Tyesha LeBron
Queens, New York
Tyesha LeBron had a difficult childhood growing up in New York’s patchwork foster care system. At 19, she decided to begin living on her own. “It didn’t seem real that I finally had my own space,” said LeBron.
Since then, LeBron has been working, often in two full-time positions. For several years, she worked at CitiField and Home Depot in a work day that stretched from 7:30 in the morning until 11:00 at night. “I realized that if I wanted beautiful things, I needed to do beautiful things,” said LeBron. During her shift at Home Depot she met a senior member of Touro’s maintenance staff who was so impressed with her that he offered her a job on staff. In December 2018, LeBron joined Touro’s maintenance staff. At Touro, she met NYSCAS’s Lorrinda Moore who quickly saw LeBron’s promise and encouraged her to pursue higher education. “She was the mother figure that I never had before,” LeBron said about Moore. “She helped me believe in myself when I didn’t really believe in me.” LeBron said she is considering either studying psychology or computers for a future position in IT. With her incredible work ethic, it’s clear that whichever career she chooses, she will be a smashing success. Her advice for her fellow students? “Don’t limit yourself even if you go through hardship. Hardship is what pushes you to the finish line.”
Given how many hours she works, it’s no surprise that LeBron doesn’t watch (or own) a TV. She does admit to the occasional Netflix binging on her phone. Her latest favorite is the Tiffany Haddish-led comedy special They Ready.