01:18
D'Andra King Highlight
You can either do one of two things: you can be mad at the world or you can focus on making a change.
About D'Andra
- I was born on the South Side of Chicago where my homelife was unstable—my mother was in an abusive relationship, we were in and out of shelters, and we often didn’t have light, gas, or heat.
- I enjoyed all four years of high school but wasn’t able to graduate.
- At age 18, one of my friends offered to help me out of the shelter and allowed me to live with her.
- I couldn’t afford college, so I took jobs within the community to get to know people and gain experience in the workforce—some of my positions included cashier, tax preparer, and home health aide.
- In 2015, I got the opportunity to enroll in the Jane Addams Resource Corporation Computer Numerical Control job training program.
- When I completed the program, I got a full-time job as a machinist at S&C Electric.
- Unfortunately, my mother got sick and I eventually felt burnt out as a machinist, so I pivoted into health care and became a home health care provider for my mother.
- After finally being given good opportunities and paving a road for myself, it’s my goal to pay it forward and help others who might also be lacking opportunities and resources.
