CNN this week has selected Jersey City resident Alfa Demmellash, co-founder and CEO of the Jersey City-based organizatiion Rising Tide Capital, as a finalist for its CNN Heroes of 2009 contest.
Rising Tide Capital was founded by Demmellash and her Harvard University classmate, Alex Forrester (now her husband) in 2004 to help local low-income and middle class residents become business entrepreneurs.
CNN Heroes is their search for “people driven to exceptional achievement in service to others.” The Heroes are selected based on a nomination by someone in their community.
CNN for its 2008 Heroes received over 4,000 nominations from 75 countries. The finalist for 2009 will be announced later this fall.
An video interview segment with Demmellash for CNN Heroes is airing currently.
It will also air on CNN in the U.S. starting next week and its global affiliates starting on Friday and running through the weekend. It can also be accessed by going to and clicking on the CNN Heroes frame on the homepage.
In addition, Demmellash will appear in a segment on Larry King Live next Thursday or Friday (June 25th or 26th). Check the Rising Tide website for updates.
Demmellash said in her first interview since finding out this week that she was selected as a CNN Heroes finalist that was she was “shocked.” But she was also thankful for the attention from CNN.
“I think Alex and i are most excited that it will bring more attention to this type of work that we and others in our field are doing,” Demmellash said. – Ricardo Kaulessar