“Superwoman” Octavia Cordon is making it happen on the West Side. Born and raised in NYC, Dr. Cordon became a mountain mama 20 years ago to cultivate better opportunities for her children. Since then, she’s been engaged in the education system and started a non-profit education hub, The Aspire Achievement Project.

Aspire supports students and parents—revealing options, prepping for college, sending care packages, and organizing career fairs for graduates. You can also catch her helping homeless, educating about tobacco, and running Phat Daddy’s on Da Tracks, a co-op restaurant she started with her family in the Elk City area.

“I see hope… In spite of everything that’s going on, still a lot of people are willing to put in the work, and they feel strongly West Side is the best side… So many people, different nationalities, different races, they’re not moving because they believe in the West Side… I love the hope that I see in the community, that people are still hanging on no matter what.”

To learn more about Aspire Achievement, email [email protected].