Achievers Continuously Exploring (A.C.E.) Youth Project, Inc. was founded in 2012 by Damian Humphrey, a socio–educational entrepreneur, who believes all Black and Brown students can learn and excel in education if provided with the right tools, support systems, and educators to succeed. A native of Panama, Damian moved to Boston in the fall of 1981. As he adjusted to a new language, culture, and New England winters, he excelled quickly in academics and learned firsthand the challenges that Latinx students face in educational predominantly White institutions (PWI). During a school trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as an 8th grader, he met Dr. Ronald E. McNair, the first African-American astronaut to fly in the Space Shuttle Columbia who was a graduate of MIT. From that brief encounter, Damian knew that he wanted his life to make a positive impact in the education of others like him and to be a role model for his community.

A.C.E. was launched as a STEM-based afterschool initiative in 3 schools in Hartford, Connecticut in 2014 with the goal of creating a "Pipeline" of talent into STEM colleges and universities and to eliminating the "Exposure Divide" that Black and Brown students have to careers in STEM. After making a considerable personal financial investment to launch A.C.E. students were able to receive math, reading, and science tutoring services, receive mentoring services by Black and Brown college students (ACE Coaches), and do site visits to the MIT Media Lab and campus, University of Connecticut Water Treatment Facility, and Pratt & Whitney's Engine Museum. Due to funding shortages programming was halted at the end of 2016 academic year. Due to the COVID-19 impact on the world of education and the immense challenges facing students A.C.E. has been reactivated to not only provide afterschool and summer programming to students but now also provide Academic and Financial Aid Counseling Services to high school and college students and their families.

Damian has been a leader and managing director in various organizations including State Street Bank, Brown Brothers Harriman, International Churches of Christ, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Connection, Inc., Springfield Technical Community College, Achievement First Schools, Year Up, Inc., U.S. Department of Defense, and Enfield Social Services. He's earned an Associates Degree from Mitchell College in Accounting, a Bachelors Degree from Quinnipiac University in Management, and continues to grow and learn as part of the largest Africana Studies educational community lead by Dr. Greg Carr of Howard University and Professor Karen Hunter of knarrative.com. Damian has also lived and worked in Madrid, Spain; Canary Islands, Spain; Paris, France; and Milan, Italy.