As a child growing up in the Caribbean without a father figure, life wasn’t always a bag of roses. I was bullied at school because of my looks and what I wore to school, not being able to afford the brand name clothes. I remember my mom buying me a Mr. T. book bag for school with the image of Mr. T (from the A-team). I loved the bag, but it brought attention from the bullies. I was called Mrs. T and didn’t like the name-calling. I begged my mom to buy me another bag, but she couldn't afford it as a single mom and working two jobs. I escaped the bullying by focusing on reading and writing stories that created a safe haven for me, but the low self-esteem lingered.Then, I moved to Canada in my teens to live with my dad and his family, and it was there that everything changed. I remember taking the LRT (the train) in Edmonton, and a random woman said to me, “You are beautiful and gorgeous.” I was stunned and thought to myself: What did she see in me? I went home and looked into the mirror to see what she saw. Since that day, I have been telling myself I am beautiful and gorgeous. This simple story that I have told myself has given me courage, self-love, confidence, dignity, and gratitude. Over the years, I have grown to love myself, feeling empowered before I can help others. Whether through making healthier food choices, writing stories about overcoming adversities, or through my podcast helping others along their journeys in life and recording my first song, letting others know it’s the story you tell yourself that matters—so tell yourself stories to uplift you and others. Doing these things has brought joy and peace to my life. A Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and a Master’s in Public Health from Andrews University in Michigan and now works as a registered dietitian in New York. My greatest career achievement is being true to myself, not letting others tell my story and put their insecurities onto me, and doing the things I used to do as a child that brought me happiness, freedom, and safety. I wouldn’t change anything about my life because the journey has made me who I am. It has made me stronger, purposeful, and grateful and given me hope to persevere in the eyes of adversity and never to give up on my dreams and the things I love doing.
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