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Atnre Alleyne

Co-Founder and CEO, TeenSHARP / Founder, The Proximity Project

Atnre Alleyne is the founder of The Proximity Project, a diversity and inclusion firm that helps organizations build deeper and more authentic connections with marginalized communities.1 Here are some key details about Atnre Alleyne:

Professional Background

Atnre has extensive experience in education, advocacy, and leadership:

  • Founder and CEO of TeenSHARP, an organization that prepares students of color for top colleges and equity-centered leadership2
  • Former Director of Talent Management at the Delaware Department of Education2
  • Founded and led an education advocacy organization called DelawareCAN: The Delaware Campaign for Achievement Now2

The Proximity Project

Atnre launched The Proximity Project in 2020 with the mission of helping leaders and institutions become anti-racist and proximate to the communities they serve.4 The organization offers:

  • Cohort-based training programs for leaders in education, healthcare, and data fields3
  • Unique learning experiences like the Harambee Delaware program for nonprofit founders and leaders of color4

Achievements and Affiliations

  • Alumnus of Pahara NextGen, the Strategic Data Project, and the 4.0 Angel Syndicate1
  • Serves on the advisory board of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard1
  • Member of the Council of Advisors of ChristianaCare Health System1

Writing and Speaking

Atnre regularly writes and delivers talks on topics including:

  • Racial justice
  • Leadership
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Philanthropy
  • Education policy

He has appeared on the TEDx red carpet and has written for various publications including TheGrio, The 74 Million, and Delaware Business Times.1

Personal

Atnre is married to Tatiana and is the father of three children: Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras.12

Highlights

Aug 22 · linkedin

This week, Tatiana Poladko and I are celebrating 15 years since we launched TeenSHARP.

We were both in graduate school then, and we could never have imagined at the time that, 15 years later, we would have raised millions of dollars for TeenSHARP and have served thousands of students and their families.

As we celebrate this 15th anniversary, I took some time to write 15 of my top lessons for founders/entrepreneurs. You can read them in the article below.

"Quit something: We typically glorify persistence, but some of the most important decisions you can make as a founder/leader are to stop doing something. Annie Duke discusses this in her book “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away.” Give yourself permission to cancel commitments, pause or sunset some of your programs, and reconsider decisions you’ve made (or hires or partnerships) that no longer work for you."

"Give yourself grace: The more you read books by entrepreneurs or listen to founder-focused podcasts, the more you will realize that the challenges your organization is trying to figure out are not unique. Many successful organizations have dealt with significant dysfunction, terrible hiring decisions, strategic missteps, embarrassing mistakes, and much more. You need to give yourself grace and keep your current pain points in perspective."

Aug 14 · linkedin

As funny as the memes and reenactment reels of Raygun's breaking performance at the Olympics have been, something felt immediately problematic to me about the whole situation.

As I looked closer, I could see so many aspects of the Raygun episode that mirror the double standards people of color face in the workforce.

I pulled together some of these thoughts in the article below.

"But imagine if Raygun — traditionally trained as a ballroom dancer — started kangaroo hopping during a waltz routine. Or imagine the travesty if someone from Team Australia's swim team started doggy paddling during a race requiring breaststroke.

Because our culture is inviting, expansive, and free-flowing, it does not mean it lacks standards, excellence, and seriousness. Our communities and culture are not a joke, a playground, or a platform for padding resumes with exotic experiences."

Related Questions

What inspired Atnre Alleyne to start The Proximity Project?
How does TeenSHARP prepare students of color for top colleges?
What are some notable achievements of The Proximity Project?
What is the Harambee Delaware program about?
How has Atnre Alleyne's work impacted the education sector?
Atnre Alleyne
Atnre Alleyne, photo 1
Atnre Alleyne, photo 2
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Location

Wilmington, Delaware, United States