Kanika Jelks-Tomalin, 39

Kanika Jelks-Tomalin was born and raised in St. Petersburg. As a member of her family’s fifth generation living in the city, she’s surrounded by more than 250 relatives. Some of those relatives are in the top percentile, while others live in poverty. That’s exactly the reason why Tomalin has a passion to “change the story of St. Pete.”

Raised by people who she says pushed through segregation and social injustice to become successful, Tomalin feels compelled to share her story that St. Pete is a place where hard work does pay off.