SMYAL Alum Tiarra Abu-Bakr at the 40th Anniversary Fall Brunch

"As I grew older, my connection to SMYAL deepened. I realized that the love and support I received here were not just important—they were life-changing. SMYAL didn’t just help me survive; it helped me thrive. And it planted a seed in me, a desire to become a safe space for others, just as SMYAL had been for me."

Alum Tiarra-Abu-Bakr shares her story of how SMYAL's support impacted her life and set her on a path to give back by becoming a holistic clinical therapist.