I grew up poor in a small town in Georgia. My mother and stepfather both had issues with drugs or alcohol. In middle school, I came home to see our double-wide trailer being repossessed; my mom was crying because she thought she'd failed us. I've been homeless, had parents in rehab—you name it, I've faced it. I was accepted to DePaul University with two scholarships, but weeks before my first day, my mom lost her job. We had nothing, and no way to get to Chicago. But within 48 hours, people from our community dropped off gift cards and cash, rented us a car, paid for my mom's hotel. My town got me there.

I started driving for Lyft in December 2014—money was supertight because by then I was in law school. Although I've been a practicing criminal prosecutor for a few months, I still drive to make extra cash. I love seeing folks both on their daily grind and in the exciting times: I take them to job interviews, christenings, or first dates when they're popping breath mints. People don't know the impact they have on one another. It's common to see someone whose face is down in their phone texting away. But being Southern, I can't resist chatting them up. When they realize you actually give a darn, they blossom right in front of you.

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