'1 in 5' Episode 15: Meet Shaquana Graham - Ascend at the Aspen Institute

Shaquana Graham is a single mother of three beautiful children. She lives in The Bronx, NY, and is currently a full-time student at Bronx Community College. She will be transferring to Lehman College, CUNY in Fall of 2021.

Shaquana is part of LIFT, an organization dedicated to helping low-income families build strong personal, social and financial foundations, including securing stable employment and building credit.

Shaquana was recently diagnosed with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that can affect different body systems. She joined The Lupus Foundation, to share her story and help others by being an advocate and motivating those who struggle everyday with this disease.

Shaquana is an optimistic and driven individual who believes in fighting for what you want, and never giving up.

Listen

You can read the episode transcript here.

Resources

LIFT is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit and works with families to break the cycle of poverty by using a two generation approach. They have offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

CUNY EDGE’s mission is to help CUNY students who are receiving public assistance achieve academic excellence, graduate on time, and find employment.

Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) delivers student-centered academic and workforce development programs and serves as a gateway to access further education, career achievement, personal growth, and self-sufficiency for adult learners in the NYC area.