Move-In Day Mafia helps former foster kids go to college

JACKSON, Tenn. — Jackson native TeeJ Mercer has come up with a solution to ease the stress of students who have left foster care and have been accepted into college.

Two years ago, former Hollywood film and television producer TeeJ Mercer founded Move-In Day Mafia, a national nonprofit that provides a sense of community and family to traditionally black college and university students who have emerged from foster care.

“The Mafia takes care of itself, and we walk with these students for four years. We don’t just move them. They get monthly care packages and regular check-ins with my team. As a result, we take care of them all the way to the finish line of their dream of graduating,” said TeeJ Mercer, founder of Move-In Day Mafia.

When she moved from Hollywood to Atlanta in 2020, student graduation ceremonies were canceled due to Covid-19.

She came up with the idea to create a virtual bingo game, which was later called “TeeJ’s HBCU Bingo.” In less than four weeks, it raised over $1 million in cash and prizes.

That money was given to the 2020 HBCU graduates who did not receive their degrees.

“She’s known as the walking exclamation point and the best hugger in the world. When you combine that with someone who walks in their gift of making others happy, it’s an amazing experience,” said Mina Starks, assistant don of design.

Starks said it’s a great experience to make a difference in children’s lives.

“When we do the interviews, we always ask them, ‘What’s your favorite color?’ ‘How do you like your room to feel?’ ‘What motivates or inspires you?’ so we can take those little details and execute them in the room. We take all their little details and we just bring excitement and fun into their room,” Starks said.

Mercer and Starks will be at Lane College this Saturday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to help former foster children with their integration.

They are also looking for volunteers.

“We need volunteers to go to moveindaymafia.org/volunteer and we need help opening the boxes, sorting the rooms, cleaning the rooms, decorating the rooms. What else Mina?” Mercer asked. “Putting together lights, putting together snack carts. We’re really trying to show them that we’ve really paid attention to the things that are most important to them,” Starks replied.

Mercer also said her mother, uncle and godmother are all Lane College alumni and it feels good to be back home.

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