2024 Stories of Life event celebrates Black History Month

Asante Laryea-Akrong is from Accra, Ghana and is the youngest of six children. He is currently a junior studying Information Systems and hopes to teach in his chosen field of study. Laryea-Akrong won 4th place with his team in his core final project last semester. Laryea-Akrong was a member of the BYU Track and Field team and speaks seven languages. He is not a big fan of the snow, but loves oatmeal raisin cookies, watching movies, music, working out, athletics and football.

Ayanda Sidzatane is a Master of Public Administration student at the Marriott School of Business. She comes from beautiful, sunny South Africa. Her emphasis is Non-profit management with a minor in Information Systems. She graduated from BYU Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in Marriage and Family. She loves traveling and reading and believes in filling her life with joy. She also loves spending time with her children; their favorite activity is playing Minecraft.

Brandon Bradley currently works for BYU Athletics as the Director of Campus Experience. In this position, he oversees the planning, logistics and execution of visits, designs and oversees the game-day experience for recruits, and helps incoming student-athletes with their transition to college life. Bradley is from Tallahassee, Florida. He came to BYU and played defensive back on the football team while pursuing a bachelor’s in Global Studies and a minor in International Development. Bradley had 29 starts in his 45 career games. He served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Bradley and his wife, Alexis, have four kids together: Amiah, Mekhi, Zaden, and Azara.

Caitlyn Davis is from Van Buren, Arkansas. She is in her fourth year here at BYU, majoring in sociology. She served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Utah Ogden Mission. Her dream job is to be an Athletic DEI Director. Davis is a member of the Genesis group committee and has been a member of the ROC Board since 2021. She loves watching sports, hammocking, and baking. Her fun fact is that she is an avid lover of the color pink, cinnamon rolls, and the Cougars.

Lily Owens is from Chino Hills, California. She currently plays on BYU’s softball team. She played her freshman season at Lehigh University before transferring to BYU. Owens was also recruited by Cal State Faullerton, Boston, USF, and Seattle. She is majoring in political science with minors in Africana studies and English. She is a research assistant working on a report in college applications. Owens was on the news in second grade for burning her house down.

Malik Moore is from San Diego, California and is a former BYU student-athlete. He was a member of the BYU football team and played safety. Moore graduated from BYU with a degree in Family Science and a minor in Business. He can often be found taking pictures with his film camera and he appreciates a good meal. Moore soon hopes to be successful in business.

Marcia Neely-Be'y was born in Jamaica, New York and raised in Docena, Alabama by her maternal grandparents as an only child due to a 17-year difference in age between her and her sister. She raised 5 children—three of her own and her sister's youngest two after the sister’s passing. Neely-Be'y enjoys hanging out with her family, reading, putting together puzzles, listening to music and watching horror movies. She has two great-grandchildren with two more on the way. She moved to Utah eight years ago to take care of her grandson and can't seem to leave. Neely-Be'y loves the gospel of Jesus Christ and tries to be a good example to others. She was once in a fast-food restaurant commercial. She wanted to be a truck driver, pediatrician and race car driver as a teenager, but changed her mind when she fell in love and got married. She hates the snow and cold
weather.

Mitchell Otis is from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is in his first year of his Masters of Accountacy (MAcc). He hopes to help small companies and families become financially stable. Otis helped start a program that teaches hundreds of immigrants how to use computers and he has worked with a tax clinic that focuses on helping immigrants get out of tax trouble by prepping to get legislation passed. He is also a part of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). Otis considers himself a mediocre Latin dancer and
loves playing ping pong and reading dystopian novels. His claim to fame is winning an EFY dance competition at age 16.

Strati Young Jr. is from Clarksville, TN and is currently a junior studying advertising. He hopes that one day he can be a strategist for an advertising company. Young served his mission in Ogden, Utah from 2019 to 2021. His greatest accomplishment in his life has been marrying his amazing wife, Lexi, and starting their lives together. His favorite pastime is both playing and watching football, which he loves to do with his friends and family. A fun fact about Young is that he’s actually cousins with Snoop Dogg (no, he hasn’t met him, unfortunately).