Lisa Carter was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a historical community challenged by drugs, violence and poverty. At the age of twelve, she was placed in foster care and shortly after, became pregnant.  Her mother, who battled with alcohol and drug abuse, unfortunately passed away one month before her son was born. Despite these hardships, she worked as a peer advisor - with the goal of educating teens about making healthy decisions. Later, she accepted a position at Boston Medical Center's Teen and Tot Program, where she worked with a medical team to ensure young parents received the services needed to parent effectively. Her pursuit of post secondary education was always at the forefront of her mind, and after years of hard work and determination, she earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts. She now serves as a site coordinator at Communities in Schools, a drop-out prevention organization, located in Charlotte, NC. Lisa hopes her story will inspire others to reach beyond their circumstances and to never give up.