Durham Reporter

Destiny Alexander wants teens in Durham to recognize that there are always two ways to look at most situations: positively or negatively.

Even the name of the program she runs, POOF, can stand for two things.

“It stands for planning our own future (and) planning our own funeral,” she told CBS17.com. “Make sure you always say 'future' first because we are in the present. We teach funerals as far as legacies not tragedies.” 

Destiny Alexander | LinkedIn/Destiny Alexander

POOF is an Entrepreneurship Pathway Program that provides Durham teens ages 13 to 17 with the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become an entrepreneur. The Durham City Council recognized Alexander for her mentoring efforts at a meeting earlier this month.

“I quit my full-time job in August to do this,” she told CBS17.com. “So this is my full-time job. I have a great time with these kids every single day. I was just telling some of the kids that we’ve been here since the summer, but I see change in them already."

POOF is in located East Durham, near where Alexander grew up. It’s also close to the area where a drive-by shooting wounded five people earlier this month.

She opened her business close to where she grew up because of the sense of community. 

“This community right here, East Durham, Wellons Village, is the community I was raised in. It is the community where both of my parents still reside,” Alexander said, according to CBS17.com.

She wants to help teens, who might otherwise see a hopeless future, by letting them know they can acquire the skills they need to succeed. Alexander, with about 20 teens in the program now, introduces them to things like how to deal with world travel, life insurance and financial literacy -- all things that come in handy not just for entrepreneurs, but for social survival in general.

“I’m proud to say all of our kids that are active now, we opened their savings account,” Alexander told CBS17.com.

POOF was one of several mentoring organizations that earned kudos from Durham City Council.

The fact that POOF is within walking distance from where a multiple shooting occurred serves as a reminder that work still needs to be done to improve things in the neighborhood.

“I feel like change starts here,” Alexander said, according to CBS17.com. “I want to be here. I want to see the change. The biggest thing is that I want to make sure people don’t always judge the city that I love.”

The program welcomes community support and has started the “invest for teen entrepreneurs” program, where individuals or businesses can sponsor a teen, help them start savings accounts or help them get a passport, among other things. Those who would like to support such endeavors can learn more at POOF's website.