2017
From Adversity to Empowerment: My Journey
I completed my Master of Science from SOAS University of London, a milestone that came during a challenging period of my life. Despite the academic success, I felt lost and struggled to find my footing. A year of job applications in my field yielded no results, despite my years of experience. I was advised to remove my MSc degree from my CV to avoid being perceived as a threat to established professionals in the sector—a crushing blow to my confidence.
Amidst these professional setbacks, I faced profound personal loss. I was by my mother’s bedside when she passed away. Her life story, marked by incredible resilience, became a source of inspiration for me. My mother was a Restavek from the age of five, taken to the Turks and Caicos at fourteen, where she lived a life of servitude and never attended school. Despite these hardships, she carried herself with pride and accomplished so much with so little.
Reflecting on her strength, I found a new purpose. I decided to dedicate my efforts to working with young people struggling in formal educational settings. My aim was to help them discover alternative paths to reaching their potential and instill a sense of pride in their choices. This led to the creation of an organization initially called Knowledge4Usbyus.
The journey of building this organization has been marked by changes and growth, supported by friends who believed in my vision. Their support has been invaluable, and together, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of young people.
Through my work, I hope to honor my mother’s legacy and provide others with the opportunities she never had. I believe in the power of education, mentorship, and community support to transform lives and empower the next generation to achieve their dreams.
