Today we’d like to introduce you to Lakeshia S Gilbert.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From a very young age, I believe my journey toward purpose began, though I may not have fully understood it at the time. Around the age of 14, life began to look different for me as I transitioned from girlhood into young womanhood. I was entering high school, being exposed to new experiences, new relationships, and decisions that would ultimately shape the trajectory of my life.
At 17 years old, I became pregnant with my first daughter, and at 18, I gave birth to her. Looking back, I truly believe her birth was also the birth of my purpose. Becoming a young single teen mother came with tremendous challenges, obstacles, and moments of uncertainty. During my senior year of high school, I was forced to change schools because I was pregnant, an experience that could have easily become a stopping point in my story. Instead, it became part of my testimony.
I refused to become a statistic. Through faith, perseverance, and determination, I completed high school and continued pushing forward academically and personally. Today, I’m proud to say that not only did I overcome the challenges associated with teen pregnancy, but I went on to earn four college degrees, including studies in criminal justice, business management, and human services, along with a double master’s degree in psychology and organizational leadership.
Every hardship, every setback, every victory, both the good and the difficult, helped shape, prepare, and develop me into the woman I am today. More importantly, I believe my journey has always been connected to a greater calling. My relationship with God deepened as I learned to say “yes” to His will and His way, even when the path wasn’t easy.
Today, as Founder & CEO of HOAP, Inc. and through LSG Innovations, LLC, I have the honor of turning my pain into purpose, serving young mothers, youth, and adolescents in our community by providing the support, resources, education, and empowerment they need to overcome barriers, rewrite their stories, and realize that their circumstances do not define their destiny.
My story is proof that purpose can be birthed in the middle of pressure, and that what was meant to break you can, with faith, become the very thing that builds you.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, my journey has been anything but smooth. In fact, if I’m honest, it has been filled with many ups and downs, unexpected challenges, difficult decisions, and moments where I questioned whether I was doing enough or even doing it right.
As a young teen mother, I was not only trying to navigate motherhood, but I was also determined to build a better future for my children and myself through education. That meant balancing the responsibilities of raising children, working a full-time job, attending school, managing a household, and still trying to show up as the best version of myself every single day. There were many moments when I felt exhausted, stretched thin, emotionally drained, and at times even felt like I was failing.
There were seasons when success felt so close, yet the weight of responsibility felt even heavier. I questioned myself. I cried. I pushed through fear, uncertainty, and the pressure of trying to make all the right decisions while still growing into the woman I was becoming.
However, I can honestly say that the closer I drew to Christ, the more I found peace, even in the middle of chaos. My circumstances didn’t always change overnight, but my perspective did. My faith gave me strength when I felt weak, clarity when I felt uncertain, and the endurance to keep moving forward when giving up would have been easier.
So no, my journey has not been smooth, but it has been purposeful. And every obstacle, every setback, and every hard season helped shape the resilience, compassion, and leadership I walk in today.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
HOAP, Inc., which stands for Helping Our Adolescents Prosper, was founded in 2013 from a place of lived experience, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to ensure that young people, young mothers, and families facing adversity know that their current circumstances do not determine their future. What began as my personal testimony has grown into a movement centered around education, empowerment, advocacy, prevention, and holistic support.
At HOAP, we specialize in serving underserved youth, adolescents, and young mothers by providing wraparound services that address real-life barriers while also building confidence, leadership, and long-term sustainability. Our work includes mentoring, life-skills development, parent education, workforce and entrepreneurship training, transportation support, advocacy, prevention programming, community outreach, and essential needs support. We don’t simply provide programs, we walk alongside people as they rebuild, rediscover, and redefine what’s possible for their lives.
What sets HOAP apart is that our work is not transactional, it’s transformational. We lead with authenticity because much of what we teach has first been lived. I’m not just the founder, I’m someone who has walked many of the same roads as the families we serve. That lived experience allows our organization to connect in a way that builds trust, breaks generational cycles, and creates spaces where people feel seen, heard, valued, and empowered.
We are especially known for creating innovative, heart-centered programs such as Moms on Wheels, Parentpreneur, Blessed Baskets, Embrace Her, and our youth empowerment initiatives, programs designed not just to meet immediate needs, but to help participants build legacy, stability, and purpose.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that HOAP has remained rooted in its mission while continuing to grow in impact, influence, and credibility. Our brand represents resilience, hope, accountability, faith, and action. We’re not interested in surface-level change, we’re committed to generational transformation.
What I want readers to know is that HOAP is more than an organization, we’re a family. We provide a safe place, a bridge, and a launching pad. We believe that with the right support, resources, and relationships, people can overcome barriers, heal from setbacks, and rise into the fullness of who they were created to be. That’s what we do. That’s who we are. And we’re just getting started.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout my journey is the importance of meeting people exactly where they are and choosing compassion over judgment. Life has taught me that you never truly know what someone is carrying, what battles they’re fighting in private, or what circumstances brought them to where they are today. Because of that, I’ve learned that people don’t need more judgment, they need understanding, grace, and genuine support.
I’ve also learned that love is a verb. Love is not simply something we say, it’s something we do. It’s showing up. It’s being present. It’s listening without rushing to fix. It’s being open-minded, empathetic, and willing to walk alongside someone as they navigate their healing, growth, and transformation.
Another lesson that has become a core part of both my personal life and the work we do through HOAP, Inc. is this: We can’t change what we won’t confront, and we won’t fix what we refuse to face. True transformation begins with honesty, with being willing to acknowledge the hard things, face the uncomfortable truths, and do the work required for growth.
That mindset has not only shaped me as a woman, mother, and leader, but it has also become foundational to how I serve others, with authenticity, accountability, love, and purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hoapinc.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOAPINC/
