Turning Pain Into Purpose

What happens when personal loss gets turned into public purpose? We sit down with Veronica Boutte, a computer science and visual arts student at Dillard University, and founder of the Purple Pearl Project, to talk about how she turned her grandfather's and aunt's experiences with dementia into a movement built on tech, design, and community. They get into Veronica's path back to school after dropping out and serving in the military, what it means to lead as a non-traditional student, and why she builds awareness through experiences that feel fun and social first, a Fear Factor-style activation, line dancing, a cause carnival, instead of lectures. We also unpack the future of Purple Pearl, including plans to turn it into a game or learning tool that teaches empathy and health awareness the way young people actually engage. If you care about student leadership, HBCU culture, public health, or building something meaningful with limited resources, this one is for you. Contact Veronica: Instagram: @thepurplepearl25 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vboutte/ Email: [email protected]