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Genemo (‘11) grew up in Ethiopia and City Heights. As a high school student, he participated in Reality Changers, where he learned soft and hard skills for college success. “If you go through the Reality Changers experience,” he says, “you’re a different person at the end. It gave me the discipline to follow through and helped me to understand the importance of due dates and timelines. They show students what it is to achieve higher education”
Genemo attended San Diego State University and graduated in 2016 with a business degree. After college, he came back to work for Reality Changers. During this time, Genemo saw how important role-models are in achieving student success. He explains; “when you are in Reality Changers, you get to know someone who has been to college. And you can ask them questions. They are kind of like a big brother. That kind of assistance gives confidence to students.”
After a few years, Genemo decided to pursue his dream – owning a restaurant. It was important for him to put his degree to work. He wanted to show young Reality Changers students how a college degree could impact their lives.
Genemo started out running a Thai food booth at the farmers market and worked his way up to owning the booth and then cooking for Door Dash out of a commercial kitchen. As he worked towards his goal, community members supported him with discounts on rent, mentorship, supplies, and more. “It was literally people saying, ‘you know what? I know this guy. I see his work ethic. Let me help him out. Let me put him in the right situation.’”
In 2020, Genemo achieved his dream. He launched his restaurant, Ali’s Chicken and Waffles, in City Heights. It was especially meaningful for him to run a business in his neighborhood. “My middle school was City Heights. My high school was in City Heights. The college that I went to was not too far from City Heights. And now I had my restaurant in City Heights.”
Despite the fact that Ali’s opened in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Genemo says that his restaurant was “doing great.” He attributes his success to his business education. “My degree gave me an edge. I knew how to find resources, how to network, how to make a business plan.”
Since 2020, Genemo has opened a second, Downtown location for Ali’s. He has made a conscious effort to hire local community members, including students and alumni from Reality Changers. “At every step,” Genemo says, “there’s been somebody that was there to support me. It’s very important to me to be there for others.”
You can help be there for others, too. Donate to Reality Changers to connect more youth with role models like Genemo. Your gift will help first-gen students attain their degrees and pursue their passions.
