Moyofune Shabazz

“I became fully aware of my college options because of Margie Garcia. She had such an electrifying college center at Baldwin Park High School. She had me apply to all the Cal States.

Senior year, personal things started happening with my family. We moved a couple of times. We were homeless, living in a hotel. I remember going on a field trip to Cal State LA. Because they had dorms, I decided I could live there. I didn’t even think about my major.

When I left high school, I was a decent student but I was not at the level of academic confidence that I needed to survive in college. I had trouble competing in the classroom with my writing and math, sharing my perspective on life, on situations, giving my point of view. EOP helped me find my voice. EOP provided academic support, as well as personal, social and emotional support.

David Sandoval, he became like my godfather. Becky Hopkins was like my mother. Mary Bailey, Larry Grijalva and James Reid. All of those counselors impacted my life in amazing ways.

The EOP philosophy of empowerment, engagement, standing up for the community and taking advantage of resources, is my philosophy. It’s what I walk around with and what I’ve been doing to this day.”

After earning a bachelor’s in social work from Cal State LA in 1991 and a master’s in higher education counseling in 1995, Moyofune devoted her career to helping students and their families with academic, college, career and financial planning. Currently, she is an 11th grade counselor at Centennial High School in Compton.