Our Why

In honor of the 15th Anniversary of the Queens Book Club (QBC), group members decided to donate their personal funds and partner with Achieve with Chaniece Corporation (AwC) to offer an educational scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to a graduating senior living in the NYC area who will attend a college/university in the fall of 2023. Both QBC and AwC are passionate about higher education, empowering Black youth, and giving back to the community. All applicants must possess a love for reading, especially Black literature, and meet the criteria listed below.  

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The Queens Book Club was created and founded by Crystal W.  QBC's first meeting took place on June 29, 2008 with founding and current members Amelia, Danette, Debra, Jill, Mie Suk, Saidah, and Toi. The members of QBC are professional women, from the ages of  47 to 75, from the fields of healthcare, technology, law, education, military, real estate, and the nonprofit sector. QBC has read close to 100 books and takes pride in the fact that out of the ten original members, fifteen years later, eight still remain part of this diverse group.  QBC is not just a book club!  It has evolved into a safe space for members to share their thoughts, goals, strengths, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies, and family dynamics.  The ladies pride themselves on their ultimate rule - no judgement!

Achieve with Chaniece Corporation, is an affordable private tutoring company, with the mission to provide students with customized learning options in order to improve and advance their academic knowledge, build confidence, and to motivate them to be the best they can be.  Established in 2016, AwC was founded by its current CEO, Chaniece Williams, following her graduating summa cum laude from the HBCU, Howard University.  AwC was the result of Chaniece’s strong desire to spread her knowledge with students of all ages from elementary school to college.   

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Reading is the key that unlocks the door to lifelong learning.  Elective reading allows students to follow their own interests, knowledge and language skills that will be useful throughout their lives. QBC and AwC share the idealism that reading the great work penned by Black authors will help bridge learning gaps often experienced in the Black community.  The goal of this scholarship is to help with the exorbitant cost of continued education and enhance a student’s love for reading, especially Black literature.