For 18 years she lived in Chester’s housing projects. Now she’s returned to inspire

While Chester continues to struggle with crime and poverty, Marrea Walker-Smith is a success story. She wants others to follow and has returned to the Chester Housing Authority to show them how.

For Marrea Walker-Smith, the words still sting.

“You aren’t going to be anything because you come from the housing project.”

Decades ago, a 10th grade history teacher at Chester High School said those words to her in conversation. As soon as Walker-Smith’s mother, Dolores Walker, found out, she headed to the school and told the teacher she thought his comment was inappropriate and flat-out untrue.

Her daughter was going to be somebody.

“My mom always told me: ‘Where you live doesn’t define who you’re going to become,’ ” Walker-Smith said.

Source: For 18 years she lived in Chester’s housing projects. Now she’s returned to inspire – Philly