I was aware of just how tough my neighborhood was. As much as people cared for each other there were real challenges with violence and drugs. Certainly, education was not the primary focus of life. My mom, though, always supported and pushed me and I saw the struggles she faced, working long hours with a 10th grade education to provide for her family. One day I brought home a flyer about a program that promised to help me for up to 12 years until I graduate college. Guess who was the biggest Breakthrough fan in the world in 2008? Yep, my mom!