The Rest is still Unwritten – Ranesha’s Story

Growing up in Baltimore, Ranesha faced constant financial struggles in a household of five. Though she worked multiple dead-end jobs, Ranesha knew she was destined for something greater. In 2015, she earned her CDL license, hoping it would lead to a brighter future. But life, as it often does, didn’t go as planned. 

Personal challenges and tragedy led Ranesha down a difficult path, culminating in incarceration. In that moment, it felt like her story had reached its end. 

A Second Chance 

Just weeks before her release, Ranesha was accepted into the Vehicles for Change’s Virtual Reality Training Program. Initially, she joined just to pass the time. But she quickly realized that it was more than a simple program—it offered her a real chance at a new beginning. 

The program equipped her with valuable skills, but more importantly, it gave her something she had lost: a sense of purpose. By the time Ranesha was released, she wasn’t the same person who had walked in. She had hope. 

“Ray excelled in the VR training program while incarcerated and attended training every day until she completed the program,” said Terence Grandy, Subject Matter Expert for Vehicles for Change’s Virtual Reality program. “Once she came home, things only improved. She was accepted into our paid internship program, and that’s when she blew my mind. Her hands-on skills were incredible and watching her perform a brake service was truly inspiring.” 

In July 2024, Ranesha began an internship with Vehicles for Change’s Full Circle Auto Training Program. Within months, she earned four ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications. Today, Ranesha is a proud truck driver with Lonewolf Logistics LLC. This is just the beginning of her promising future. 

Not only is Ranesha thriving in her career, but in 2024, Vehicles for Change honored her with their prestigious “Graduate of the Year” award for her outstanding accomplishments in the Full Circle Auto Training program. 

“The Full Circle Auto Training Program didn’t just teach me a trade,” Ranesha reflects. “It gave me a future. It reminded me that my past doesn’t define me.”