From there to here:

My very first job was at a Mr Movies rental store. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I couldn’t believe I got the position of Key Holder!! I was responsible for closing the store and taking the money deposit bag to the bank at the end of the night. (y’all, I would drive that thing to the bank at 11pm at night on my bright red moped - thank you god and my ancestors for carrying my lil self back & forth). I loved that job because, I got to watch the movie rentals that would come out to the public on Friday - on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Early access me, please and thank you.

My second job was as an Office Administrator at a law firm. I loved that job because it was the first time I had access to personally know an adult Black woman - and the possibilities of who and how I could be immediately expanded. I always had a secret dream of being a lawyer when I was younger, until I realized I would have to end up defending people I may not want to - my ethics drive a hard line.

The rest went like this…

Retail managerial experience starting at Maurice’s, before I was poached (no, really) by Justice at the Mall of America. Competition is wicked for reliable personnel, I guess! I really do think everyone should work retail at some point & maybe even in a mall setting because of the things you learn about yourself and other people - mainly about kindness - baseline: it is a worthy lesson to walk away with.

Following some light Data Entry and Transcription work (delightful because I’m forever a curious human), I became a Commercial Line Insurance Underwriter focused on building out coding for growth into a new state while managing 3 field representatives in 6 state/territories. That job’s skills led me to be hired as a Fiduciary Analyst for a trust department within its private bank division (why did I say all of that - because it matters the type of wealth we were dealing with to accurately reflect my experience). That job may have been the most interesting - I felt like my eyebrows never fully rested after what I learned about people… with money-money.

Intertwined within, I was also a high school Track Head Coach (decorated, mind you), assisted in high school volleyball for a season, as well as a dabble in youth basketball and youth football for a season each.

Then it was time for my freelance era, which I spent as a Wine Ambassador and Social Media Specialist - focused on building strong foundations for start-ups. My time as a freelance consultant taught me how to build (and be a part of) a supportive network and (without me knowing it at the time) it has become the foundation on which I stand today.

All of that led me to be a respected Mission Alignment/Inclusion & Belonging consultant & guide.

Ultimately now, I am a Nonprofit Founder who is a Public Health educator and Wellbeing Advocate & I have become both a speaker and writer - who has been interviewed on the news, international publications, and many podcasts, as well as featured on panels and headlining workshops. It turns out: Words need people and people need words - and some of us are responsible for making those connections.

The main vein in all of this experience is this: My bottom line is humanity - and to be clear, humanity thrives when Black women have the access to be well.