Written By Staff: Cynthis Isais

Zyeala Allen was born and raised in Oakland, California, and graduated high school a semester early in 1998, eager to carve her own path. Her first college experience at Cal State Hayward, which now is Cal state East Bay, did not go as planned—she dropped out after one semester, feeling that the environment wasn’t a fit. Allen then attempted  Chabot College and lasted just two days, as it felt too much like high school all over again.

Everything changed when she was inspired by her cousin to attend a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Alabama. As soon as she arrived she was surrounded by a strong and supportive community she majored in Business Administration and finally felt a sense of belonging.

After graduation, she got married and moved to Chicago, where she pursued further education at Concordia University, earning a diploma in Human Services and School Counseling—all while raising her first child.

Eventually, Ms. Allen returned to California and began her first school counseling job at Hayward High School, bringing her full circle to the place where she once struggled to feel supported. Her passion for helping the youth is rooted in her own experience of moving in and out of foster care and not having someone to talk to about what was happening at home. She often reflects that access to a counselor could have changed the course of her journey.

Now, with a no-nonsense yet deeply compassionate approach, she serves as a source of guidance and stability for her students. She also earned her MSW and Type 73 certification, originally intending to become a social worker, but found that her purpose would be in school counseling. Today, Zyeala continues to lead by example as the organizer and advisor of the Black and African American Student Union (BASU) at her school—a space where students can find community, cultural pride, and the kind of support she once longed for herself.