Meet Niamani Knight | S.T.R.E.A.M. Founder + NextGen Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Niamani Knight and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Niamani, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I was 13 years old and as a middle schooler I loved sports, basketball was my favorite. As a starter for the team in my 8th-grade year, and as a member of Peer Leaders and student in Lego Robotics, my schedule was pretty busy…or so I thought. On this particular day as my mom drove me to school, she shared with me an opportunity coming to our local community, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA), a program designed to teach middle schoolers business principles. As she explained the program, she “volun-told” me that this was something that I had to apply for. ​
As I navigated the waters of the program I realized, with help from my parents, my heart to help my peers. Sitting in the classroom in October 2014 and after much research, I began to see the growing trend of youth in underserved communities not having access to education and career opportunities. I wanted to help change that.

In May 2015, we launched the first-ever S.T.R.E.A.M. Kids Expo in our local community. With participation from 400 people I quickly began to realize this was much bigger than one school, one school district, or even just me. It was going to take a community working together, to create equal access on a global level. That is when my mom and I launched S.T.R.E.A.M. Global Innovations.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One of the biggest lessons I have learned as a social entrepreneur and advocate is to not be afraid of the no’s; they are going to come. My mom once taught me that the word no often means that I am talking to the wrong person or it’s simply not the right time. The journey towards entrepreneurship and accomplishing your goals is not easy but the yes after the no’s makes it well worth it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Over the years, I have spent a-lot of time at coffee shops and meetings often being the youngest in the room, so my first stop would definitely be a coffee shop. Next we would pick out a great restaurant and check out some local shops and finally some gelato as dessert to finish the day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Typically my shoutout is dedicated to the shoulders I stand on. My parents, my family, my mentors —those that came before me to create the footprints that I follow. But today, my shoutout goes to those I walk beside, my peers that create the motivation to keep moving forward and eliminating access barriers.

Website: streamglobal.org

Instagram: @streamglobalorg @niamaniknight

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/streamglobalinnovations

Twitter: @streamglobalorg @niamaniknight

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/streamglobalorg

Image Credits
Pictures by Erin Graves + Anouk Morgan