East Orange Student Entrepreneurs Receive Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity

Host Pop-Up Shop at the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour

In a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a group of budding entrepreneurs from the East Orange Mayor’s Office of Employment and Training SWEP (Summer Work Experience Program) participated in a pop-up shop at the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour on October 17, 2023 at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

The invitation to participate was graciously extended by the world-renowned Grammy award-winning icon herself, following her visit to East Orange City Hall Plaza this past August. Ms. Hill, who attended SWEP’s summer close-out event to watch her son Joshua Marley perform, was deeply impressed by the students’ innovation, creativity, and hard work, so much so that she decided to share her incredible platform to help promote their micro-businesses, which featured such items as clothing, customized sneakers, art, and more.

“It was such an incredible honor to have one of East Orange’s own — the amazingly gifted and prolific Ms. Lauryn Hill — offer our students this remarkable chance to shine,” said Mayor Ted R. Green. “An advocate for self-love, peace, and social consciousness, Ms. Hill has always been a huge supporter of our city’s progress, which is inextricably linked to the success of our youth. Our SWEP is designed to not only prepare our young people with hands-on work training, but also to empower them through mentorship and community support. What an extraordinary experience it was for our children to have the support of Lauryn Hill, one of the most influential artists of our time.”