Chinonso Onukwugha @ChinonsoOnukwugha is this week’s Connect Live Attendee of the Week. She’s a Local Guide Level 6 inOwerri, Nigeria. With a background in marketing and education, Chinonso works as a marketing consultant and academic support coordinator for Pearlville School in Imo State, Nigeria where she spearheads the entrepreneurship and leadership program.
Chinonso was nominated for Attendee of the Week by fellow Connect Live attendee Penny Christie ( @PennyChristie ) who wrote, “I love Chinonso’s spirit and enthusiasm. We are both members of theOne Accessibility effort and she is always very happy and eager to learn new things, and always encouraging us to move forward.”
Watching her Connect Live application video, her spirit and enthusiasm is an immediate takeaway. The other takeaway is her love for Nigeria. When answering the Connect Live video prompt, “What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your community?,” Chinonso gave insight to Nigeria’s people.
“We see everyone as family, and I mean that in a literal sense. Whenever we see our elders, we call them ‘auntie’ and ‘uncle.’ Whenever I meet someone, they’re ‘brother,’ ‘sister,’ ‘cousin.’ Everyone becomes family.” She added, “I’m able to meet people and truly connect with them, and see them as someone that actually matters to me because they do and they should.”
When we talked to Chinonso, she added, “Once you come to Nigeria, your life will never be the same—I can guarantee that. If you don’t fall in love with my people, you will fall in love with our food, our music, our culture, and our general ambitious energy.”
Chinonso herself is full of ambition and energy. She has hosted 15 Local Guides meet-ups to develop connections in the program offline which she said allows her to get to know Local Guides on a deeper level. She wrote in her Connect Live application, “I went into the program a bit naive but when I fully understood the purpose, I dove in full force with both feet by hosting events to connect with individuals on and off the Connect platform, and even became a part of the One Accessibility effort.” She tries to host at least one accessibility meet-up a month.
Given all of her enthusiasm, it’s no surprise that Chinonso says she’s looking forward to the moment she sees fellow Local Guides at the Connect Live welcome reception, the first activity where all attendees get to meet, many for the first time. “My cheeks will probably hurt from smiling and laughing too much.”
To learn more about Chinonso, tag her in the comments below.
and to you 