Check Out Shamika Hogan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shamika Hogan.

Hi Shamika, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I come from humble beginnings with young parents who sacrificed and worked extremely hard to provide access to opportunities for my sisters and me. Access that would open the door for me to hold the position of Executive Director of i.c.stars Kansas City to serve and make a difference in my community. I completed my undergraduate degree in Topeka, KS, at Washburn University, receiving my bachelor’s in Public Administration Nonprofit management. While in Topeka, I held many internships in government and nonprofit sectors. Early on, I knew I wanted to serve in a capacity that would allow me to impact low-income communities.

After graduating from college, I started my professional career as a housing specialist, where I had the opportunity to advocate for clients seeking housing assistance or in transitional housing. It was this experience that motivated me to seek a master’s degree in management with an emphasis on fundraising because, after working on the program side of a nonprofit, I was curious how I could leverage my love for building and maintaining relationships and storytelling skills to help raise dollars for a nonprofit organization(s). While I was completing my master’s degree, I got married to my H.S. sweetheart Bryan Hogan and had two boys. Shortly after completing my master’s degree, I joined an emerging leaders program at Bank, where I received another master’s degree, as I like to call it, in banking and learned how banks support low and moderate-income communities. This experience prepared me to accept a role as Director of Development for a large nonprofit organization.

I joined the nonprofit during a tremendous time when they had 1.5 MM and old payables on the books, which required me to build a high-functioning infrastructure for the organization’s development department, which would prove to be critical to the survival of an organization whose longevity has spanned four decades. While equally as important as raising awareness of our mission and those experiencing homelessness. Aligning community resources and partnerships, cultivating old and new relationships, developing policies and procedures, and creating a plan and path forward all resulted in a tremendous increase in profit margins. Within three blurry and mind-blowing pandemic-fueled years, we saw an annual budget increase of 30 percent that grew from 6.6MM in 2019 to 9.9MM in 2023 with strong reserves.

I have recently accepted the Executive Director role of i.c.stars Kansas City. I accepted this role because I understand the importance of access and opportunity. I.c.stars Kansas City looks for resilient young people who need an opportunity. The technology – and software development in particular – we teach is the vehicle for economic mobility. In learning to build applications, we also help change the mindset of our participants, from consumer to maker. I have been fortunate to learn from some incredible people. This city is packed with some of the biggest and best movers and shakers, and at the risk of sounding a little cheesy, I’m invigorated by it every day.

My passion is serving underserved communities because, more often than not, those communities look like the community that raised me. These communities are filled with people who look like me and raised with the same moral compass. There are incredibly bright and talented people in these communities who are often overlooked and not afforded the opportunities they deserve. I am committed to ensuring that they know it’s possible. That they can see themselves in me as I do them. My faith teaches me that “to whom much is given, much is required,” and because I believe this to be true, I live my life with intention. My gift of gratitude is impacting Kansas City communities, similar to those that shaped the woman I am today.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been smooth; however, the challenges that I have faced have more to do with the lack of representation in my family and internal battles. I was born to young parents who worked extremely hard to provide access to opportunities, but they couldn’t necessarily help me navigate through the opportunities. I like to give the analogy that my parents were able to bring me to the mountain, but they couldn’t tell me how to climb to the top. They could cheer me, but it was up to seek out mentors and friends to help me climb that mountain that, for me, was college and then my professional career.

My subsequent struggle would have to be navigating my career in spaces where I have found myself to be one of a few minorities. And when I would enter the rooms, people would question how I got into the room or imply that I “should be grateful for the opportunities.” The real challenge I faced was not that I didn’t feel I belonged because I knew I earned every role and opportunity I had been blessed with, but the real challenge was battling imposter syndrome.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the Executive Director of i.c.stars Kansas City. I lead an organization with over 20 years of experience jumping into the technology careers of communities with untapped talent and the potential to solve our businesses’ challenges. As our employers (organizations like Amsted Rail, Accenture, Blue Cross, and United Airlines) know, diversity of thought drives innovation i.c.stars, working with groups like the KC Tech Council, can provide that diversity of thought, help keep our talent local, and help companies identify the young people they need to build the future workforce. I am most proud about the opportunity to lead the launch of i.c.stars in Kansas City as the third location of i.c.stars to create opportunities that can potentially change the trajectory of an entire family and community.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like best about Kansas City as a black married woman with children and career-driven:

• Cultural Diversity: Kansas City has a diverse population, which means you can find various cultural events, festivals, and communities that celebrate different backgrounds and traditions.
• Family-Friendly Environment: The city offers numerous family-oriented activities, parks, and recreational spaces where you can spend quality time with your children and create lasting memories.
• Affordable Housing: Compared to many other major cities, Kansas City generally offers a lower cost of living, including affordable housing options, which can benefit families.

What do I like least about Kansas City?

• Racial Disparities: Like many cities, Kansas City faces challenges related to racial disparities, which can affect access to opportunities, education, and socioeconomic equality.
• Limited Diversity in Some Areas: While the city is diverse overall, specific neighborhoods or communities may have less racial diversity, impacting your sense of community or social interactions.
• Education Disparities: Some areas of Kansas City may have educational disparities, with schools facing challenges regarding resources, funding, and academic achievement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.icstars.org/portfolio-items/kansas-city/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamika-hogan-0a443253/

Image Credits
Headshot captured by Anna Patrice Photography LLC. Family photos captured by KLY Photography, i.c.stars Kansas City Launch event captured by Elements Studio Photography