In our Season 2 finale, we flip the mic and hear from someone just beginning their career in homeless services. Meet Tamyra Simpson, a student from the inaugural cohort of Santa Monica College’s Homeless Services Certificate Program. With warmth, candor, and insight, Tamyra reflects on her path into the field—from growing up surrounded by helpers, to discovering the program on LinkedIn, to finding her voice through coursework, community, and a life-changing internship on Skid Row.
This episode highlights the transformative potential of education—not only as a professional springboard, but as a way to deepen purpose and reshape lives. It’s a raw, uplifting look at what happens when students are given the right support, the right mentors, and the right chance.
Whether you’re curious about the program, considering a career pivot, or just want to hear a powerful story of growth and impact—you’ll want to hear this one.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
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What makes the Homeless Services Program at SMC “low-barrier” and uniquely supportive for adult learners
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How peer connection, trauma-informed instruction, and wraparound services foster student success
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The power of interning in the field—and how it transforms theory into purpose
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Why this certificate is both career training and personal calling
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What “beautifully traumatic” means to someone who lived the program from the inside
About Our Guest
Tamyra Simpson is part of the first graduating class of Santa Monica College’s Homeless Services Certificate Program. With a background in caregiving, youth development, and volunteer work with the unhoused, she brings lived empathy, community insight, and a passion for equity into the field. Tamyra completed her internship at the Downtown Women’s Center on Skid Row and hopes to continue her path in social services, wherever it may lead. Her story reflects a rising generation of purpose-driven professionals ready to do the work—and do it differently.
Impactful Quotes
"My first job was at a daycare—and every kid got what they needed, not the same thing. That’s what equity looks like."
"I remember sitting in class and thinking, wow—there are people just like me who feel called to this same work."
— Tamyra Simpson
"They showed us that if you're going to be in this field, you need people. You need a village."
"The program was beautifully traumatic. It stretched me, challenged me, and confirmed I’m exactly where I need to be."
"You’re not going to know everything—and that’s okay. If you did, you wouldn’t be here."
