Inglewood resident Tiona Sykes, 25, received her first employment opportunity as a summer intern through the South Bay One-Stop Center during her sophomore year in high school.

Tiona became close friends with her mentor Veldafern McElroy, who helped Tiona focus on higher education and overcome life challenges.

Tiona went on to earn her BA in Psychology at CSU Channel Islands, her MA in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University, and is in a doctorate program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.