History

Jaime and Jes came from different places--Jaime was born in Jamaica, grew up in New York and eventually moved to Connecticut, while Jes was born in Connecticut and grew up in Rhode Island. They traveled different paths--Jaime attended the University of Connecticut and lived in Europe post-graduation, while Jes traveled to Florida and thrived as a sous chef. They had different goals in mind--Jaime wanted to work for a nonprofit, while Jes dreamed of opening a café-by-day, live-music-venue-by-night. Somehow, though, their paths fatefully merged, they became friends and their dreams started to become one. The rough idea of what is now The Something Awesome Project had been in the back of their minds for months as they worked on a different project together, but once they realized that they had the potential to create something beautiful for their community, everything else they thought they were destined to do seemed insignificant.

Jaime	Jes
It has always been my dream to do something incredible for my community. With every class I took, job I worked, country I traveled, incredible person I met, I knew that my heart was in nonprofit work, but I didn't know what...where...how... In the wake of the increasing number of tragic suicides by precious gay teens, my vision became laser-eye-surgery-clear: these teens need a place where they believe that they ARE someone awesome who can DO millions of something awesomes. The "It Gets Better Project" is noble and moving and it inspired me to take a leap further. Youth battling inner struggles with their identity and outer struggles with intolerance need to be shown how it gets better by connecting them with peers having similar experiences, introducing them to role models with whom they can relate and offering unconditional encouragement, love, and support. I believe that if teens have a safe haven where they are understood, accepted and celebrated, the negative forces telling them they are not wonderful will have less of an influence on their well-being, self-esteem and academic achievement. Please help us inspire teens to achieve, be and create something awesome.	I have spent my entire life searching for something to live for, something to work for, something to commit myself to. It wasn't until I met Jaime, though, that I fully understood what it was that I was actually passionate about. I wanted to create something awesome--something that I wish I had access to in my youth. I see a place for teens where ideas, concepts, personalities, truths, love, differences, similarities, music, art and collaboration all come together in one place--a safe place. I see 16-year-olds working at the center for there first job. I see people doing community service with us. I see an 18-year-old aspiring photographer or artist doing his first art gallery there. I see a 16-year-old girl playing her first song there. I see broken families coming back together there. I see thousands of coming out stories happing there. I see a high school kid's dream of going to college become a little bit more real there. I see a 30-year-old gay man's resetment of his past fading away because he is guiding a 20-year-old boy to be a man. I know deep inside my heart and soul that this is necessary. I have never been so passionate or motivated in my life and I hope you'll share our passion to be a part of something awesome, too.
Thanking you to the moon and back, Jaime	With all the best and then some, Jes