Dara Yin
API Rise Los Angeles
Boyle Heights, CA USA
"When you give people access, it changes everything."
Career Roadmap
Dara's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I recommend doing both vocational and university education. I would start with vocational learning that targets business. Then, pursue a university degree to work on passion and career. A degree in non-profit management would work well for a career like mine.
Here's the path I took:
GED
Bachelor's Degree
Communications
California State University, Los Angeles
Graduate Degree
Learning, Design, and Technology
University of Southern California
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Senior Program Specialist:
Bachelor's Degree: Non-profit Management
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at the age of 19—for 10 years, I gave up on life and sunk deeper into the prison system.
2.
A visit from my mother, where she told me “I love you” for the first time in English, cracked open my heart and planted the seed for change.
3.
I earned my GED on a violent yard in Lancaster and mailed the photo home, desperate to give my mom one small thing to be proud of.
4.
I left my gang identity behind and transferred to a “soft yard” to pursue an education.
5.
Studying in prison introduced me to a brotherhood of learners—men like me—who debated, wrote papers, and reimagined what respect meant.
6.
I earned my bachelor’s degree while incarcerated and later my master’s at USC, where I created curriculum while still learning how to write it.
7.
After my sentence was commuted and I was released from prison, I made it my mission to try to undo the harm I once caused by showing up with empathy and helping others believe they can change too.
8.
I now work with youth and adults reentering the community—mentoring them, connecting them to jobs, and making sure they feel seen and supported.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was sentenced to life in prison at age 19. I gave up on life and fell deep into the prison system. When I finally decided to make a change, I focused on education and healing. My sentence was commuted and it's now my mission to help others like me.