Q & A

What led you to apply to Teach For America?

Because of my parents’ hard work, I felt like I had lived a life where I barely touched or saw many of the issues that defined the lives of my parents—housing discrimination, education inequity, income insecurity. If you know that your mission is social justice, educational equity, and making a difference on the ground level, the decision to apply becomes easy.

How was the corps a catalyst for your personal transformation?

My eventual journey to the Obama White House was largely due to my students. No textbook, grad school classroom, or job in Washington can get you the experience that you get in the classroom—not just in instruction, but in understanding the livelihood of youth, their families, and their communities. I will forever see policy and research in a unique light because of my time as Ms. Dessources.

What has your route been after the corps?

I served as President Obama’s Policy Advisor to the White House Council on Women and Girls, where my focus was on advancing equity for women and girls of color and from marginalized communities. I then became the director of the National Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives. Currently, I’m a Ph.D. student at Yale University, where my research interests focus on urban poverty and policy.

How did TFA prepare you for challenges you’ve faced in your career?

At the White House, my job was to coalesce policy across the federal government that specifically looked at the intersection of gender and race. Because of my time in the corps, I believed that the solutions were found in the voices of my students. I was able to see the intersection of so many large policy issues at play. I don’t know where else you get that lens, other than in the classroom.