Growing up with an incarcerated father and a mother who struggled with mental illness and substance abuse, Deran gained knowledge and experience of discrimination, poverty, and social services at a very early age. It was no shock that she later decided to pursue a career as a helping professional. While obtaining her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Texas, Deran was blessed with an amazing opportunity to visit Ghana West Africa. During her six-month stay in Ghana, Deran created a Guidance & Counseling Center at a High School in a neighborhood that has been historically identified as a population of lower socioeconomic status.
- April 24, 2023