Hello

The Early Days

"I believed as a child, I lived as a child, and I loved as only a child could." These are the words that echo my earliest memories—a time when life felt both normal and impossibly complicated. My family struggled under the weight of challenges we couldn’t name, let alone confront. By the age of six, I entered foster care for the first time, separated from my siblings and placed in a group home.

Even then, the cracks in the system were evident. My siblings and I experienced moments of protection but also profound neglect, lost in a maze of policies and placements that overlooked the human cost of systemic failure.

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Defining Moments

My second entry into foster care, at age 13, marked a turning point. It was a period of loss, upheaval, and eventual disillusionment with a system meant to provide safety. I was placed in a foster home that would later become an adoption placement—one that was, in fact, illegal. Despite red flags, the system failed to protect me, allowing me to slip through the cracks yet again.

At 16, I faced unimaginable circumstances: being tried as an adult and facing the possibility of a life sentence. It was in that moment that an extraordinary act of compassion changed my path. The Honorable Judge Juneal Kerrick saw potential in me that others overlooked. She granted me an opportunity for rehabilitation rather than retribution—a chance to redefine who I could become.

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Turning Pain into Purpose

That chance became the foundation for everything I’ve accomplished since. My lived experiences—both the challenges and the triumphs—shaped my understanding of systemic flaws and ignited a passion for reform. I began advocating for those like me: youth and families impacted by systems that often fail to serve them.

With each step, I turned my pain into purpose. I’ve collaborated with state agencies, educational institutions, and advocacy organizations to build reentry programs, create compliance frameworks, and foster authentic engagement practices. Today, I’m a nationally recognized advocate for social justice reform, working to ensure that no one else has to navigate the same obstacles I did without support.

 

A Vision for Change

Through Elevate Empire and its programs, I strive to transform systems of care by placing lived experience at the forefront of reform. My work is a testament to the power of resilience, accountability, and the belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed.

I advocate for systems that hold themselves accountable, just as they expect accountability from individuals. I believe in creating opportunities for growth, healing, and transformation—opportunities that recognize the humanity of every person and the potential for greatness within them.

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