Carlos Aponte

Executive Director @We Love Philly

Philadelphia, PA, US

Founder, Executive Director, and Lead Instructor of We Love Philly -We Love Philly is an accredited course that is offered to schools in the Philadelphia area to supplement Social and Emotional Learning-We Love Philly provides professional development courses, instructional materials, curriculum, and a large network to schools in search of trauma informed care.The mission of We Love Philly, a recognized 501(c)(3) program, is to empower students with positive community experiences and essential professional skills through mindfulness, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and content creation. We Love Philly teaches students how to navigate complex emotional stressors, equips them with essential life skills, arranges volunteer experiences to promote community, connects students with local entrepreneurs and business owners to gain expertise, and lastly helps students to create their own brandEvery element of our program is aimed to empower our students. In class, students journal, learn mindfulness, and explore crucial life skills such as financial literacy and home ownership. In the community, students volunteer for causes that they deem crucial and worthwhile to them. When meeting with local business owners and entrepreneurs, they conduct interviews where they learn from prominent members of our communities. Afterwards, using what they have learned, they create podcasts and other social media content to spread the word-all the while learning video and audio production skills. The last stage of our program focuses on brand creation, so students can begin paving their own paths to success. Our students come from widely diverse backgrounds, including those who have been ignored or left behind by mainstream institutions. By highlighting emotional, volunteer, and entrepreneurial skills, We Love Philly empowers students with the skills to thrive in the 21st century

Temple University

Bachelor of Education - BEd