A native of rural Pennsylvania, Tracy experienced the harsh realities of hardship in America at an early age. Raised by a single mother, a nurse who worked up to 95 hours a week, Tracy and her two sisters have vivid memories of walking long distances to and from school because gas was too expensive to afford. Despite their hardships, Tracy’s mother always set an example of giving back, volunteering at the food bank they got groceries from. It was these  experiences that instilled strong lifelong values in Tracy; values that would lead her to a lifetime of public service. From a young age, Tracy understood the importance of remembering where you come from and always doing right by others, volunteering at local food banks with her family, even as they themselves often struggled to put food on the table.

Tracy attended American University and began pursuing a career in public service. Settling in Maryland, she chased her dream while working multiple jobs, raising children, and taking care of the very woman who sacrificed so much to take care of her, her mother. In January 2025, after two decades of sacrifice, she finally got a dream position at USAID. Four weeks later, Donald Trump announced the sweeping downsizing and eventual shutdown of the governmental aid organization. Like thousands of others, Tracy lost her job.