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Starting a company to support Black and Brown girls on their journey to mental well-being is deeply personal for me. I’ve felt the weight of being a Black woman navigating systems that often don’t just fail to support us but actively work against us. I’ve been taught to hold my head high, stay “strong,” and keep pushing forward, even when I feel unseen, misunderstood, and exhausted. The reality is, this high road we’re always told to take? It’s draining. And it’s often a one-way path for us; a path that doesn’t allow us the room to feel or show vulnerability without facing judgment.
I think about Pedagogy of the Oppressed and how Paulo Freire talks about the complex relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed. For us, it’s not just theoretical. We are taught from an early age to "be better," "prove ourselves," and "rise above." We’re expected to withstand waves of microaggressions, exclusion, and the silent (and not-so-silent) biases in our workplaces, schools, and daily lives. And as Black women, we face a level of scrutiny that’s hard to explain but painfully real to experience.
This became even clearer to me when I saw the election results roll in. I watched in disbelief as state after state turned red, many of which had been expected to be close. It was like a gut punch, a reminder of just how heavy our reality is. Here was Kamala Harris - a woman who has fought against the odds, shattered countless barriers, and represented us at the highest level, standing tall in the face of it all. Yet, despite all her credentials and accomplishments, so many in this country, including Black men, Latino men and white women, still turned out to vote for Trump. This isn’t just about politics. It’s a mirror reflecting just how deep this country’s roots in misogynoir go.
And this is exactly why I’m building Life I Love School. This organization is more than a business; it’s my commitment to equip Black and Brown girls with the skills to navigate a world that too often undervalues them. I want them to learn how to handle stress, yes, but also how to confront and break through the barriers that others have silently placed around them. Our work isn’t about just making them “resilient” in the conventional sense. It’s about giving them the confidence and agency to be fully seen and heard, to feel, show emotion, and express vulnerability without shame. I want them to lead lives they genuinely love, not lives where they’re just “tolerated” but where they’re celebrated, understood, and truly valued.
Creating this program means going beyond basic coping skills. It means fostering spaces where these girls can safely explore their identities, challenge the oppressive expectations they face, and redefine success on their own terms. We’re not just helping them to stand strong; we’re helping them realize their voices, their feelings, and their dreams are powerful in a way that can reshape the spaces they walk through. I want them to know they don’t need to “prove” their worth to anyone but themselves.
I’m exhausted from seeing Black women and girls confined to paths that don’t allow them to fully express who they are. This work is about ensuring the next generation doesn’t have to bear that weight. The Life I Love School is here to help them build a life that feels right and whole, a life that holds space for their real, full selves.
To the Black and Brown girls we serve: You deserve to take up space, to feel joy, to express pain, and to walk through life on your own terms. I’m committed to helping you build the tools to do just that. And I will continue this work because your journey, your life, is worth loving.