MEET OUR FOUNDER & CEO
Isaiah Norman
Imagine a 17-year-old high school senior standing 6’1’’ 225 pounds, who benched the NFL combine weight (225lbs) 15 times, ran a solid 4.5 40-yard dash time, ran suicides with the wide-receivers and weight trained with the linemen, and could catch anything out of the wind, wrestled in the off-season and was academically ranked 85 out of 850 graduating seniors. That was me. As an amateur athlete, the idea of becoming an elite NFL player was a dream deferred. Thousands of young men, from the sandlots all the way to universities, strive for that moment of glory to compete on any given Sunday. The gridiron is where gladiators clash like Titans, to earn bragging rights against formidable opponents.
— A DREAM DEFERRED
I yearned for the chance to compete at this level. I had all the potential and "NiceMoves" in the world to get me there but lacked the pertinent exposure and the essential resources. If I grew up in an affluent community with the opportunity to connect with organizations, nutritionists, counselors, funding, programs, and role models that provide athletes with wrap-around services, the chances of playing professional football would have been higher. I was determined to allow nothing to stifle me, but, little did I know, a different path was meant for me. Since I did not have the access to conducive athletic, nutritional, mental wellness resources; I found that it was divine intervention to create a space that allows athletes to tap in on a holistic healing level. Learning strategies to release from unhealthy attachments to practices of self-affirmations, Athletes can expect to be in the driver's seat of their self-exploration. My dream deferred led me to your dream come true! This is your opportunity to show the world your 'Nyce' moves.
After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, with minors in Business Administration and Africana Studies, in 2008 at the State University of New York at Albany, and in 2011 Isaiah earned a Master of Arts in African Studies with a concentration in International Development graduating, also at SUNY Albany. While studying at SUNY, Isaiah became a Charter Member of the Great Danes Chapter of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc. Isaiah also served as a commissioner of Schenectady Human Rights Commission.
Isaiah believes in the African proverb,
“I am Because We Are.”
He utilizes this proverb as a moral compass to harness community activism, social justice, culture, and true education in underprivileged black communities. Because we live in an era of social acceptance, where many people seek social validation from others, rather than from themselves, Isaiah’s mission is to impart knowledge and wisdom to youth from all walks of life about the importance of Self-Mastery. It is with the utmost importance that young children from the African diaspora learn about whom they are and where they come from.