We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kelechi Iroegbu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kelechi below.

Hi Kelechi, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

We must be the change we want to see. As we have seen with the untimely deaths of some of our most notable heroes, such as Kobe Bryant and Chadwick Boseman, who not only filled our screens with shock, awe, and wonder, but symbolized determination and excellence, and even our everyday heroes that we have lost, from doctors to nurses, who risked their lives for the lives of those afflicted with COVID-19. Life, itself, can end in an instant. Therefore, I try my very best, everyday, to reflect and answer the call Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s once asked a crowded audience in Montgomery Alabama in 1957 “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Prior to graduating, I organized various drives and created multiple initiatives at the University of Houston. One of my most notable projects is “Cougar Closet”. Cougar Closet aids students for the current and unforeseen circumstances that could possibly hinder their chances of academic success. Studies have shown that poor appearance can negatively affect academic performance. The Closet aims to provide the confidence needed for students to succeed. It is open and free to all enrolled students. Thousands of clothes have already been donated and redistributed to students in need.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Funny enough, I was having this conversation with a friend over coffee yesterday. As humans, we tend to put our dreams and goals on the backburner in hopes of tending to them at a later time. In the same breath we talk about how tomorrow is not promised. I’m guilty of this myself. However, during my senior year of high school I was misdiagnosed with cancer. I talk about it now that it turned out to be misdiagnosis, but at the time I didn’t know. You can only imagine what I was going through mentally. However, one of the lessons I learned was to stop putting off the good that I want to do and start now. It is never too early to start tackling your dreams. My dreams of an altruistic world did not have to be put on hold until I was 35. 35 is not guaranteed.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One thing I have had to unlearn is trying to always do things by myself. Before, when it came to projects, my first thought wouldn’t be to involve others, because I wanted to maintain the integrity of the project. Part of me always assumed that when people offered a hand or wanted to work with me, they had ulterior motives, and that terrified me. It took time and is still something I am actively working on. I have to continue to remind myself that there are good people out there.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @yaboyykel, @cougarcloset
• Twitter: @yaboyykel

Image Credits
Jois Joubert Vicky Pink