A success story

Posted by Frances Laming-Vancer

Nike Charles shared with us her struggling journey, while being raised in what she called the 'ghetto' fighting with drugs and alcohol and of her passion today to share her success of breaking out of the downward cycle.

Gerry Atkinson introduced the guest speaker, Nike Charles who grew up in the Lawrence heights and Jane & Finch neighbourhood. Her father emigrated from Nigeria in 1972. He was determined to be the first out of 32 children to read. He is the youngest and the only one out of the 32 children who can read or write. He is her driving force in everything she does.

Nike shared with us her story from the 'ghetto' to her success today. She has a major belief in a youth mentoring program of which she is a part of currently mentoring two teenage girls from the same neighbourhood.

In May of 2002 she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Sports Medicine with an emphasis in Kinesiology and currently works at an Insurance company as a claims adjudicator (dealing with medical and rehabilitation issues).