House Concurrent Resolution 63

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING MS. SHEENA ALLEN FOR BEING HONORED AS A MEMBER OF THE 2019 FORBES 30 UNDER 30 CLASS.

WHEREAS, Ms. Sheena Allen, a native of Terry, Mississippi, received one of the most prestigious honors awarded to a young person when she was honored as a member of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 class, a truly outstanding and remarkable achievement; and

WHEREAS, the 30 Under 30 list is Forbes' annual list of outstanding entrepreneurs across the United States and Canada, and choosing these honorees among thousands of individuals is a daunting, three-layer process that relies on the knowledge of its wide-reaching community, skilled reporters and expert judges, with the final product being a collection of bold risk-takers that put a new twist on the old tools of the trade; and

WHEREAS, while she currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Allen is a Golden Eagle at heart, as she graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a dual bachelor's degree in psychology and film; and

WHEREAS, in 2011, Ms. Allen started her first company, Sheena Allen Apps, and her ingenuity and savvy business sense catapulted the media tech company to millions of downloads, cementing her success in the digital world; and

WHEREAS, while visiting Terry in late 2015, Ms. Allen noticed that numerous people in her community were still using predatory financial services, such as payday lenders, and while this information was upsetting at first, it also inspired her to start her second business, CapWay, which is a neo-bank that includes financial education and gamified micro-lending for those who do not fit into the traditional banking system; and

WHEREAS, in 2016, Ms. Allen made her debut in She Started It, a documentary that follows the startup journey of five women, and in 2017, she released her first print book, The Starting Guide, a three-part book that discusses her startup adventure and serves as a guide for those interested in app development but not sure where to start and business advice and tips; and

WHEREAS, the positive response from supporters of The Starting Guide was so monumental that it led Ms. Allen to start App It Out, an interactive workbook and curriculum focused on simplifying app ideas and app development; and

WHEREAS, as a world traveler who has given presentations on subjects such as owning a successful tech company as a nontechnical founder and inclusion in tech, Ms. Allen has been featured in various publications, including Black Enterprise and EBONY Magazine, and she is a 2018 Business Insider Under 30 Innovator; and

WHEREAS, with her outstanding disposition, Ms. Allen certainly exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, courage and hard work, inspiring all of those around her to strive for excellence each day; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippians, especially those such as Ms. Sheena Allen, whose hard work, determination and success as an exceptional entrepreneur bring honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and commend Ms. Sheena Allen for being honored as a member of the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 class, and extend best wishes for continued success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Sheena Allen and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.