I dropped out of high school in tenth grade. I never felt like I belonged, and as I fell behind in my classes, I gradually stopped attending. My parents cared a lot about education, so they were shocked when I stopped going to school.
Even though I grew up with books all around me and read authors like Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Nikki Giovanni from a young age, I still struggled to find my path. For two years, I worked at a local mall and tried to figure out what I wanted for my future. I knew I wanted more, but I didn’t know how to reach it.
The turning point came through my mother. She introduced me to a woman who would change the course of my life. Barbara Buchner was a glamorous New Yorker with high standards and a generous heart. She asked me for one thing: give her one semester at a community college in Florida.
College had never been part of my plan. I didn’t have the money. I didn’t have the grades. But I took a leap of faith and committed to one semester.
That one choice changed my life.
DISCOVERY
In my first year, I found strengths I hadn’t recognized before. I learned I was resilient, persistent, and creative. I worked hard on my projects and pushed past my limits. Each assignment and challenge helped me build more confidence.
By the end of that year, my mentor encouraged me to apply to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. I sent in my application and portfolio, and I was accepted.
The journey wasn’t easy. The year before I moved to New York, my mom, sister, and I didn’t have stable housing. We were homeless until a family friend let us stay with her. Despite this, I stayed focused on my goals and worked three jobs to save for school.
A year later, I was heading to New York City.
Going to the Fashion Institute of Technology changed my life. I went from being a teenager without direction to a young adult building a future in a big city. I graduated from FIT and later from The New School with my bachelor’s degree.
My career hasn’t followed a straight line. I’m both creative and analytical, so I’ve always liked work that mixes strategy and storytelling. I started as an accessory designer, worked at advertising agencies, and became an art director and copywriter for greeting card companies. Every job challenged me and taught me something new.
THE PIVOT
Then everything changed.
My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She lived for four more years before she passed away. Going through that time changed me and helped me see what was truly important.
Even before my mom got sick, I promised myself I would give back as my mentor and our family friend did for us. After she passed away, keeping that promise became even more important to me.
I moved into nonprofit work because I wanted my job to have deeper meaning. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. Working with different nonprofit organizations brought me a lot of joy and purpose. Most recently, I worked with the Boys & Girls Club of San Leandro, California, before joining Angel Oak Creative.
Today, I’m grateful for the chance to help others through my work. I feel most energized when I show up with purpose, do meaningful work, and help make a difference in people’s lives.
Looking back, that leap of faith with one semester did more than get me to college. It showed me that even when things are uncertain, courage can take you somewhere amazing.