Celebrating 20 Years: Some Highlights
2002
Originally founded as Urban Reach Institute for Student Enterprises in Bloomfield, CT more than 20 years ago. We're now known simply as 'URISE'
2004
URISE moved to Hartford, CT and our program was featured in the Hartford Courant: "Lesson 1: How To Be Your Own Boss."
2015
URISE launches "Urban Tekk," a digital media and technology-focused social enterprise
2019
URISE hosts the first ever Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (YES!) at the Hartford Public Library in Downtown Hartford. Nearly 100 aspiring young leaders, entrepreneurs and adults attended. Event sponsor: Fairview Capital
2020
URISE held our first ever "Youth Pitch Competition" for youth and teens in middle-school and high school earning them cash prizes. Event Sponsor: West Indian Foundation
2021
We opened the doors to the Business Resource + Innovation Center aka THE BRIC at 1229 Albany Avenue, Suite 202 in Bloomfield, CT. Sponsor: City of Hartford DCYR, Hartford UNITY
Our Founder
Alice Margie Turner, M.Ed.
From Corporate Trainer to Social Entrepreneur
I'm Alice Margie, Turner, a former corporate training executive in the insurance and financial service industry. At fifty-something, my corporate career ended abruptly for the second time, and I asked myself, "Now what do I do?"
It was 2010. I enrolled in Encore! Hartford, a nonprofit leadership development program. Through my Encore! experience and fellowship, I rediscovered my passion for education and reimagined my childhood dream of empowering young minds through culture, community and education.
After working part-time as an adjunct faculty and substitute teacher for years, I needed to find a way to live my dream and follow my passion full-time. In 2017 it happened, I launched URISE, a nonprofit based in Northeast Hartford's Promise Zone followed by Urban Tekk in 2020, a for-profit digital media and technology social enterprise.
In 2021, the same day I celebrated my 65th birthday, I started my retirement party by making my part-time passion my full-time commitment when we opened the doors to The Business Resource and Innovation Center aka 'The BRIC' proving that dreams really do come true.
Moral of my story: "You're never too old and it's never too late to dream, do good and make a difference in your community."
Executive Board
Olaleye Aina
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Althea W. Henderson
Board President
InterNESS Technologies
Althea W. Henderson
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Althea W. Henderson
Board Vice President
The Marriott
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Board Secretary
State of Connecticut, Retired
Susan Scalduzio
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Roxanna Jackson, MSN
Board Treasurer