveling the world trying to find a place to live comfortably and secure. She started reading at an early age, but depression and psychological trauma from family neglecting led her to pursue empowerment for women in education and youth. She sought out a college education in the U.S. which she is still working on and hoping to have a bachelors degree in 2021. I owe my positive attitude about circumstances in my life to my mother, grandmother and sisters.

I believe that leadership is about loyalty, character, ambition, responsibility, diligence, and drive. I have demonstrated these qualities in  my roles as a student leader, founder member and learner.  A moment that signifies my leadership role recognition involves being invited by the California Legislative Black Caucus to give a keynote appearance at the Black caucus annual Pebble beach event on the importance of identity and education empowerment for Black Americans and Africans. In 2018, I was chosen to be the Treasurer of Black Student Union, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Lambda Kappa Chapter at UC Davis. Also, I have led multiple fundraising political events for Attorney generals and state legislators. Speaking as well as my partner, no act demonstrates Muika's possession of these qualities more than her shining example of rising out of poverty and psychological trauma and returning to her community through volunteerism. Muika continues to lead by example, demonstrating it through our work, S I T T Y, Stay In True To Yourself, how a woman can take action and be a true leader of change for generations.

S I T T Y is its own organization aiming to facilitate the necessary discussion of how to stay true to yourself. In 2021, S I T T Y is looking to establish an annual trip with Adumu Safaris and Adumu Social impact. The trip will be hosted by S I T T Y ideologies and agenda with the assistance of Adumu Safaris and Adumu social impact. Overall, S I T T Y operates individually; however, we collaborate with other entities, and organizations in certain projects. 

S I T T Y, Stay In True To Yourself is unique to its core for its purpose of bringing connectivity and empowerment of communities through dialogue and writing. At S I T T Y, we believe that change starts from an idea, to paper, to action. We don't support censorship, the truth and authentic exposure is a necessity if we want to progress the "i" within the "we". S I T T Y collaborates on collective topics and produces content on global perspective and improving the ability to write. We look to allow others to control their own narrative and stimulate though to provoke individuals to become creative writers, bloggers, directors, and collaborators. Moreover, S I T T Y projects the development of an app, school, and conferences that will elevate people experience and in return serve the community economically, psychologically, and professionally. Our new dimension of change is using art to bring economic stability, and restoration to the African people while elevating the experiences of each individual and group. 

S I T T Y work will have an impact on humanity through connectivity, empowerment, and educational development. We believe through investment in education, humanity will elevate to dismantle the inequalities and inequities. Poverty, lack of interaction, and ignorance threatens the future of the Youth in Africa, especially East Africa. S I T T Y is looking to develop a school in the United States and Kenya to create programs that will facilitate the need to value self and community, and develop and implement ambitious campaigns to raise organization visibility and investment in Africa education. We are looking to set standards for education and lead by example. S I T T Y is expanding on the work of individuals and groups to protect their vulnerability; thus, more people from the African diaspora investing their time and capital into preserving their heritage, and cultural extinction of the African culture, and global identity. We are looking to prevent further exploitation of African Youth and organize regional investors, and collaborators to create socially responsible agendas. We look to create an African owned education institution in the hands of the indigenous people of the land. 

2018 -2028  

500k jobs created/supported in California, and Kenya.  

100 teachers employed by 2024

25K individuals and groups by 2022

15,000 acres of land for building a school 2023

2 centers built by 2022

Increase in literacy rates in marginalize California and Kenyan communities

Increase Women in Education Awards 

Awards received for research and development by 2022

Yearly improvement in target community's sense of wellbeing (measured through surveys and interviews) 

Yearly positive evaluations from the United Nations, and education Institutes 

Fleet of all low emissions/hybrid facilities by 2028

S I T T Y has served 25 individuals. At the moment, the S I T T Y internship and scholarship program has 2 participants. In one year, we are looking to facilitate the necessary discussion of how to stay true to  yourself to 500 people locally and 1000 internationally. In five years, we project to serving 5000 - 500,000 people.

Our goal is to acquire enough funding to sustain the scholarship and internship program. Within the next year, we are projecting to have a spending budget of $100,000 to develop education and women empowerment projects. That said, this includes growing the leadership team, opening more spots for participants in the scholarship and internship program, and acquiring a resource center in the United States and Kenya. Within the next five years, we are looking to have facilities in United States and Kenya that are accessible to the local communities. We project to have a growth in scholarship needed; thus, in five years, the endowment available for scholarships will be averaging $50,000. We plan to achieve these goals through marketing, outreach, and project management with efficient and effective collaborators and team members. 

S I T T Y is currently in dire need of funding. With more funding, S I T T Y implementation of program and projects would have been ever changing to humanity. We are still looking to build team members that can work for S I T T Y to increase visibility, and impact on individuals and groups.

We plan to overcome this barrier through increase in donations and sponsorships. 

Improve Your Tomorrow sponsored S I T T Y for the internship and scholarship program. Additionally, S I T T Y is looking to create an annual month program to East Africa to raise awareness and understanding of Pan Africanism with Adumu Safaris.

S I T T Y is a non-profit organization. The goal is to use the resources and tools we acquire to facilitate the necessary discussion of how to stay true to yourself. We provide connectivity, and writing agendas that facilitate the growth of humanity. We provide these programs through interviews, scholarships, and internships. We want our beneficiaries (scholars and interns) to use their creativity, produce a project and let S I T T Y propel them into the realm of distinguishing themself. 

We plan to bring in funds through individual donations, sponsorships and fundraising events. Thus far, S I T T Y has established an online platform to increase donations, which can be found at www.staytrue2yourself.com. In terms of purchase, Tex Wambui is a published author and the sales from his products go towards funding the non profit organization. Also, we look to create partnership with organizations that can resonate with our mission and provide us sponsorship in funding the internship and scholarship program. 

S I T T Y has been able to raise donations through online platform. These donations are coming from individual donors. At the moment, we have had only one sponsorship which has been able to sustain us for the past 6 months. 

S I T T Y is looking to acquire $50,000 to establish the internship and scholarship program within high schools and universities. Additionally, S I T T Y aspires to conduct international business between California, New York and Kenya. With the elevate prize, it would alleviate the expenses of travel, merchandise, lodging and accommodations for team members that are passionate on achieving the mission and vision of S I T T Y. 

Our estimated expense for 2020 is $10,000. This is based on our projection of donations and contributions from donors, sponsorships, and donations. Additionally, S I T T Y is looking to establish a traveling program to East Africa to expand the ideology of Pan Africanist. The budget expense for this program is $100,000. It would be a month trip that includes 16 participants (4 team leads and 12 members) with the goal of creating a film that highlight East Africa and its natural resources, people, culture and land. 

S I T T Y is applying for The Elevate prize to overcome its barrier of financial hardship in sustaining the internship program. S I T T Y hopes to provide stipends and pay to its intern for their creative and immersive projects. Additionally, S I T T Y desires to decrease student debt for Black males and females through educational funding on individuals or groups that are facilitating the necessary discussion of how to value self and community.