From Homeless to Healthcare: How Daughters of Zion’s Newly Crowned CNA Valedictorian Beat All Odds
By the Shelby County Observer Education Staff on May 1, 2025
MEMPHIS, TN — Tuesday, April 29, 2025 during the Certified Nursing Assistant graduation, on a stage illuminated by triumph and tears, Adriana McWright did something extraordinary. Not just in becoming the Valedictorian of Daughters of Zion’s William & Johnson Career College CNA program, but in revealing the untold story of resilience that carried her there.
“I wasn’t even gonna say it,” McWright began, her voice steady yet laced with raw emotion. “But words of encouragement, y’all. I lost everything before I started this class. I hid it so well y’all wouldn’t have even known I was staying in my car this whole time.”
Her confession stunned the room into silence, yet it underscored what Daughters of Zion has quietly built — a sanctuary of hope and opportunity in a city too often defined by generational poverty and systemic barriers. While statistics may count the homeless, Adriana’s story reminds us of what they often miss: determination, dreams, and the will to rise.
Throughout the rigorous CNA training program, McWright never missed a beat. A Commissioners Scholarship awardee, she arrived daily with a smile, participated, engaged, and remained focused on her greater purpose. “I knew it was a greater purpose… that I would be where I wanted to be,” she reflected. Her peers saw a motivated classmate, unaware she spent her nights in the cramped quarters of a car.
It was only during a vulnerable moment near the end of the program that Adriana’s struggles came into view. “Ms. Barbra, when I broke down before the last day, that’s because I wanted this so bad,” she recounted. “I got frustrated. But I went back in there, I held my head up high and I did that skill. And that’s all, y’all.”
Her journey from hardship to honor did not happen in isolation. At its core, Daughters of Zion’s William & Johnson Career College fosters an environment where the forgotten are remembered and the overlooked are uplifted. The institution’s mission is not merely academic — it is deeply human. Faculty, staff, and fellow students provide not just instruction but community, compassion, and unwavering support.
That culture makes success stories like Adriana’s possible. Many students come to Daughters of Zion facing seemingly insurmountable odds: homelessness, poverty, single parenthood, or lack of educational opportunities. Yet through targeted programs, relentless encouragement, and a curriculum rooted in empowerment, the college has become a launching pad for new beginnings.
For Adriana McWright, the CNA program was more than a class — it was salvation. “I look forward every day to coming to this class. Y’all just don’t know the joy y’all brought me,” she said with gratitude. That joy, coupled with grit, turned a young woman sleeping in her car into the proud Valedictorian standing before family, friends, and classmates as a beacon of possibility.
As Memphis continues to confront the harsh realities of housing insecurity and economic inequality, Daughters of Zion proves that institutions can do more than provide education — they can ignite transformation. Adriana’s story is not merely inspirational; it is a testament to what happens when faith, perseverance, and opportunity meet.
Today, she is no longer just a student in need. She is a certified caregiver, a role model, and living proof that homelessness does not define destiny.
“I just appreciate everybody, for y’all kindness,” McWright said as she closed her speech. But perhaps it is Memphis — and the world — that should be thanking her for reminding us that where there is purpose, there is always a path.
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