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Markeitah is an Inupiaq Alaska Native. She had a tough childhood. Her mother passed away when she was young, leaving her father to raise her and her siblings. At 16, she had to quickly grow up when she became pregnant with her daughter, Zaelynn.

Markeitah was determined to finish high school and go to college. She wanted to set a good example for her daughter. She enrolled in an alternative school for pregnant teens and eventually moved to New Jersey to finish her studies. Markeitah balanced being a mother, school, and work, and received her GED in 2017 at the age of 20.

College brought on tough decisions for Markeitah. She decided to leave Zaelynn with her family in New Jersey and left to pursue school in Alaska. Her grandmother and aunt spoke very highly of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) and told her about the CITC Health Profession Opportunity Program (HPOG) program, which led her to the Alaska Career College (ACC).

At the age of 18, Lindsay was living in a two-bedroom, section 8 apartment in Pittsburgh with her 4-year-old son. She became a single mom at the age of 14 and wanted a better life for her family. She struggled as a server in a restaurant, making only $2.83 per hour with tips. She took nursing prerequisite classes in the little spare time she had. She dreamed of becoming a nurse but struggled with childcare and transportation.

She learned about the Pathway to Success in Healthcare HPOG program through the Community College of Allegheny County's (CCAC) website. Lindsay stated, "I knew I wanted to be successful but didn't have many resources to do so until I found HPOG. HPOG has changed my life in many ways." HPOG allowed her to put her son in a great daycare while she was in school so she could focus and have more time to study. They also provided a team of people to help Lindsay through the tough times, including Dave, her support specialist.

Sheyanna is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. She spent her childhood moving around North Dakota to live with various family members. Unfortunately, she was abused by the people who were supposed to be caring for her. When she was 15, Sheyanna suffered the loss of a child. Struggling, she moved to Belcourt, ND to live with her absentee mother.
 

While living with her mother, Sheyanna cared for her younger siblings. Sheyanna focused on school, realizing that it could take her somewhere. She was homeless in high school and needed assistance from low-income programs for food and other necessities. Sheyanna worked hard to keep her grades up, but with all the distractions of life, she almost did not graduate.
 

After high school graduation, Sheyanna enrolled at Turtle Mountain Community College, and applied for Health Education Access through Rural Training (HEART) Project , funded by HPOG. HEART provided support when she needed it the most. She was able to keep up with her studies anywhere using the Surface Pro HEART gave her to do her homework. Often it was in her car. Despite her hardship, Sheyanna found time to take part in Student Senate at Turtle Mountain and volunteer. She did all this while working as a CNA to support herself.

In 2016, Ray-Lynn was working as a medical aide at a nursing home and was enrolled in nursing school. She struggled financially, finding it hard to pay for childcare. She knew her chosen field of healthcare held opportunity, but she didn’t know how she could afford both. She found out about the Kansas Health Profession Opportunity Program (KHPOP) through her nursing school peers and decided to apply.

Those who come to Volunteers of America Michigan are often looking for a new lease on life. For many, this involves a change in career. Through the Volunteers of America Michigan HPOG (VOAMI HPOG) program, participants find a new livelihood in healthcare, one that sustains them and offers the opportunity for growth.

Mariela is one such participant. She wanted a better life for her family and was doing everything she could to make it happen. She worked long hours as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and went to school full-time to fulfill her dream of becoming a registered nurse (RN). She balanced this with spending time with her husband and daughter.

Anna always wanted to work in healthcare, but when her family expanded, she became a stay at home mom. She felt as though she had lost part of herself. Anna knew she wanted to serve people and find her identity outside of motherhood, so she looked into classes at Everett Community College (EVCC).

Anna shared her struggles with another student who told her about the Innovations in Creating Access To Careers in Healthcare (I-CATCH) program. She applied right away. By the time Anna had started school at EVCC, she was caring for her ill grandfather, in addition to her four children. "My grandpa was my cheerleader, every day when I got home, he would ask me what I learned and tell me I was going to be a badass doctor one day."

As a child growing up in Chicago’s South Side, Lorena wanted to be a doctor because she enjoyed helping others. She experienced many challenges and setbacks that delayed her education goals. It seemed that for every step she took forward, Lorena was knocked back two. However, regardless of what she endured, Lorena did not give up on her dreams.

HPOG funds a program called Partnership to STEP UP in Health Careers (STEP UP) at Chicago State University. In the spring of 2017, Lorena's best friend, who was in STEP UP, introduced Lorena to the program. Lorena decided to learn more about STEP UP and attended orientation. After applying, Lorena was selected and started the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.

Daphne was living in Nigeria with her husband and young son when life became intolerable due to religious persecution. Daphne wanted a better life for her son. She knew people living in the United States and made the decision to leave. She landed in a community that was not very welcoming. The language barrier was difficult. While searching for assistance for her family, she found Vive La Casa, operated by Jericho Road Community Health Center, in Buffalo, New York.

Vive La Casa provides legal aid and safe refuge to people seeking asylum in the United States. The staff opened their arms and hearts to Daphne and her son, finding her space at a shelter. While there, Daphne told a new friend that she had interest in working in healthcare. That friend referred her to the Buffalo Employment and Training Center (BETC). It was at BETC where she met Pat Williams, a case manager for the HPOG Buffalo program.

Any visitor to Texas will observe the immense openness and bright optimism. It characterizes not only its landscape, but also the big hearts of its people. Jessica is an example of the tenacity and grit of an Alamo Community College District HPOG graduate.

Fadumo grew up in Somalia with her mother and five siblings during the Somali Civil War. One day in 1991, 8-year old Fadumo and her younger sister set off to find clean water for their family. While walking, they heard gunfire and ran into an abandoned house to escape it. There, Fadumo heard the whistling of an incoming bomb before it hit. Fadumo lost her sister and sustained injuries to her leg that led to its amputation.

In 1996, her family sought refuge from the war and set out for Kenya on foot. That same year, they gained refugee status and immigrated to Seattle. In Seattle, doctors and care teams treated infections related to Fadumo's amputation. She received a prosthetic leg and regained her ability to walk on her own. The medical staff's compassion and support sparked Fadumo's interest in the healthcare field.