We were lucky to catch up with Chase Clark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chase, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

MI is unwavering in my commitment to empowering Black Youth. This drive guides every action I take. When I reflect on my journey, I see that every pursuit was motivated by a need I observed as a Black woman. I founded Chase’s Chance, Inc. in response to income inequality, and my podcast, “the renaissance project: a black girls movement,” seeks to shift conversations from a Black woman’s perspective. “Chase at Wake” builds on “the renaissance project,” offering insights into the experiences of a Black woman in a predominantly white environment. No matter the method, the mission remains, and I am so grateful for the journey.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

During introductions, I always try to acknowledge that I do not exist without my community. I was born into a village that taught me compassion, determination, and the value of knowledge. They inspired me to take action in the face of a deficit. With this foundation, I created Chase’s Chance, INC- a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to empowering youth across geographical borders. I take partial credit for launching this business, but without the help of my community, we would not be celebrating our 10th year with over six figures donated to the community. My experiences with Chase’s Chance combined with lived experience inspired the creation of my podcasts, “the renaissance project: a black girls movement” and “chase at wake” which both seek to uplift youth through conversation. My name is Chase Clark. I am an 18-year-old undergraduate student at Wake Forest University. The proud owner of 3 businesses and a proud product of my community!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Humans tend to be overly critical of themselves, but this behavior can be unlearned. I had to move past the self-criticism that was ingrained in me during my early school years. This approach only hindered my progress in life and business. However, working in media and production taught me that mistakes are not the end of the world. They can lead to unexpected opportunities that improve the final product. Making mistakes is not a bad thing. You can use them to your advantage or learn from them. So, don’t be too hard on yourself!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

My journey toward financial stability was a challenging one. I took a grassroots approach to gather the initial capital for my business, Chase’s Chance. Through collecting and recycling cans from the community and receiving support as a young Black girl, I managed to make things happen even before corporate investments were made. Additionally, both of my podcasts were self-funded. While donations from both the community and corporations have helped my businesses continue operating to this day, I am always looking for funding opportunities to further grow and expand.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @chaseatwake + @therenaissanceprjct + @chaseschance
• Other: tiktok: @chaseatwake

Image Credits
Credits: @AyakosLense