Vegas Stripped: Las Vegan helps others overcome — VIDEO

Lekisha Hayes overcomes and survives.

She grew up in southeast San Diego’s tough neighborhoods. Her father left at 2; her mother was addicted to crystal meth for 12 years.

But if Hayes always had one foot in a rough spot, the other was someplace more peaceful.

For years she worked toward creating a place in Las Vegas that could offer services for people in situations like the ones she’s survived. In March, with financial assistance from a cousin, she opened Legacy Learning Center, which offers job training, day care and mental health services. Hayes works with a neighboring church’s food pantry to provide staples such as canned goods and bread to those in need.

“Because of what we’ve overcome, we can definitely save the next generation,” she says. “You have to be willing to say this generational curse stops with me.”

Vegas Stripped is an Emmy Award-winning series by visual journalist Rachel Aston. Her videos are posted weekly at reviewjournal.com. Contact her at raston@reviewjournal.com. Follow @rookie__rae on Twitter.