One of my fondest childhood memories was feeling the reward of courage through her smile…

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As a young girl, I can recall one of my childhood friends had become pregnant. All the neighborhood parents instructed their children not to play with her anymore. But through brave audaciousness, I continued to be her friend. I just could not turn my back on her. After a while, her words became few...her thank you and appreciation for my courage to still be there for her was expressed through her sad, but intentional smile that crept up her cheeks when we locked eyes.

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From then to now, I’ve always been a fighter for the underdog and marginalized. 

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As a field of study, I obtained my master’s degree in social work, which gave me an avenue to address social issues in a more comprehensive way.

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When leading the Crack Cocaine Self-help Program, I started the first Women’s Only group, because I knew there were secrets women wouldn’t share in a co-ed setting. As a result of leading those groups, I created Walk out of Darkness (WOOD), a proprietary curriculum that addresses brokenness, addictions, choices, and destiny.

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Everything about my life, in some fashion or the other, dealt with broken women and the marginalized. I taught addiction and behavioral classes for women in the Leon County Jail system, provided community and one-on-one counseling and career coaching, and serve in a leadership capacity within my church. These were the foundational experiences that birthed Beauty for Ashes 2.0 with a Wraparound approach. While I have an affinity for broken women, the mission has expanded to all individuals, as a broken spirit has no gender.

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My passion and life’s work is to educate and empower the masses to embrace the beauty in life despite the ashes.