Vonya Quarles
Starting Over, Inc.
Corona, CA USA
"The only place to go is forward."
Career Roadmap
Vonya's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Law, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
My law degree has helped me in my role but there are a lot of really great executive directors who do not have a law degree. I think that if you are really interested in law, then you should pursue that law degree. However, if you are interested in another educational path, then that is the path for you. I believe there are many paths to a role like this.
Here's the path I took:
GED
Bachelor's Degree
Business, General
University of Phoenix
Doctorate
Law
Pacific Coast University of Law
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I grew up poor, moved around a lot, and spent time in foster care while my mother struggled with alcoholism, addiction, and incarceration.
2.
I dropped out of middle school and began struggling with substance abuse myself.
3.
I first entered the juvenile justice system when I was 11 years old and spent about 15 years in the criminal justice system overall.
4.
I was paroled in 1990 and was able to get a job at an oil refinery by hiding my background.
5.
While my job at the oil refinery changed my economic trajectory, I eventually realized that I was more so checked out and hiding rather than thriving.
6.
I started going to school at night and ultimately earned my bachelor’s degree as well as a law degree.
7.
I attended a Women Organizing for Justice and Opportunity training that completely changed my mindset about the work that needed to be done and the role I could play if I applied my whole self.
8.
In 2009, I co-founded Starting Over, Inc., an organization focused on helping people overcome homelessness through transitional housing, harm reduction, and supportive services.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
You can't come to our school because of your criminal background. You'll never practice law in the state of California with your background.
How I responded:
After earning my bachelor's degree, I decided I wanted to go to law school. Most law schools turned me down because of my criminal background. However, I found one school at which the dean told me that while I'll never practice law in California with my background, he'll admit me if I accepted that fact and still wanted to learn. Things fortunately changed during my four years of law school. After going through two years of moral character determination, I was granted a license to practice.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My mother was incarcerated when I was young, so I spent the early years of my life in foster care. Reading was my escape from my reality at the time.
I struggled with substance abuse through my whole early life but I've been sober for about 20 years now.
I spent about 15 years in the criminal justice system. I first entered the juvenile justice system at 11 years old. The system was waiting for me as I tried to break out of oppression and poverty. I now work to help others in similar circumstances.