For Tailah, justice is more than an ideal. It is the reason she puts her all into achieving her dream of becoming a criminal defense attorney and, ultimately, a judge.
Tailah completed her degree in criminal justice in 2025, graduating summa cum laude from North Carolina Central University, and is hard at work preparing for the LSAT. But her path to leadership in law and advocacy was at risk of being derailed when her mother, a registered hospice nurse, suffered a debilitating back injury while lifting a patient.
“I was in sixth grade when my mom was injured,” she says. “She has had months of physical therapy in the past but still experiences debilitating pain daily while sitting, laying, standing or walking. Navigating the medical and workers compensation systems have exacted an emotional and psychological toll as well.”
Without her mother’s income, Tailah didn’t know how her family could possibly support the cost of college. “I was searching for any and every source of scholarship support when I came across Kids’ Chance,” she recalls.
“Kids’ Chance was there for me for all four years of college,” Tailah says. “Their scholarship support reduced so many of my worries so that I could focus on my studies. The people at the organization went above and beyond financial assistance, though. They sent care packages, invited me to baseball games and golf events, and in general kept track of how I was doing. They paid attention. They cared enough to do what they could to make my undergraduate years as smooth as possible.”
While studying for the LSAT, Tailah is working as a psychiatric rehabilitation services coordinator at a rehabilitation/nursing facility. It is another step toward her goal to work with people suffering from mental illness, and to be on the front lines of ensuring that our justice system includes proper and rigorous legal defense for all who need it.
“Early on, my mom saw my potential for a career in law,” she says. “It’s true I can be stubborn and straight forward. But I also have strong values. I am passionate about integrity and justice. These are things I learned from my mom.”
When Kids’ Chance of Illinois board member Juan Carlos Lopez invited Tailah to apply to become a Kids’ Chance of America National Ambassador, she didn’t think twice before saying yes.
“Kids’ Chance is an organization that I can personally vouch for,” she says. “I know how much they care – in fact, even though I am out of college they still check up on me! It is a beautiful organization. It is a blessing to share my story and hopefully encourage more donations to the organization.”
“I am excited to meet other Kids’ Chance scholars as well,” Tailah continues. “Growing up as a child of immigrants, watching how they worked tirelessly for the American dream, inspires me to continue. As a Kids’ Chance National Ambassador, I want to let other students know that they can overcome whatever obstacles they are facing. They, like me, can achieve their dreams.”
