Discover An Inspiring Personal Story of Resilience, Redemption, and Advocacy

Born into an impoverished community in a two-parent household that later fractured, Terence Lester and his sister were moved from place to place by their mother in a search for safety and stability. Carrying the heavy weight of that early trauma, Lester’s path led him to gangs, juvenile delinquency, and even homelessness, at one point living out of his car. He eventually dropped out of high school, another statistic in a system designed to fail him.

But his journey did not end in despair. Lester returned to school, graduating as a fifth-year senior against all odds. He went on to earn five degrees, including a PhD in public policy.