I was raised by a single mother in the inner city of Detroit, Michigan. Coming from a broken home with limited positive male role models prompted me to grow up pretty early as a young child. Though I would feel the weight of being a “leader” as an older brother and central male figure to my younger sister, I would act out in school and get into fights as a cry for help. My mother and grandmother both emphasized the importance of education early on, and I took it upon myself to fulfill their expectations of going on to complete college. 

Born with Sickle Cell Anemia, I was thrown into opioid-based pain management at the age of eight years old. As I got older and entered undergrad poor lifestyle decisions, becoming introduced to alcohol at 17, and overindulging in experimentation with mood altering substances worsened my debilitating condition with Sickle Cell. 

Sickle Cell Anemia is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by low oxygen proteins and causes severe pain across the body. So by not fully understanding my condition, I would fully rely upon medical treatment which would mostly consist of heavily prescribed narcotics. Not yet able to separate myself from destructive habits I would find myself in jail cells and in felony court cases. Let off with probation, my habits would continue to spiral after graduation into my young adulthood and I accepted a lifestyle of dealing percocets, adderall, and marijuana to friends and family. 

After graduation I began working in higher education as a College Access Advisor. Submerged into my addictions, I lead a double life working in high schools and dealing drugs on the side. 

My recovery has been the saving grace of my life and my loved ones. In 2018, the downward spiral came to an end when I found myself in prison serving a 10 year sentence. While incarcerated I not only found sobriety but recovery. I began attending AA, NA, 7 Habits for Highly Effective People, and became a peer mentor with other inmates. Eventually I would get a peer recovery specialist credential and was paroled for early release in 2022. My old habits and double-life was laid to rest and I no longer feel guilt and shame when working with the public in “do as I say, not as I do” consciousness. 

Receiving recovery resources immediately out of prison and serving others in the midst of their crises has reinforced dignity, accountability, and self love. Regaining and repairing the relationships with loved ones, especially with my young daughter, has propelled me into a greater sense of purpose and I am eternally grateful for the chance to be productive in the circle of humanity. I am so excited to get to work with others who have shared lived experiences of trauma, personal development, and reclaiming their identities.