2022-100-Faces-Book - Flipbook - Page 19
Keyaundra
Graduate. Achiever. Future undertaker.
Keyaundra is studying to be a mortician. She says
she’s been fascinated with the art and science of death
since she was a little girl.
Yet her story is not one of death or darkness, but of
life—and light.
Keyaundra was living in Cayce Homes, Nashville’s
oldest and largest public housing project located
east of downtown, when she heard about the Martha
O’Bryan Center several years ago.
The average family in Cayce Homes lives off about
$8,000 a year.
“That’s not enough. I think we can all agree on that,”
says Kent Miller, chief program officer at Martha
O’Bryan.
About 70 percent of the neighborhood is on SNAP
benefits, and 30 percent are unemployed. Many Cayce
Home residents are also part of the Martha O’Bryan
community, which is how Keyaundra connected with
the organization.
“I used to always hear about how Martha O’Bryan had
great opportunities. And that’s where it all began,”
she says.
Keyaundra enrolled in the Adult Education program at
Martha O’Bryan nearly 12 years ago when Tennessee
offered the GED. When the test changed from the
GED to the HiSET (High School Equivalency Test), she
lost all her progress and became discouraged. She
would start and stop various programs over the years,
struggling to balance school with being a single parent
to her 16-year-old daughter. Not to mention worsening
issues with her vision, which would sometimes cause
her to black out. She felt defeated.
“At first it was my own mind. I would say, ‘I can’t do it.
It’s too hard,’ ” she says. “And also the lifestyle that I
was living. Once upon a time, I was doing drugs. So
once I came to the conclusion that I no longer wanted
that in my life—I wanted more; I wanted better—that’s
what gave me the strength to continue on with
focusing on my GED.”
In March 2018, she came back with resolve. She
credits her success to her teacher, who she calls Ms.
Judy. Keyaundra’s eyes brighten when she mentions
Ms. Judy.
“She was the first person that I laid eyes on that stuck
by me through this entire experience and she never
gave up on me,” Keyaundra says. “She taught me math.
She taught me how to be strong. I just can’t put a label
on it. She taught me everything.”
With hard work, Keyaundra passed all the tests except
math by June. She took the math HiSET in December
2018, but only scored a 3 out of the minimum 8.
Keyaundra didn’t let that stop her. She would come to
class early to study and finally passed her math test
with a 9 in April, earning her well-deserved High School
Equivalency degree.
“Over this past year, we have watched her transform
as she has gained both skills and confidence,” says
Emrie Smith, high school equivalency specialist at
Martha O’Bryan. “Her joy can be found in her
steadfast resilience.”
Days after receiving her passing results, she was back
at Martha O’Bryan applying for colleges. Her next goal
is to become a mortician. She says she’s never been
able to see herself doing anything else.
“I’m optimistic about my future. I’m really excited.
I’ve come so far from being homeless to doing drugs,
getting my GED, working to become a mortician,
hopefully next: a home. I’m in an apartment now but I
want a home. That’s my goal. That’s my dream. I’m not
stopping now. Nothing can stop me now.”
Martha O’Bryan Center
