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Bleejay Innis
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
bio
Bleejay Innis is a dynamic social entrepreneur with an unwavering passion to create a better Africa. He was born in Liberia, West Africa, and is the sixth of seven children. At the age of seven, Bleejay and his family were blessed to escape Liberia during the start of the nation’s 15 year civil war. In his native dialect Bassa, Bleejay’s name means "for the sake of my homeland", and he has dedicated his life to living out the meaning of his name. Constantly reminded by his parents to never forget where he is from, Bleejay has channeled his passion for his country and the continent into an array of initiatives. Bleejay graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BA in International Business. Equipped with an education and career experiences, Bleejay dreamed of how he would utilize his skills and resources to start impacting his people. In 2012 Bleejay returned back to Liberia for the first time since leaving the country. When he arrived at midnight over Liberian airspace, he looked out of the window in anticipation and excitement but saw a nation in complete darkness. In this darkness, Bleejay saw an opportunity to be a part of creating the future for Liberia. After 3 weeks in Liberia, he returned to the US motivated and inspired to rewrite the Liberian story. Bleejay believed that the Liberian story however could not be rewritten if the young people of Liberia were not educated and given the necessary skills crucial to nation building. Bleejay launched the Bishop John & Irene Innis Foundation to empower the Liberian people through education and career training. The foundation educates hundreds of children in rural Liberia, and has brought hope to the regions they operate in.
bio
Bleejay Innis is a dynamic social entrepreneur with an unwavering passion to create a better Africa. He was born in Liberia, West Africa, and is the sixth of seven children. At the age of seven, Bleejay and his family were blessed to escape Liberia during the start of the nation’s 15 year civil war. In his native dialect Bassa, Bleejay’s name means "for the sake of my homeland", and he has dedicated his life to living out the meaning of his name. Constantly reminded by his parents to never forget where he is from, Bleejay has channeled his passion for his country and the continent into an array of initiatives. Bleejay graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BA in International Business. Equipped with an education and career experiences, Bleejay dreamed of how he would utilize his skills and resources to start impacting his people. In 2012 Bleejay returned back to Liberia for the first time since leaving the country. When he arrived at midnight over Liberian airspace, he looked out of the window in anticipation and excitement but saw a nation in complete darkness. In this darkness, Bleejay saw an opportunity to be a part of creating the future for Liberia. After 3 weeks in Liberia, he returned to the US motivated and inspired to rewrite the Liberian story. Bleejay believed that the Liberian story however could not be rewritten if the young people of Liberia were not educated and given the necessary skills crucial to nation building. Bleejay launched the Bishop John & Irene Innis Foundation to empower the Liberian people through education and career training. The foundation educates hundreds of children in rural Liberia, and has brought hope to the regions they operate in.