Chanelle Bell MSEd 鈥16 starts 'Positively Melanin' to help young black professionals find mentors
Nov. 30, 2018
Chanelle Bell MSEd 鈥16 has founded a group called 鈥淧ositively Melanin,鈥 an initiative that uses online videos, Instagram, Facebook, community speaking events and more to link young people of color with professionals and to spread the message: Mentors are all around you.
Chanelle, a participant in the , launched "Positively Melanin" with the help of the former president鈥檚 foundation. The framework for the group came to her three years ago while she was looking for a fellowship to get more professional skills, she said. Chanelle was a preschool teacher on the Far South Side for two years.
鈥淚鈥檓 here on the South Side, and all the images I鈥檓 consuming from media about people who look like me, who live on the South Side, are all negative images,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 wanted to combat that negativity with positivity because all the black people I know are beautiful and are doing excellent things and are impacting the world."
The name "Positively Melanin" was given to emphasize that the group wants to highlight positive images of Chicago鈥檚 South Side communities and 鈥渃olor the narrative,鈥 Chanelle said. For more information about Positively Melanin, follow it on and .