As a 41 year old woman who has worked multiple jobs since the age of 15, I appreciate that this question asks about a dream life as opposed to a dream job. It is difficult for me to think of a dream job as I do not dream of performing labor. When I think of a job, I think of capitalism and the need to produce labor as a means to survive. We do not have the social safety nets in place to afford people with the economic freedom to take risks and try new things to maximize our experiences on Earth. Instead, we must work like machines to survive. Capitalism commercializes our dreams and cannibalize one another in the process. It forces us to prioritize survival over fulfillment. Our time and labor are exploited as a means to make others rich while we compete with one another at the bottom to stay afloat. Capitalism emphasizes profit over people and passion, converting our dreams, aspirations, and hobbies into products to consume. It steals our dreams and sells them back to us and does not leave space for rest or relaxation. The life of my dreams is one where I am not beholden to the constraints of capitalism. This means I am not forced to work multiple jobs to survive and, instead, I am able to live modestly but abundantly and thrive in my environment. The lifestyle I imagine for myself is a minimalist one where adventures and experiences are more important than material possessions. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home, I can use that money to globetrot, documenting my travels. I can lean into communal living where I am able to barter and trade my knowledge and skills for necessities as opposed to working for money to sustain. I do not operate off of a traditional work schedule of 9-5 and live a flexible, fluid lifestyle. My dream life consists of frequent travels where I can immerse myself into nature and culture while learning about new people and places. I can learn new languages, write, create art, and photo journal. The beach is my happy place. It is where I go to relax, clear my mind, and get centered. My ultimate dream life would include waking up everyday to the sun rising over the horizon, its rays warming my skin and the sounds of ocean waves crashing the shore. There is minimal noise. I can read books, write in my journal, and listen to the sounds of nature all day. I long for the day when I can escape the hustle and bustle of this capitalist life and enjoy the peace and prosperity I have earned. Maybe in retirement this dream life will become a reality. Until then, any assistance that can offset some of the financial burdens of living under capitalism will help.

I utilize astrology and personality assessments to better understand myself and what drives me. According to my 16 Personalities assessment, I am a Turbulent Mediator. Finding our life’s purpose is crucial for mediators. Mediators also strive to live in tune with our values. This notion has become increasingly more evident for me as I have gotten older. It is imperative to me that my personal, professional, and academic lives are consistent. Giving back to my community and being of service is the primary driving force behind nearly everything that I do, both personally and professionally. I am heavily involved in the city of Durham, NC where I reside. I know that as a college graduate, I am privileged to have access to knowledge, resources, and information that many other people in my community do not. Thus, I believe it is my duty and responsibility to share that information with my neighbors. I consider myself a community activist and advocate. I moved to Durham in 2015 and have been civically engaged since. My journey began with a commitment to attend at least one of the two monthly city council meetings at city hall to gain a better understanding of local government in action, and eventually evolved into more direct involvement. In June 2019 I was appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee and served until my term expired in June 2021. As a CAC board member, I collaborated with my colleagues to facilitate citizen participation in the planning and implementation of the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) to ensure federal funds are appropriately dispersed to provide affordable housing and create job opportunities for historically neglected populations. From 2019-2023 I served as an Engagement Ambassador, working with the city's Planning Department on the ENGAGEDurham initiative. The goal was to ensure community engagement around planning was equitable by intentionally targeting underrepresented, overexploited members of the community who may not be accessible through traditional outreach methods. Community representatives were dispatched as ambassadors to facilitate discussions and obtain feedback on the city’s comprehensive and transit plans. My role was expanded into a co-facilitator for a housing policy work group where I led discussions with others in my community to draft policy recommendations for city council. As a Local Power Lead with the North Carolina Black Leadership & Organizing Collective (NCBLOC), one of my projects was to organize a dinner to bring together local community members and leaders invested in protecting Black freedoms, keeping Black folks safe, and shifting the material conditions of Black people in North Carolina. In June and July of 2022, I canvassed my area distributing copies of the NC Freedom Papers and collecting pledge cards identifying the top three issues community members are most concerned about. My dinner was held on August 19, 2023, at the Hayti Heritage Center in conjunction with the Fayetteville Street Corridor Fellows Project + The Art Chose Me monthly 3rd Friday event. The dinner united over 100 members of the community. This year, I served as a budget delegate for Durham's Participatory Budget initiative. In this role, I conducted community engagement around project proposals and helped score them to help the city spend $2.4 million on projects suggested by residents. My primary passion is advocacy around disability and accessibility. I am an Assistive Technology Manager at a community college where I assist students with disabilities with technology that will provide them equitable access to their education. I bring a disability lens to all of the community work that I do as well. I aim to improve access and engagement for disabled members of my community.

My passion lies in working with folks with disabilities. Since 2017 I have worked in disability services as an Assistive Technology specialist. I am currently pursuing an M.Ed in AT while working as an AT Manager at Wake Tech Community College. I also work with various government/community organizations to center the needs of people with disabilities, particularly members of multiple marginalized communities at the intersections of race, class, and disability. Additionally, I serve as an Accessibility Advisor educating community-based organizations on centering disability and accessibility in community engagement work to ensure events, programming, etc. are accessible. I was featured as part of the Boston Globe Emancipator series on health equity. My contribution focused on the lack of accessibility in the Hayti neighborhood where I live, and how that contributes to poor health outcomes. I also worked on a research paper on diversity, equity, and inclusion. My focus was on the erasure of disabled folks in DEI conversations. I presented some of our work virtually at the Social Equity Leadership Conference and served as a panelist on Centering Ableism in our Commitment to Advancing Social Equity for the American Society for Public Administration Section on Democracy and Social Justice.

"The Office" is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. Whenever I am overwhelmed by choice with the plethora of options across the vast array of streaming services, I usually opt to watch my favorite episodes of "The Office" on repeat. Having worked in various corporate settings across my professional journey, the mockumentary style format of the show always felt like an accurate (although dramatically exaggerated for entertainment purposes) depiction of corporate work culture. "The Office" reminds me of my time working at different call centers in different industries and I identify with the idea that there are specific "characters," or roles that we all play in the workplace. In reflecting on my time in corporate America, I can relate to many of the characters of "The Office," depending on which job I was at during a specific time. For example, with many of my jobs, after the initial excitement of working at a new place and learning the ins and outs of a job to do it at a high level wore off, I felt much like Stanley. I just wanted to come in and do my job, be paid for the work I did, and be left alone. I didn't want to engage or fraternize with my co-workers and was disenfranchised by office politics. While I can relate to many of the characters, overall, a fusion of Jim and Pam best resonates with me. The way the show highlights the characters of "The Office," Pam and Jim's characters are depicted almost like spectators, watching the nonsense unfold with the viewer. I have often felt like that in my jobs- like I was observing a dumpster fire around me and it was funny, endearing, and depressing all at once. I have always been a fan of dry, sarcastic humor found in shows like "Seinfeld" and "The Office." Watching "The Office" has helped me navigate the different personalities in a work environment with humor and appreciate the different characters I encounter along my career.

Absolutely, positively, completely free to be unapologetically me from here til infinity!

Education has served as my escape from the horrors of poverty. Excelling academically has been an outlet for me in an attempt to overcome my circumstances and reach the full potential I inherited from my parents that they were unable to realize as a result of their substance abuse disorders and the Prison Industrial Complex. Like Patrick Stanley, I am a non-traditional student passionate about education and committed to being a lifelong learner. I have always loved school and gaining as much knowledge about as many things as possible. My circumstances have made my educational path one filled with detours and interruptions, primarily due to the financial constraints coming from a single-parent household, combined with mental health challenges dealing with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Following an injury that left her with chronic pain, my mother became addicted to prescription painkillers and spent several of my pivotal educational years incarcerated. I was thrust into adulthood far too soon, taking on the responsibilities of singlehandedly running a household as a teenager in high school. But, like Patrick, I remained resilient, refusing to let my circumstances fully dictate my potential. I completed undergrad in 2006 with a BA in Communications and a BA in Africana Studies. Due to my economic circumstances, I had to enter the workforce full-time, immediately upon graduating. Thus, I did not have the opportunity to pursue a career that was in line with my degree or my aspirations. I needed to work and pay bills to maintain a roof over my head, food to eat, etc. I have worked multiple jobs for survival since I was old enough to legally work, as I have been living on my own since I was 15 years old. I always knew that I would eventually return to school for an advanced degree, I just did not know when. I remained hopeful that my financial hardships would subside to clear the pathway for me to pursue a master's degree. The implementation of virtual learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic cleared the way for me to return to school in Fall 2021 at the age of 38; 15 years after completing undergrad. Because of my need to work full-time and part-time to sustain myself, there was no time to devote to returning to school in a traditional sense. The ability to attend classes online has allowed me to fit school around my work schedule, and financial aid has mitigated some of my financial obligations so that I do not have to work so much. I have managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA in my program and in May 2023, I will obtain my MPA at the age of 40. Though I have not yet decided if I am going to go on to obtain a PhD, I know that the sky is the limit for me no matter what path I choose. I am extremely proud of myself and my accomplishments and I am so glad I did not give up on myself simply because my path to success has been a non-traditional one.

Various mental health diagnoses including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD can be found on both the maternal and paternal side of my family, particularly among the women. Living with these diagnoses has impacted the ways in which we have all learned to understand ourselves, as well as the world around us, and how to navigate it. Thus, I have been acutely aware of the tricks psychological disorders play on our minds and how these illusions influence how our perception of ourselves and of our environment. The status of our mental health influences our beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. Understanding our baseline mental wellness is crucial to better understand ourselves and maintain optimal mental health. I was diagnosed with depression as a preteen. In the last few years, I have received additional diagnoses of anxiety and PTSD. Although having access to the appropriate medical terminology to name what I was experiencing was encouraging, it was nonetheless very difficult to navigate adolescence (which is already challenging) feeling as though my mind was turning against me. I felt as if I was not in control of my thoughts. My depression was further exacerbated by my mother's unfortunate incarceration throughout my teenage years. I was prematurely thrust into adulthood and had to learn to find my way on my own. Consequently, I developed severe trust issues along with deep seated fears of abandonment and neglect. These factors heavily impacted my ability to establish healthy relationships. Depression and anxiety play cruel tricks on your mind, making you believe things about yourself and other people that are not true. For someone who wants to love you or partner with you, this presents a challenge. I prioritize self-care and try to preserve my mental health at all costs. In the past, I have felt obligated to maintain personal or professional relationships that were not necessarily conducive to me maintaining good mental health, and often actually contributed to my depression or anxiety. Thus, I have vowed to run constant temperature checks with myself to make sure that my job, school, social activities, etc. are not negatively impacting my mental health. In my current occupation, I work in disability services in higher education. My experience with my own mental health has made me much more empathetic to the struggles of the students who interact with our office and are struggling with mental health. Maintaining optimal mental health is an ongoing struggle for me. Consistent counseling, spiritual practices, being in nature, writing, and the wisdom that accompanies age have all helped me better manage my mental wellness. I am fortunate enough to be able to confront my psychological struggles at a time when there is less of a stigma around mental illness, increased awareness, and more resources.

The concept of mental health and wellness has been elevated to mainstream conversations over the past few years. Many entertainers, athletes, influencers, etc. have come out and publicly shared their battles with mental illness. In addition to various other revelations around health disparities and lack of resources, COVID-19 further exposed the psychological struggles of Americans, particularly children, whose mental health has been exacerbated by isolation brought on by the pandemic. Various mental health diagnoses including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD can be found on both the maternal and paternal side of my family, particularly among the women. Living with these diagnoses has impacted the ways in which we have all learned to understand ourselves, as well as the world around us, and how to navigate it. Thus, I have been acutely aware of the tricks psychological disorders play on our minds and how these illusions influence how our perception of ourselves and of our environment. The status of our mental health influences our beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. Understanding our baseline mental wellness is crucial to better understand ourselves and maintain optimal mental health. I was diagnosed with depression as a preteen. In the last few years, I have received additional diagnoses of anxiety and PTSD. Although having access to the appropriate medical terminology to name what I was experiencing was encouraging, it was nonetheless very difficult to navigate adolescence (which is already challenging) feeling as though my mind was turning against me. I felt as if I was not in control of my thoughts. My depression was further exacerbated by my mother's unfortunate incarceration throughout my teenage years. I was prematurely thrust into adulthood and had to learn to find my way on my own. Consequently, I developed severe trust issues along with deep seated fears of abandonment and neglect. These factors heavily impacted my ability to establish healthy relationships. Depression and anxiety play cruel tricks on your mind, making you believe things about yourself and other people that are not true. For someone who wants to love you or partner with you, this presents a challenge. I prioritize self-care and try to preserve my mental health at all costs. In the past, I have felt obligated to maintain personal or professional relationships that were not necessarily conducive to me maintaining good mental health, and often actually contributed to my depression or anxiety. Thus, I have vowed to run constant temperature checks with myself to make sure that my job, school, social activities, etc. are not negatively impacting my mental health. In my current occupation, I work in disability services in higher education. My experience with my own mental health has made me much more empathetic to the struggles of the students who interact with our office and are struggling with mental health. Maintaining optimal mental health is an ongoing struggle for me. Consistent counseling, spiritual practices, being in nature, writing, and the wisdom that accompanies age have all helped me better manage my mental wellness. I am fortunate enough to be able to confront my psychological struggles at a time when there is less of a stigma around mental illness, increased awareness, and more resources.

The concept of mental health and wellness has been elevated to mainstream conversations over the past few years. Many entertainers, athletes, influencers, etc. have come out and publicly shared their battles with mental illness. In addition to various other revelations around health disparities and lack of resources, COVID-19 further exposed the psychological struggles of Americans, particularly children, whose mental health has been exacerbated by isolation brought on by the pandemic. Various mental health diagnoses including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and PTSD can be found on both the maternal and paternal side of my family, particularly among the women. Living with these diagnoses has impacted the ways in which we have all learned to understand ourselves, as well as the world around us, and how to navigate it. Thus, I have been acutely aware of the tricks psychological disorders play on our minds and how these illusions influence how our perception of ourselves and of our environment. The status of our mental health influences our beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. Understanding our baseline mental wellness is crucial to better understand ourselves and maintain optimal mental health. I was diagnosed with depression as a preteen. In the last few years, I have received additional diagnoses of anxiety and PTSD. Although having access to the appropriate medical terminology to name what I was experiencing was encouraging, it was nonetheless very difficult to navigate adolescence (which is already challenging) feeling as though my mind was turning against me. I felt as if I was not in control of my thoughts. My depression was further exacerbated by my mother's unfortunate incarceration throughout my teenage years. I was prematurely thrust into adulthood and had to learn to find my way on my own. Consequently, I developed severe trust issues along with deep seated fears of abandonment and neglect. These factors heavily impacted my ability to establish healthy relationships. Depression and anxiety play cruel tricks on your mind, making you believe things about yourself and other people that are not true. For someone who wants to love you or partner with you, this presents a challenge. I prioritize self-care and try to preserve my mental health at all costs. In the past, I have felt obligated to maintain personal or professional relationships that were not necessarily conducive to me maintaining good mental health, and often actually contributed to my depression or anxiety. Thus, I have vowed to run constant temperature checks with myself to make sure that my job, school, social activities, etc. are not negatively impacting my mental health. In my current occupation, I work in disability services in higher education. My experience with my own mental health has made me much more empathetic to the struggles of the students who interact with our office and are struggling with mental health. Maintaining optimal mental health is an ongoing struggle for me. Consistent counseling, spiritual practices, being in nature, writing, and the wisdom that accompanies age have all helped me better manage my mental wellness. I am fortunate enough to be able to confront my psychological struggles at a time when there is less of a stigma around mental illness, increased awareness, and more resources.

I am a firm believer that we all have our own unique gifts that align with our divine life's purpose. One of my gifts is identifying the talents, skills, and strengths of the people I am around. I have been told that part of my purpose is to bring out the best in other people. My favorite way to help others is by encouraging them to tap into their gifts and to utilize those gifts to better themselves, while also contributing to making their communities better and stronger as well. I have an authentic warmth and generous spirit that makes people feel comfortable being vulnerable with me and opening up. Because of my gifts of empathy and understanding, I am able to help folks discover the confidence to tap into their gifts to maximize their potential. I am extremely proud of this.

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare; But all the time I’se been a’climbin’ on, And reachin’ landin’s, And turnin’ corners, And sometimes goin’ in the dark, Where there ain’t been no light. For as far back as I can remember, Langston Hughes' "Mother to Son" poem has resonated on a deeply personal level. Though I don't not have children yet, like the mother in the poem, my life hasn't been easy. It's been filled with trials and tribulations that had the potential to dramatically alter the trajectory of my life. In narrowing down those challenging experiences, the most difficult of them are navigating my mother's incarceration through my formative teenage years, followed by her death in 2010. My mom suffered a back injury while working as a nurse which eventually lead to an addiction to pain killers and subsequent incarceration for obtaining prescription opioids fraudulently. Because of her incarceration, I was forced to mature much sooner than my peers, working multiple jobs while in school to support myself and my younger sister. Juggling school and multiple part-time jobs was prevented me from participating in extracurricular activities that my peers engaged in. I did not have my mom readily available to solicit for advice and was deprived of her physical presence at award ceremonies and special events, including my graduation. I am grateful that she was out of prison by the time I graduated college and was able to attend my departmental ceremonies. Losing my mom to prison as a teen, and then to death in 2010, were the true test of my perseverance, Surviving these events and succeeding in spite of them has empowered me to keep going.

Joy is a constant, stabilizing state of being. While happiness is fleeting and contingent on external factors, joy is more lasting and derived internally. Joy is not merely a feeling or emotion, rather, it is a state of mind that comes from having inner peace and being in tune with oneself. As someone who lives with anxiety, depression, and PTSD, being able to accurately define joy and happiness and differentiate between the two has been crucial for me in maintaining optimal mental health during challenging times. Throughout my life, I have encountered many situations and circumstances that have been beyond my control. These unpleasant situations greatly impacted my ability to feel happiness. Staying grounded in the things that support my authenticity and uniqueness has helped me avoid looking outside of myself and, instead, look within. Nurturing plants, writing in my journal, interacting with children, meditating, and tapping into my creativity are just a few things that bring me joy. Whenever external stressors such as work, school, interpersonal relationships, etc. negatively impact my happiness, I remind myself that I have the power to influence and regulate my own emotions by honing in on the things that bring me joy, instead of being too preoccupied with what may temporarily infringe on my happiness. Embracing my agency as made me feel more in control of my emotions and less prone to spiraling into deep depressive states.

The wisest thing I have ever heard came from my grandmother, by way of my aunt. Because of complicated dynamics, unfortunately, I did not have a close relationship with most of my family on either side. When my paternal grandmother passed away in November 2020, I was able to connect with my aunt through the shared pain of losing our mothers as I lost mine in 2010. Grief is not linear and there is a consistent roller coaster of emotions in dealing with death, particularly the death of a parent. Especially our mothers, who give us life. In providing my aunt with words of encouragement, comfort, and support from my experience losing my mother as she faced the reality of having to navigate life without her own, she gifted me with some wise words that she received from my grandma: "My mother, your grandmother, taught me to love people with an open hand," she said as she slowly unclenched her fist, spread her fingers and made a circular motion on her palm. "If they want to come, let them. If they want to go, let them. Don't try to hold on to people too tight. Just keep your hand open." Those words deeply resonated with me. I have always had abandonment issues due to the trauma I experienced as a child. A subtle fear of being left always lingers but, in adapting grandma's mantra of "loving with an open hand," I have been able to work through that fear. I don't have any pictures of my grandmother and I, any personal artifacts or tangible momentos of hers to hold and pass on to my children. But I do have her words of wisdom that I will cherish forever and share with anyone who needs to hear them.

The one personal finance lesson that I find most important and that has really helped me manage my money better is placing my savings on autopilot. In addition to my regular savings account that serves as a back-up to my primary checking account, I also have a certain amount of my bi-weekly income automatically deposited into a savings account with my employer's credit union. I keep the card that is attached to that account locked in a safe and do not have the PIN number to it to make it harder to access those funds. In order to withdraw money from that particular account, I have to actually go into the bank. There is only one banking location so it is incredibly inconvenient to try to access those funds, making it easier to maintain my savings goals. Thus, I am able to pretend as though that money does not exist and allow interest to accrue.

Financial freedom has felt like an elusive fantasy in my life. I grew up in a single-parent household, in low-income housing, with my mother and my younger sister. We relied on welfare and struggled to make ends meet. Due to an injury, my mother became addicted to prescription pain-killers (well before the opioid crisis became a public health issue) and her substance abuse disorder subsequently landed her in prison off and on for much of my formidable teenage years. Thrust into the responsibilities of adulthood early, I was forced to take care of myself and my family at a young age and much of my childhood was eroded as a result. I obtained my worker’s permit at the age of 15 and have worked continuously since, at times juggling multiple part-time jobs, part-time jobs to supplement full-time jobs, and taking on gig work as a rideshare driver, personal shopper and food delivery driver. While most of my peers were playing sports, participating in clubs and discovering the passions that would lead them to their eventual careers, I was punching a clock, writing checks and paying bills. Now that I am 38, I have been reflecting on how much of my time, energy and youth has been devoted to working and how the need to survive has overshadowed my ability to live and actually thrive. I have been working for 23 years and still make less than $50,000 a year and still find myself struggling financially. Any additional monetary support would really provide me with some much-needed relief and afford me with the space and opportunity to breath. For me, financial freedom would mean having my basic monetary needs met with enough money left over for leisure, especially to travel. I am a late bloomer and have just really started to live more of a full life in my 30s. I have a lot of catching up to do. Seeing more of the world is a crucial aspect of catching up. Financial freedom means having to only work my full-time job while finishing graduate school and obtaining my Assistive Technology certification, without having to take on additional jobs or gigs to make ends meet. Having my financial needs met would allow me to redirect the time and energy usually reserved for working to the academic and community-based organizations that I am involved in. My academic commitments include serving as president of the North Carolina Central chapter of the International City/County Management Association and member of the Graduate Associate for Public Administration. Additionally, I serve my community as an equitable engagement outreach ambassador and co-facilitate a housing policy working group. Eliminating the added pressure of working or generating additional income would allow me to participate more extensively and intently in these meaningful roles. In order to achieve financial freedom, I intend to continue to cut my spending, live within my means, prioritize my spending, invest more into my retirement savings and increase my earning potential by earning my Masters degree.

In order to support diversity, equity and inclusion, I am committed to lending my talents, skills and expertise to engagement initiatives aimed at centering the voices of those in my community who have been systemically excluded and historically under-represented in the decision-making process. About three years ago, the Durham City Council instructed staff to work with community members to develop an engagement plan around racial equity in order to address the lack of diverse engagement in previous projects such as the construction of the Durham Freeway (147) that decimated Black businesses and neighborhoods. Influenced by the Atlanta Belt Line project, Neighborhood Improvement Services, the Community Engagement Team and various other city departments, community leaders and stakeholders worked to develop an Equitable Community Engagement Blueprint in order to create replicable, measurable guidelines across the city to increase awareness of city initiatives, minimize adverse effects and maximize benefits for low-wealth Black and brown communities. I have been on ENGAGE Durham’s Outreach Team as an engagement ambassador since the project launched in 2019. Interfacing with members of my community from different backgrounds, getting their input on local government and some of the proposed future planning projects has been enlightening. I am also co-facilitating a housing policy working-group, leading discussions around affordable housing issues in my city as the cost of housing increases and more and more residents are met with economic instability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. By using community members instead of outside consultants to disseminate information, facilitate conversations and record feedback, Durham is working to regain trust from residents who have been disenfranchised and invisibilized by exclusionary engagement practices in the past to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. I am immensely proud to be a part of this process.