Strive 4 Success

Hey luvs!

I woke up with such a grateful heart this morning and I totally wanted to share why with you. Honestly, I'm grateful because, of the support shown from my hometown community for the Strive 4 Success youth empowerment workshop the hubs and I will be putting on at the end of the month.  Now, I told y’all I was working on something last week whelp this this is it...2014 Strive 4 Success which we're hoping is just the first of many :).

I shared my plans via Facebook on Sunday and ever since my initial post the support has just been unreal and overwhelming. I can’t thank my hometown family, friends, and soon to be friends enough for the support they've shown already. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Everyone for your kind words, shares, likes, love, encouragement, and support we receive your words and pray our youth will receive ours.

Most people that know me well, knows that THIS is where my passion lies and, doing such an event has been in my heart (and on my to-do list) for about 6 years now. So, I think it’s finally time that I put my words in motion. 

I've had such an emotional struggle to success that sharing my journey with the public won’t be easy but, I know it will be WORTH it. With that being said, please continue to help me spread the word over the next 27 days. We'd love to reach many of our youth in the area as the venue will hold so, please bring 'em out like you did for the Future concert lol. No but in all seriousness, I don't think this is one that any of the teens will want to miss. Our stories are REAL, Our success is REAL, and there for our message will be very REAL. I promise this will be a very powerful, educational, motivational, and relatable message.  

The Spirit Of Giving

Yesterday I shared the photos of my beautiful niece preparing to attend her junior prom (Bell Of The Junior Ball).  When her chosen look was revealed via text to me all I could do was smile and respond that she looked absolutely stunning.  I have several nieces (there are three others in addition to the two I informed you about in Letter To My Nieces), and this one is the very shy introvert of the group so, to see her come out of her shell and transform into this dashing beauty was just amazing. However, I didn’t share the photos with you guys to brag on how gorgeous my niece is (maybe a little part of me did) my overall purpose in sharing them was to tell you about her noble plans for the dress. The day after prom my niece and her mother decided that in lieu of just hanging the dress in the closet and, saving it for years to come they’d like to donate it to another young girl in need.

How AWESOME are they?

I can’t believe that her beautiful gown is up for grabs (free) with the only stipulation being they’d prefer that it goes to a family in need. The younger version of me would have never thought outside myself enough to do something like that for someone else (even though as an adult it became something I was passionate about). I’m super PROUD of the young ladies all my nieces are growing into and grateful for the realization that my journey has not been traveled in vain.

With that being said, I the dress is still up for grabs so please contact if you know a deserving young lady :)

Letter To My Nieces

Dear.Shai & Jannah,

Before I had a child of my own I had the two of you. At the tender age of 14 years old having my first two beautiful nieces born what felt like back to back (November and April) changed my world.  Seeing you ladies for the first time I knew I’d have to become a better me to be an aunt to you ladies. So, I got determined and worked my butt off to show you ladies that there was more to life than the city you were being raised in. At times I can recall feeling like a failure and asking God was all my hard work truly in vain (y’all stressed me and your parents out lol).  Being the first in our family to attend college (and one that was out of state at that) during the hard times I often regretted my decision to leave you ladies to attend school and pursue my dreams in another city. Not because it wasn’t important but, leaving you meant I wasn’t physically going to be there to watch you grow. To be the hands on aunt I wanted to be, to help you get through all your adolescent and teenage drama. I knew I’d miss your milestones yet, I had to hope my actions were serving a greater purpose.  Yes, I was only a phone call or plane ride away but still I felt like there was nothing like being there for you especially, with the absence of your father (at the time). So, I did my best to love, support, encourage, and teach you from a distance. 

I say all that to say, as I sit here typing this letter I can honestly say that my efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The two of you are 17 years young in the last month of your senior year of high school, you’re working part time jobs, and preparing to head to four year universities in the fall...I’m the HAPPIEST aunt on the planet.  Getting an acceptance letter to college may happen every day in some families but in ours it doesn’t. So, there are honestly no words to describe the way I felt when each of you shared the news of your appetence into your respective colleges with me.  The tears of joys I shed were, and the smile of hope that beamed across my face was unreal. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how...YOU LADIES MADE IT:).  And, through all of life’s trials and tribulations you were able to see that “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” ― Maya Angelou and you pushed forward. Your journeys to get where you are today haven’t always been the most direct route but, I sat back watched, and gave guidance (when you requested) because it was your journeys to take.

This fall as you prepare to head to your respective colleges know that this is where life truly begins. The decisions you make from this moment on will follow you, build your character, show others your values, and most importantly shape you into the beautiful women I know you’ll become.  I urge you not take this journey lightly yet, embrace all that it has to offer while remaining true to you, and OWN it.  I couldn’t be more PROUD of how far the two of you have come and truly look forward to seeing what your futures hold.

Love you ladies to the moon and back.