Samira currently works as a Climate and Culture Coordinator and serves as a volleyball coach at her former high school, Charlestown High in Boston. Having grown up in Charlestown, she experienced firsthand how access, support, and representation can change a student’s future. “Neil, who started Alray, actually wrote a book about Charlestown High years ago, around the time I was a student,” she says. “I didn’t even realize the connection until I came back to work here. It felt aligned — everything came full circle.”
After graduating high school, Samira enrolled at Pine Manor, a small liberal arts college, drawn by the opportunity to pursue sports and explore who she was, both academically and personally, as she came into her own identity. But when the college abruptly shut down due to financial instability worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, her plans came to a halt. “I went through that hurdle and then was out of school for at least five years,” she says. During that time, she worked to support herself and continued to dream about returning to college. “I always wanted a degree, I wanted to be the first in my family to graduate. I wasn’t going to let my education go to waste.”
That motivation is what eventually led her to the Alray Scholars Program, which she learned about through a high school counselor she remained in touch with. “I think I applied two or three times,” she recalls. “The first few times I missed a few steps, but eventually I submitted my essay and got approved.” That moment became the turning point she’d been waiting for. “To me, school and the finance piece was a big burden, and not having parents or anyone to lean on was another bigger burden,” she shares. Samira decided to major in psychology, which helped her gain a deeper understanding of herself and others. “I’ve always struggled with mental health. I lost my mom really young,” she shares. “I’ve done a lot of work to understand myself better. I wanted to continue in psych, not only learn about myself and my family traumas, but also help the kids that I work with.”
Equally important was the mentorship she found through her match with Karen, who became an anchor of encouragement. “We still have a relationship to this day. She’d say, ‘You’re so easy, you’ve got it all figured out,’ but for me, just the support and knowing someone has my back was all I needed.”
Between her mentor’s steady encouragement and the financial relief of the scholarship, Samira finally had the support system she’d always needed to thrive. When she completed her degree, Samira gained access to new career opportunities that weren’t possible before. “Before Alray, I was working full-time at a health center. Once I got my degree and was hired by Boston Public Schools, my salary nearly doubled,” she explains. “My degree opened up more opportunities. The drastic change in income has been immense for me.”
Currently pursuing her master’s in social work, Samira hopes to continue serving Boston Public School (BPS) students and eventually open her own mental health practice. She speaks four languages and hopes to use that to reach and support more youth in the city. “The goal is to become a BPS social worker. The head of social work currently in BPS was actually my counselor when I was in high school. I’ve always wanted to follow in her footsteps. What she’s been able to do for me and for other kids in the community has changed a lot of people’s lives,” she says.
When she reflects on what Alray means to her, Samira’s words are filled with gratitude and conviction. “I couldn’t have finished school if it wasn’t for Alray. People might think I’m exaggerating when I say it saved my life, but it really did. For me, I never had the right resource — I think Alray was the perfect resource for me.”
Samira’s story was captured and written by Julianne Stein.
“Once I got my degree and was hired by Boston Public Schools, my salary nearly doubled. My degree opened up more opportunities. The drastic change in income has been immense for me.”