MEET    ELEANOR

Eleanor Mae Fondren (Holden) was born May 24, 1969, in
Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of eight children birth by
Nannie M. Holden (Sallis) and John W. Holden. Eleanor is a
first-generation college graduate and the youngest of eight
children. She has received the honor of becoming the first
sibling in her family to receive a Master's degree.
Childhood and Adolescence were not easy for Eleanor; she

was required to grow up quickly. After her parents 

divorced, she would be kicked out of one of Chicago’s
top high schools indefinitely for her continuous gang
affiliation and unruly conduct. The perils of growing up in the
inner city of Chicago with minimal life skills and little
education her path would lead to drugs, gang affiliation, senseless homicides of
established relationships, loss of rewarding opportunities, unstable employment, and
homelessness. After many years of instability, she began to realize that her lifestyle choices and
bad decisions would only lead to two options: death or prison. After making a cognitive decision to change her life today, Eleanor is currently a Licenced Master Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, Advocate, Motivational Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Doctoral Student.