I experienced some pretty painful times in my 40 years. Feelings of low self-esteem, uncertainty, and self-doubt took root very early on. I've struggled through every phase of my life: as a chubby child with self-esteem issues, as a teen mom trying to navigate college at an institution I didn't feel a part of, a young woman wasting time with men that reflected the poor image I had of myself, and as an adult grappling with the imbalance of power and privilege in my community and watching it unfold in every aspect of my life.

I often found myself walking between two very different worlds. I existed in a space between the past and the present, and poverty and privilege. As I aged, the duality that I existed in grew larger and more complex. Some of those spaces I existed in were quite painful and very emotional for me. Some of the most painful moments of my life were prime opportunities for personal growth. I learned to make sense of the two worlds I existed in and used that skill to help connect, build, and manifest community, comradery, and a sense of purpose.