Growing up, I was exposed to music and fine arts very often.  My family is full of performers and successful individuals, leaving me no choice but to earn my status and right of passage through the arts. I began singing and creating poetry as soon as I learned to talk – no exaggeration. Over the years I did receive and maintain my right of passage in the family after countless performances and engagements through church, middle school, high school, and college. I had opportunity to study and perfect my voice at Baltimore School For the Arts  after excelling in their prep TWIGS program, but I chose to attend Perry Hall High instead. I am proud to be an alum as the school offered me the best vocal program I could ask for and opened doors for me to perform at the Baltimore Hippodrome, Morgan State’s Murphy Fine Arts Center, and so much more. Currently I still perform in various settings  and  gig opportunities via church, music groups, choirs, and as a solo vocalist.

During my time in middle school, my church gave me the opportunity to be a apart of  a mentoring group named D.I.V.A.’s for Christ, as a mentee. There, I was able to cope with being the oldest child of five, utilize open space to ask questions and get advice,  build life long relationship with mentors and friends, and most importantly, learn how to be a bright and brilliant young African  American  woman. When I reached high school I decided to start giving back to my community through mentorship after seeing the great value it took in my own  life. I was a lead mentor in my school group, Just Us  Girls, where I mentored 8th grade girls to help them transition to high school life, and offer a sisterhood. When I started attending Towson University, I was pleased to find a new mentoring group, Project SIS run through  the university. I am currently still thriving with mentees from this group, and remain an open resource for them.

The world grows. Time remains unmatched. Life comes and goes. With such a busy life growing up, I always found time for family and family obligations. I grew up  Christian,  in the Baptist church. My grandfather founded my church, Ray of Hope, and, my father proceeded him after he got sick. I spent a lot of time and Sundays at services, choir rehearsals, meetings, and following my dad’s shadow. With our legacy resting in the hands of our family business in the faith, you can imagine how devastating it was to suddenly lose the leader of our legacy, my father in 2019. Sometimes life gives us no lead to its madness, and grief loves to fester and grow in dark places. I am proud to say almost three years later, I have become a beacon of hope, survival, and strength to young people struggling with loss as I have and still am. I am a devout resource to my peers and gratefully used my internship with 95.1 SHINE-FM (2019, summer), to publish an encouraging piece on overcoming grief to the world, where hundreds of people read and had access.