As a child, Tashara dreamed of becoming a forensic scientist, but after one class at Texas A&M, she decided that was not the path for her. She quickly shifted her focus to a career in sports broadcasting. She joined the Aggie Career Team, Regents Scholars, MEDALS and ExCEL. Tashara also studied abroad in Mexico and London and went to Costa Rica for a summer to study television production. While earning her Masters, she has been working at Enova Financial, a global financial service provider, and freelancing as a sports journalist.
One of 13 children, Tashara spent her childhood in a public housing development in inner city Houston. Her father was in prison and 20% of the girls at her high school were pregnant. Growing up with an absent mother and an incarcerated father was difficult for Tashara. She relied on her grandmother and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston for support. She credits her grandmother with teaching her to always believe in herself, step away from the ordinary, and never let anyone pull her away from what she knew she could achieve.
At Forest Brook High School, Tashara was the captain of her varsity track team and was also involved with the dance team, the student government, and the debate team. She was extremely active with the Lincoln Park Boys and Girls Club. Although this location no longer exists, she spent a great deal of time working with the younger girls there during high school. She was determined to pass on the important message that she learned from her father and grandmother.
"This program has impacted my life vastly. Not only did the Steve Francis Foundation assist me financially during my time in undergrad, it has also changed my total perspective towards life. It has afforded me the opportunity to make wise decisions and strive harder to reach my goals in life. There’s no longer a mountain I can’t climb or a hill I can’t get over. The values of this foundation are instilled in me and I will use everything I’ve learned to hopefully affect the lives of others in a positive manner."
After graduation from Depaul University, Tashara will be returning home to search for a job in Houston.