Meet The Founder 

As the oldest of 6 from a blended family, excellence has always been a standard. From being a first-generation college student to a Strategy Consultant for one of the top Consulting firms, Desireé has constantly relied on the foundation her parents instilled. With a sprinkle of grit and resilience from being a product of inner cities, she had the perfect formula for her successful 10+ year career in the Insurance and Financial Services Consulting Industry.

Desireé's intellectual curiosity, love for community, and innate problem-solving spiked after she read a United Negro College Fund article. This article presented 9 alarming facts about the education disparity in America. It described how children in urban areas have the least resources and qualified teachers, which causes an educational deficit for the children in those communities. After reflecting on this and realizing its adverse long-term effects on Black Children's life trajectories, she realized that she needed to be an agent of change. And one night, while meditating near the Nile River in Egypt, she saw a solution and birthed Young and Brilliant.

If you are interested in partnerships or becoming a sponsor of Young & Brilliant, please contact us at DesireeFaye@youngandbrilliant.org

Meet the Team

Jamal Hinnant | Educational Director

Jamal Hinnant, BA / MAT, is an Ed Tech and Curriculum Specialist, and best-selling author from New Jersey. With more than fifteen years of experience in education, he has helped over a dozen institutions develop unique curricula and educational programs tailored for home schools, individualized learning, company onboarding training, tests, and study guides. He is an international performance artist and author of ten titles, including seven best selling children's books. His most recent performances include Manchester, Paris, London, York, Amsterdam, Liverpool, Leeds, and over 30 states in the US. Jamal is also Founder and CEO of Live the Dream Artist Development and Booking Agency, helping the success of Independent Artists worldwide.