Tristaca McCray is a dynamic woman and a self-described nerd.
Six years ago, the Chula Vista go-getter created a non-profit called Nerds Rule Inc.
"I love to read,” McCray said. “I used to get picked on because I used to wear bifocals when I was in the second grade."
The logo, a cartoonish face with huge glasses, pays tribute to McCray’s childhood persona, but her mission is deeply personal.
"I wanted to empower others around me,” McCray said. “It didn't matter what color they were, I just wanted to empower other people around me, especially women."
Nerds Rule Inc. offers seminars, workshops and awareness campaigns for school children and community groups. The programs tackle tough topics like self-confidence, bullying, suicide, sustainability, mental health awareness and domestic violence prevention. McCray has already reached hundreds of people in San Diego through her programs.
Many of the topics come from lessons McCray has learned over the years. One of her most popular seminars focuses on outer appearance and how to love yourself.
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"A lot of girls and women of color are struggling with their outer appearance," she said. "I created the project because I had to learn the same thing, how to love myself. My age group starts from girls as young as 10 years old and goes up to at least 35."
Some of the issues McCray addresses in her programs can be painful, like the ones that remind her of her childhood.
"Those are kind of hard times to go back to," McCray said.
McCray is the daughter of a single mom. Growing up, McCray said, she and her mom were often homeless. They’d eventually travel place to place spending time in women’s shelters and hotels. Her mother worked several jobs so they could have their own apartment.
“I call my mom my superhero because she knew that one day it wasn't going to be like that," she said.
One dingy hotel was exceptionally memorable for McCray.
“My mom and I would have to wear swim shoes in the shower because it was that dirty. And every time I get depressed or feel like I can't do it, when I go to sleep I dream and my body goes back to that hotel and I stand there and think, you can do this. Remember where you used to be? And remember how your mom instilled in you no matter what this looks like now, God is going to take care of us."
It's childhood experiences like those that helped drive McCray to create Nerds Rule Inc.
McCray said even when times were tough, she and her mother found the time and energy to serve others. She credits her mother with helping her develop a spirit of service and inspiring her to never give up.
Her persistence led to a life-changing 2016 -- Nerds Rule Inc. was gaining momentum when McCray received a special surprise.
“I got an email from the White House and I was like, what? This can't be true,” she said. “And I showed my mom and she said, ‘Is that a spam?’”
It wasn’t spam.
McCray was selected through a public nomination and voting process as a ‘2016 Presidential Change Maker’ at Michelle Obama's United State of Women summit.
Her friends rallied to raise money to pay for her flight to Washington D.C. for the summit.
McCray recalled "I'm telling you, when I stepped off the plane I cried like a baby, and people were like, ‘Here's a tissue,’ and I said, ‘you don't understand. This is really big for someone who never thought they could be anything.’"
Connections she made in Washington D.C. helped her secure a position as UN Ambassador on Gender Equality. She’s taking her Nerds Rule curriculum around the globe with major projects in Nigeria and Uganda, and hosts Skype meetings every other day for her programs in those nations.
McCray is also on the board of World Kindness USA, an initiative that’s part of the World Kindness Movement, and she created an ambassador program through RISE San Diego challenging kids and teens to create action projects to improve their communities. In the past year, more than 30 students have gone through the program.
McCray’s passion for developing leadership skills in kids is evident through her enthusiasm for what she’s doing and the hours of personal time she pours into helping support her students.
“When you pour into others it will pour back into you," McCray said.
Incredibly, McCray said she does all of this for only donations. Her job as an afterschool teacher pays her bills, but her Nerds Rule non-profit funds her spirit.
Her message to others is simple, "To never give up.”
