Finding Her Lane
On a hot summer day in the middle of July, Gloria Carter is home preparing for another day of work. As she heads into the office, her late grandfather's words play in the back of her mind: “Be the best at everything you do. If you keep going, you’ll never have traffic in your lane.” While she understands those words of wisdom now, there was a time in her life when Gloria didn't just experience traffic in her lane - she couldn't yet find the on-ramp.
At 24, Gloria is finally in her element, but the road she traveled to get here wasn’t always smooth. She is currently serving as a Community Engagement Associate for Isles Youth Institute, a youth-serving program of Isles Inc. Isles Inc. is a member of the New Jersey Opportunity Youth Coalition - a collective of organizations dedicated to supporting opportunity youth throughout the state. Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN) serves as the backbone of the Coalition and works to convene all member organizations and partners.
Gloria grew up in South Jersey and, by 17, was already navigating grief that would have pushed anyone off course. Losing her grandfather, the man who raised her after her mother passed, marked a painful turning point. “I had to figure it out on my own,” she said. By her early 20’s, Gloria was desperate for a fresh start, so she set out on a cross-country road trip to California with her boyfriend. However, instead of a better life, her journey on the I-40 brought her into an even less stable environment. She ended up sleeping in her car, cycling through Airbnbs, experiencing domestic violence, and working odd jobs just to eat. “After a few months of that, I realized nobody was coming to save me,” she shared. “I was the only person in my corner.”
It was then that Gloria leaned into a fierce refusal to let life’s challenges break her spirit. Whether calling 2-1-1 for housing leads or hustling through side gigs, she learned how to make a way out of no way. She came back to New Jersey with grit and a plan and, this time, she reached out for help. Gloria tapped into the very family connections she’d once written off after her grandfather passed away. She packed up, left behind a man who fostered a toxic relationship, and started again, this time in Trenton. And that’s where things started to shift into high gear.
Although anxious about the prospect of building a life in a new city once again, when Gloria arrived in Trenton, it wasn’t unfamiliar ground. She had older cousins who’d been through Isles themselves. Through them, Gloria had previously met people connected to the Isles community, giving her context on how empowering the program could be. So she arrived determined and quickly applied to the program herself. With everything she’d learned about seizing opportunities, Gloria wasn’t about to let this one pass her by.
Isles opened the door for Gloria to rewrite her story. What began as a quest to earn her high school diploma through their YouthBuild program became a catalyst for complete transformation. Gloria finished the program, graduated at the top of her class, and delivered a senior speech that left the room in tears. Tyquan, a mentor at Isles, saw her potential and went the extra mile, coaching her into professionalism, teaching her how to lead, and pushing her past her comfort zone. Tyquan’s mentorship, and the skills Gloria gained from YouthBuild, enabled her to get hired at Isles to help support other young people just like her - those who got pushed off course by life’s challenges, but were ready to find their way back.
“I know what it feels like to think nobody cares,” Gloria added. “The resources are there, you just have to know how to use them. And I’m here to show them how.” And even though there may still be some bumps in the road ahead, she is confident of one thing: there’s no traffic in her lane as she helps others find their on-ramp.
