Community is everything to Ajamu Attard, the National Director and CEO of Student Support, an organization that makes mental health, exercise and academic support services accessible to post-secondary students across Canada for a fraction of what it would typically cost.
“We’re talking about 98 percent off,” says Attard, who helps students get access to services like Calm, Udemy, Nimbus Learning, Aaptiv and more for less than $50 per year.
The idea for Student Support came about because of Attard’s lifelong devotion to community, both on campus and beyond. Having founded a scholarship service earlier in his career, Attard was able to help students win almost a million dollars in scholarship aid.
Attard’s strong ties to the community and helping his fellow students advance in their academic and professional careers was brought about by his own experiences of experiencing prejudice, discrimination and having the odds stacked against him.
Having experienced racial discrimination, homelessness and in Ontario growing up, Attard decided to change his community for the better.
“For real. It wasn’t some microaggression or something I interpreted,” says Attard who says he experienced direct forms of discrimination from peers, at a time when he was struggling himself to adapt.
At the time the odds were stacked against Attard, thankfully friends of his rescued him from the shelter and helped him get back on his feet. This led to him getting a few jobs, struggling to make ends meet while attending school. Though subjected to a rigorous academic schedule, and a difficult hand of cards in life, Attard decided to give it his best shot and help his community.
He rallied supporters and advocated on behalf of marginalized people, later going on to receive the Lincoln M. Alexander award for his efforts in demonstrating community leadership and helping eliminate racial discrimination in Ontario.
It all comes down to putting into community what you get out of it, according to Ajamu Attard.
He says that if it weren’t for the mentors in his life who helped him get connected to the right services when he needed them, he wouldn’t be where he is today. He has immense gratitude for the teachers and administrators that supported him as well as the family that offered him a place to live.
Attard says it changed his life forever and that he hopes to do the same for others.
Aside from managing Student Support as CEO and National Director, overseeing six employees, Attard continues to give his time to causes that are important to him so that he can continue to contribute to the community.
One of the most recent events that Attard contributed to was RISE, which is an organization that lends support and funding to entrepreneurs with mental health issues.
He also stresses the importance of taking care of your mental health as a student, as an entrepreneur, and as a member of the community.
According to Attard, we all have the ability to make our communities a better place and uplift each other.
To learn more about Ajamu Attard or to book him for a speaking engagement, you can visit his personal website for more information.
