Skye Harris returned to college to continue her education after a 15-year gap. A divorced mother of seven children, she persevered through a variety of challenges during that gap, from surviving family struggles and housing insecurity to enduring the trials of affirming her identity as a LGBTQIA person of color. Today, Skye is a proud CSU Dominguez Hills senior, majoring in sociology.

Skye’s experiences and hardships are the driving forces behind her desire to help others in need. She currently works as a training specialist at Five Acres, a Southern Californiabased nonprofit advocacy group for foster children. She leads its RISE Committee, which partners with the Los Angeles LGBT Center to help create a safe, affirming space for LGBTQIA youth.

Skye plans to become a licensed marriage and family therapist. She hopes to open a resource center for LGBTQIA youth in her ​Pasadena community.