PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023

Author De'Marcus Hamilton — aka Mark Supreme — with his new book

Offset, and Takeoff] to make up the Migos. Quavo can be your education, Offset can be your networking, and Takeoff can be your experience." Like Drake, some majors have ev erything, said Hamilton/Supreme. For example, a nursing degree requires classes, clinical on-the-job training, and professional interactions that will grow your network. Other degrees only provide education. Students aren't required to take an internship, develop a portfolio, or expand their network before graduation. It's up to them to figure out how to put everything together, like assembling the Migos, to find success. "What I'm trying to say in the book is that not everybody needs college, but everybody needs to be educated no matter what they want to do,” said Hamilton/Supreme. “So whether or not you go to college is completely

predicated on your end goal. I encourage people to figure out their end goal first." Hamilton/Supreme was writing his book when he and a few friends formed the Yani Collective to help host Juneteenth activities in Peoria. The Collective also decided to host DIGIM career and college fairs in the area, bringing dozens of experts in various fields together to share advice with students. Their new take on the traditional college fair started with 200 students at the George Washington Carver Center in the spring of 2022. It was so successful that they hosted 500 students at Bradley in the fall and held a third this past spring in Springfield. "I love seeing those partnerships get developed, and the collaborations begin to happen with other folks from different cities, different sides of the country," he said. "And now they've got a relationship too. That's what's dope."

Hamilton/Supreme is excited to work with students to help them achieve their dreams, which he’s done in places as far away as Denver and North Carolina. "It's been a journey," he said. "And I hope it's impactful for students. I hope it helps them. I hope after reading the book, they feel like they got a little bit better handle on how they want to go forward. And that's really what it's about. Just providing context in a world that has so much information and misinformation. I just want to help people." To learn more about Marc Supreme, D@mn, I Graduate in May! or DIGIM events, visit digimcoach.com.

Laurie Pillman is an author and freelance writer/editor, based in Peoria

JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 75