The Emma Bowen Foundation celebrates 30 years of helping students of color land jobs in media
ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - This year marks the 30th anniversary for the Emma Bowen Foundation. The non-profit connects college students with internships in the media industry.
"She wanted to make sure the stories that were being told and how they were being told were influenced by people of color and people that brought a different perspective," said Rahsaan Harris, CEO of the Emma Bowen Foundation.
FOX 5 Atlanta partners with Emma Bowen Foundation interns to make sure a different perspective is heard, helping people like FOX 5 Account Executive Rokeia Gravely build a long-lasting career.
"I went to a great school, Columbia University, but I didn't have any connections in the industry that I wanted to get started in," said Gravely.
With the Emma Bowen Foundation's help, she interned at ABC News.
"The Emma Bowen Foundation came along and gave me behind the scenes access at corporate offices at ABC who could help shape my life, and they did," said Gravely. "They shaped my career."
From there, Gravely's career blossomed, bringing her to the Fox 5 Atlanta sales department.
"It is possible, as a person of color, to be a hard worker and be rewarded for it and for your talents," said Gravely.
Gravely says opportunities the Emma Bowen Foundation internships create are necessary to bring students of color to an equal playing field. She is now training a new Emma Bowen intern at FOX 5.
"It definitely has a principle of excellence in everything we do," Gravely said. "I've seen that in the intern we have at the station, I try and exude that in everything I do, and as long as you have that excellence, you will be identified for opportunity everywhere you go." Gravely said.
Since 2012, the Emma Bowen Foundation has given $5 million dollars in scholarships. Want to be an Emma Bowen intern? Click HERE for more information.