As a child born to a single, teenage mother who got her GED much later in life, and an absent father, I was written off from birth. Art became my passion at a very early age. I used it to cope with the continued instability of home, which included moving frequently and changing schools. At one point during high school, my family was homeless, living in Washington, D.C.'s Capitol City Inn. Despite the trauma, I knew I wanted a better life and was determined to find it one day.  

All the moving around with my family made it impossible for me to attend DC's art high school. However, as a student at McKinley Tech, I found a way to stay connected to art by signing myself up for what was then known as Penn Center, a place for high school students to cultivate their artistic creativity. I did so well there that during my senior year, I was offered a college art scholarship. Unfortunately, my mother refused to sign the paperwork that would have allowed me to accept it, and I was devasted.  

That devastation led to me floundering for years without an end goal in mind. I endured an extended bout of depression that nearly drove me to suicide. On top of that, I was also diagnosed with ADHD as a young adult. After working with therapists for a decade to heal from my heartbreak, I began serving as a basketball coach and mentor to underprivileged teen boys in DC through a local nonprofit, For Love of Children. I saw myself in those boys. As my growth continued, I also spent time working with a life coach to learn how to manage my disorder. Once I began to get the hang of it, I revisited the idea of starting over again with college.

During this period of growth, I also created an art program at my church. The idea was to use creative activities--not crafts--to educate young people about faith. Some of the projects included taking photos on nature hikes, making collages out of magazines, designing jewelry, and creating a Palm Sunday advertisement without using digital media.

After spending many years trying to erase art from my life, it once again became my passion and my purpose.  

What do I plan to do with my degree? 

Once I complete my degree at CCS, I plan to use my degree as a graphic designer to support my family, but also to help build community by using my skills to mentor and work with young people who might learn from my life experience.  My end goal is to become a licensed art therapist who specializes in working with young people experiencing trauma.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. Please contribute if you're willing and able, and share this with your network. You can contact me at [email redacted] with any questions. I appreciate your support!