I am the first in my immediate family to go to and graduate from college, as well as pursuing a graduate degree. Unfortunately, as I was preparing to move to a new city for my first semester of undergraduate school my Dad and Grandma passed away suddenly. Not only was this a huge loss, but it had a large effect on my life and the path I ended up taking as I was becoming a young adult. My favorite memory I have now of my Dad is him screaming my name at my high school graduation (louder than any of the bullhorns in attendance!), a few months before he passed away. He was so excited for me to go to school, and he was so proud of me being his oldest child getting ready to go to school and build my life. Needless to say, this experience made this transition into adulthood unique for me compared to my peers, not a lot of people could relate to what I was going through. And for a long time, I was lost running on autopilot going to classes each day, present but somewhere else in my mind at the same time. But, as I entered into the core classes for my exercise science degree, I learned so much about the body that I believe it "woke me up", if you will. I began to see how much I am just like them in my personality and habits, good and bad, and I began to learn how to make choices that would better myself so that all that they taught me, and my grief process would not be in vain. By the time I graduated I was exhausted, still struggling to accept the reality of them not being here, but beneath all the pain I was carrying was the love of my family that has carried me through to this very point today. Now 27, I have learned a lot about my strength and my gifts. All that I have been through has now become my motivation to be a light in the world in hopes of being an encourager for those who struggle with the reality of loss in life. My parents raised me to be a role model and I intend to fulfill this dream of theirs. Though I have a passion for basketball, and I wish to own a training facility, the root of my dreams stems from the deep desire I have to support others going through the same thing I went through. Health, wellness, and nutrition have become my true passion. I am working to earn certification in nutrition, yoga, and stretching/mobility coaching so I can have a full foundation for the facility I want to build so I can give people practical ways to improve their daily quality of life. I want to leave this world knowing I uplifted as many people as I could to live through the pain that life brings because you can still have a full and bright life even after losing more than you think you can handle. I believe that though life may feel like it is trying to break you, these are some of the most special moments life has to offer us.

Just before my first college semester my Grandma and Dad passed away two weeks apart. During my four years of undergraduate school, I learned a lot about the body taking exercise science courses that directly related to the unfortunate loss of my loved ones. My Grandma struggled with mental health and my Dad struggled with heart disease and alcoholism that really took a toll on their bodies over their life. I have also lost loved ones suddenly to unexpected cancer in the years following my graduation from undergraduate school. This took a toll on me interpersonally as I entered into adulthood, but it has also shaped my vision and dreams for the impact I want my life to have while I have life to live. The one thing I have learned and am becoming more passionate about is the way food relates to our overall quality of life. While exercise is a great tool to use when a person wants to improve their health, all the research I have read suggests that starting with food and your diet is a more accessible and practical tool to use when someone wants to begin a new health journey. You can go to the gym and max out every day, but it will mean nothing to your body if you leave the gym and get in line at your favorite fast food chicken place... It's not just about eating a salad every day and "no more McDonald's", it's about using food as fuel to be your best self in every aspect of life. I have made the first steps to becoming fully plant-based in my own life, and I actively spend time reading about nutrition on my own to share with my loved ones in my life. Being in a black family, this is something I believe is key for us as a community to be elevated from our tortured past in this country. A sort of "side show" dream I have is to write a plant-based soul food cookbook that would make plant-based nutrition seem a little less daunting to the average "meat eater". My dream is to have a basketball training facility that trains all ages and I intend to have a plant-based nutrition bar on-site to educate athletes on what it means to eat healthy and be aware of what you are consuming, as well as having nutrition staff available to provide free practical tips and recipes for anyone who is wanting to transition to a plant-based diet and/or is looking to eat healthier overall. Particularly for parents of young athletes I want to have a course or a handbook that would educate them on how to feed their child in a way that is cost-efficient with things like how to upgrade their favorite snacks into healthy snacks, or how to meal plan their family dinner for the week to help save on time. It is truly the little things like this that make these transitions feel more attainable for everyday people and families.