Kailanya Brailey grew up in Livingston, SC. As an elementary, middle, and high school student matriculating through the schools in the small town of North, SC, she can easily remember experiences that enhanced her love of learning, her confidence as a learner, and her pride in where she was from and who she could become. Her family, teachers, and community were the key forces in the collective effort that encouraged her to SOAR and pursue her “greater” unapologetically. It did not matter where she was from. North signified where she was and also the direction in which she could go. As an educator, it became her mission to inspire and empower others with the guiding principles that had been instilled in her in that small town. Still in South Carolina and currently serving as a school administrator, Kailanya continuously strives to live the message of honoring your story and finding your voice. She impresses upon others the importance of cultivating the drive to keep going, keep striving, and keep growing in pursuit of learning and realizing your dreams.