My name is Ericka. By day, I am a Self Sufficiency Programs Facilitator. Basically, I have the opportunity to share with men and mostly women ways that they can crawl out of poverty and become self sufficient. This is very challenging because the stubborn mental mindset of many people in generational poverty and the limited resources available to those in absolute poverty.

I was blessed with this position partially because of my own background. I spent many years in poverty, alcoholism,...