Isaiah Warner founded the Legacy Room, a nonprofit that provides professional resources and mentorship.
Township resident and Rowan College at Burlington County alum Isaiah Warner’s new nonprofit links young people with resourceful career tools and professional mentors, allowing them to establish a lasting impact in their desired fields.
“A lot of people don’t know what their purpose is or where they’re trying to go,” the 21-year-old said of his initiative, Legacy Room. “You want to leave a legacy, not only for yourself, but for other people, your friends, family, and the environment around you.
“If you can just give somebody the way to go to the right lane, I think that’s beneficial.”
Warner initially had only personal experience in professional growth, pursuing knowledge with friends. The Legacy Room soon pivoted to helping the Mount Laurel community at large.
“I was more into finances, and I wanted to learn how to make money in different ways,” he recalled. “So I just asked a few people I know, ‘Hey, do you want to learn more about real estate or taxes?’ After two or three weeks, we thought, ‘Hey, why are we doing this just for us?'”
The nonprofit held its first township networking event in June. Among food and refreshments, about 40 success-driven individuals spoke with influential guests, including township Mayor Fozia Janjua, whom Warner met after teaching her son how to play basketball.
After that inaugural event, Warner set his sights higher. With the help of Janjua, the Legacy Room secured a larger, more serviceable venue an the Mount Laurel Community Center, where November Networks 2024 was held earlier this month.
Guests got to hear from speakers Sam Thevanayagam, president and CEO of Parts Life Inc., a mechanical manufacturer for clients that include the Department of Defense; and Riccardo Dale, a Beverly City councilman and founder of his own nonprofit, Free All Minds Academy, that is focused on instilling essential life skills in young men of color.
Warner takes great care in selecting varied voices from a wide range of career paths to speak at Legacy Room networking sessions.
“I wanted it to be a mix of somebody a little bit more experienced, and someone younger, or someone more intellectual, so that covers a lot of demographics,” he explained. “We have attendees that are into law, some that are into the military coming around.
“Some people want to grow the conventional way, 9 to 5,” he added, “and some people want to do it the unconventional way, maybe wanting to get into fashion. So we have different resources, and (participants) can reach out to them.”
Rowan contributed a table at the June event, manned by representatives from Academics, Workforce Development and Enrollment Management. As a community college graduate whose father, Paul Warner, teaches Information Technology at the college, the younger Warner wanted to make sure community college students were aware of the event.
“We’re going to give (people) multiple sources to get help,” Warner said of his events. “And a community college, anyone, any age, anyone trying to learn – it doesn’t matter, can apply.”
When they aren’t planning and hosting sessions, Warner and his partners create content on social media. Their YouTube Channel focuses on helpful tips and tricks, as well as interviews with professionals covering multiple industries like business; real estate; photography and videography, among others.
