“When you cease to make a contribution you begin to die.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

The road that brought me to human services has been everything but easy. Thankfully, it has taught me that perseverance and resiliency comes from refusing to let go of hope; and the hope that shines from within comes from the love and faith of others.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Gravesend Brooklyn, I lived primarily a sheltered life filled with the naivety that a perfect future would fall into my lap. At the age of 17, after the sudden and tragic death of my father, life changed for good. The walls that secured my life crumbled giving rise to doubt, anger, fear, and endless thoughts concerning the meaning and value of life. Unfortunately, those thoughts brought more confusion than answers.

Eventually, after several hundred bumps and bruises, my road led to St. Christopher’s Inn (a homeless shelter and rehabilitation center run by monks) where I was finally exposed to my true strengths. This is where I learned to value myself and stop running away from life. These were lessons that came from unconditional love and determination on the part of everyone who came across my path there. I learned that I wasn’t too old to live, and still young enough to attend college and gain greater insight and power.

A few years and some more bumps later (the road will always be bumpy – I just need to learn how to drive around them), I began my collegiate career. At first my goal was to obtain a degree in radiology, but fate, along with an inability to pass Physiology and Anatomy brought me to Human Services. Finally I realized that my purpose in life was exactly what people had been saying for the previous few years; use my life’s experiences to help others. I began with the intention to receive an Associate’s degree, but am now determined to finish City Tech with a Bachelor’s and use that as a springboard to Hunter College where I intend to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work, and perhaps a minor in Psychology.

I am here to contribute to the world because my life has meaning, and I finally know it.