I was introduced to Gradi as her Guardian-ad-litem in 2017 while she was residing at a children's home outside of Charlotte, NC and have maintained a mentorship relationship with her ever since. She immigrated to the U.S. as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo when she was 5 years old and was removed from the custody of her guardian (her uncle) at the age of 14 and placed into “the system” where she was bounced around from home to home. She graduated High School, went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Pembroke University on the Dean's list and is now in her final year of Fisk University's Graduate program for Clinical Psychology. She has maintained excellent grades, works part-time at the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and stays out of trouble. She was just made aware that she was denied a loan and has an outstanding balance at Fisk that her student aid and grants did not cover for the 2023 school year. She is going to be purged from the school and dorm this week, leaving her homeless and one semester short of receiving her degree in May 2024. I am fundraising to raise enough money to cover what her financial aid did not, so that she can complete her degree. Please consider helping Gradi whom despite being handed a bowl of lemons in life, has a radiant spirit and a fierce determination that can’t be broken. ❤️