I posted this as a reminder that people are not a product of their environment—they are a product of their choices. If someone had told me years ago that I would be here today, transitioning into nursing school, I would have never believed them. After dropping out of college in 2011, I faced obstacle after obstacle: surviving s*xual assault, incarceration, homelessness, abuse, and depression. Each of these trials could have stopped me, but instead they fueled my determination to keep pushing forward. I am grateful for the family and friends who have stood by me, and most of all, I thank God for instilling perseverance into my veins.
After a decade of being tired of dead-end jobs, I made the decision to return to school and pursue the future I once thought was out of reach. It wasn’t easy—I went from barely holding a 2.0 GPA to maintaining a 4.0 and earning a spot on the Dean’s List every semester. That transformation represents more than grades; it is proof that resilience, faith, and focus can turn failure into triumph. Every step has been a reminder that I am capable of rewriting my story.
Now, I am stepping into a new chapter: nursing school at North Carolina Central University. At 34 years old, I am proud to be an African American woman pursuing this path. Representation matters, and I want to be an example to young Black girls that they, too, can rise above adversity and succeed in fields where our presence is still underrepresented. Nursing, for me, is not just a profession—it’s a calling. I want to bring compassion, advocacy, and cultural understanding into healthcare, and to stand as proof that our voices belong in every room. My husband, David, and my two boys—my amazing 13-year-old bonus son, Damani, and my brilliant autistic 3-year-old, Davi—are the pillars of my strength and the reason I refuse to give up.
This journey is my testimony: you are who you choose to be, not what your past dictates. No matter where you come from or what you’ve endured, it is never too late to begin again. As long as you are still breathing, there is time to chase your purpose. My story is living proof that with faith, perseverance, and courage, you can turn pain into power and dreams into reality. My long-term dream is to become a nurse who not only heals but inspires—to serve my community, advocate for the overlooked, and remind every patient and young woman watching me that their story, too, can be rewritten into something greater.
